Walt Disney World Golf Classic

Golf tournament on the PGA Tour

The Walt Disney World Golf Classic was an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour. The tournament was played on the Palm and Magnolia courses at the Walt Disney World Resort. It was played under several names, reflecting sponsorship changes. The tournament was founded in 1971 as the Walt Disney World Open Invitational. From 1974 to 1981, the tournament was played as a two man team event with a better ball format. Title sponsors have included Oldsmobile, National Car Rental, Funai, and Children's Miracle Network. From 2007 to 2012, it was the final event in the PGA Tour Fall Series, and also the final official event of the PGA Tour season. As such, it was a final chance for many players to earn or retain a PGA Tour card through winning or getting into the top 125 on the Tour's money list. The 2010 and 2012 winners, Robert Garrigus and Charlie Beljan respectively, were both outside the top 125 before their wins. The tournament was removed from the PGA Tour schedule for the 2013–14 wrap around season after Children's Miracle Network declined to renew their sponsorship and no others were found. The 2012 purse was $4,700,000, with $846,000 going to the winner.

The event was televised by ESPN and ABC Sports, until the demotion of the event to the Fall Series in 2007, when it was relegated to cable only on the Golf Channel. While ESPN and ABC, which are owned by Disney, covered both courses as a form of publicity for both, the Golf Channel covered only the Magnolia course with highlight packages sent in from the Palm. However, this is the manner in which the network has always covered tournaments with multiple venues.

The Magnolia Course at Walt Disney World is known as more "tour" style than its sister the Palm Course. The Palm course is known as the prettier of the two, however. In the 2006 telecast, one commentator is quoted as saying that the Palm course has the better greens of the two courses. The Magnolia has grown to 7,516 yards to battle the usual low scores during the tournament's history. The nearby Lake Buena Vista golf course has also been part of the tournament, along with the Palm and Magnolia.

YearWinner(s)ScoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s) upWinner'sshare ($)Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic 2012 Charlie Beljan 272 −16 2 strokes Matt Every Robert Garrigus 846,000 2011 Luke Donald 271 −17 2 strokes Justin Leonard 846,000Children's Miracle Network Classic 2010 Robert Garrigus 267 −21 3 strokes Roland Thatcher 846,000 2009 Stephen Ames (2) 270 −18 Playoff Justin Leonard George McNeill 846,000 2008 Davis Love III 263 −25 1 stroke Tommy Gainey 828,000 2007 Stephen Ames 271 −17 1 stroke Tim Clark 828,000Funai Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort 2006 Joe Durant 263 −25 4 strokes Frank Lickliter Troy Matteson 828,000 2005 Lucas Glover 265 −23 1 stroke Tom Pernice Jr. 792,000 2004 Ryan Palmer 266 −22 3 strokes Briny Baird Vijay Singh 756,000 2003 Vijay Singh 265 −23 4 strokes Stewart Cink Scott Verplank Tiger Woods 720,000Disney Golf Classic 2002 Bob Burns 263 −25 1 stroke Chris DiMarco 666,000National Car Rental Golf Classic Disney 2001 José Cóceres 265 −23 1 stroke Davis Love III 612,000 2000 Duffy Waldorf 262 −26 1 stroke Steve Flesch 540,000 1999 Tiger Woods (2) 271 −17 1 stroke Ernie Els 450,000 1998 John Huston (2) 272 −16 1 stroke Davis Love III 360,000Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic 1997 David Duval 270 −18 Playoff Dan Forsman 270,000 1996 Tiger Woods 267 −21 1 stroke Payne Stewart 216,000 1995 Brad Bryant 198 −18 1 stroke Hal Sutton Ted Tryba 216,000 1994 Rick Fehr 269 −19 2 strokes Craig Stadler Fuzzy Zoeller 198,000 1993 Jeff Maggert 265 −23 3 strokes Greg Kraft 198,000 1992 John Huston 262 −26 3 strokes Mark O'Meara 180,000 1991 Mark O'Meara 267 −21 1 stroke David Peoples 180,000 1990 Tim Simpson (2) 264 −24 1 stroke John Mahaffey 180,000 1989 Tim Simpson 272 −16 1 stroke Donnie Hammond 144,000 1988 Bob Lohr 263 −25 Playoff Chip Beck 126,000 1987 Larry Nelson (2) 268 −20 1 stroke Morris Hatalsky Mark O'Meara 108,000 1986 Raymond Floyd 275 −13 Playoff Lon Hinkle Mike Sullivan 90,000 1985 Lanny Wadkins 267 −21 1 stroke Mike Donald Scott Hoch 72,000Walt Disney World Golf Classic 1984 Larry Nelson 266 −22 1 stroke Hubert Green 72,000 1983 Payne Stewart 269 −19 2 strokes Nick Faldo Mark McCumber 72,000 1982 Hal Sutton 269 −19 Playoff Bill Britton 72,000Walt Disney World National Team Championship 1981 Vance Heafner and Mike Holland 246 −42 5 strokes Chip Beck and Rex Caldwell 36,000(each) 1980 Danny Edwards and David Edwards 253 −35 2 strokes Gibby Gilbert and Grier Jones Dan Halldorson and Dana Quigley Mike Harmon and Barry Harwell 31,500(each) 1979 George Burns and Ben Crenshaw 255 −33 3 strokes Peter Jacobsen and D. A. Weibring Jeff Hewes and Sammy Rachels Scott Bess and Dan Halldorson 22,500(each) 1978 Wayne Levi and Bob Mann 254 −34 3 strokes Bobby Wadkins and Lanny Wadkins 20,000(each) 1977 Gibby Gilbert and Grier Jones 253 −35 1 stroke Steve Melnyk and Andy North 20,000(each) 1976 Woody Blackburn and Billy Kratzert 260 −28 Playoff Gay Brewer and Bobby Nichols 20,000(each) 1975 Jim Colbert and Dean Refram 252 −36 3 strokes Bobby Cole and John Schlee Victor Regalado and Charlie Sifford 20,000(each) 1974 Hubert Green and Mac McLendon 255 −33 1 stroke Sam Snead and J. C. Snead Ed Sneed and Bert Yancey 25,000(each)Walt Disney World Golf Classic 1973 Jack Nicklaus (3) 275 −13 1 stroke Mason Rudolph 30,000Walt Disney World Open Invitational 1972 Jack Nicklaus (2) 267 −21 9 strokes Jim Dent Bobby Mitchell Larry Wood 30,000 1971 Jack Nicklaus 273 −15 3 strokes Deane Beman 30,000