Sahara Invitational

Template:Short description Template:Short description The Sahara Invitational was a PGA Tour event in Nevada from 1958 through 1976, played in Las Vegas and sponsored by the Sahara Hotel. In the first four years, it was the Sahara Pro-Am and an unofficial tour event. Paradise Valley Country Club hosted in 1970 and 1971, and Sahara Nevada Country Club from 1972–1976.

Jack Nicklaus won Sahara four times in a seven-year span in the 1960s, and three future major champions (Tony Lema, Lanny Wadkins, and John Mahaffey) made Sahara their first tour victory.

A month after the 1976 event, it was announced in early November that the Sahara Invitational was being discontinued. Edward M. Nigro, vice president and general manager of Hotel Sahara, cited rising costs, scheduling conflicts, and a decline in the national promotion benefit as the reasons for the tournament's cancellation.

The Las Vegas Founders returned the PGA Tour to Las Vegas in 1983 with the Panasonic Las Vegas Pro Celebrity Classic; since 2007, it has been organized by the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Tournament highlights

• 1962: Tony Lema wins the inaugural Sahara Invitational, three shots ahead of Don January.
• 1964: R. H. Sikes shoots a first round 62 on his way to a two shot triumph over defending champion Jack Nicklaus, Phil Rodgers, and Jack McGowan.
• 1967: Jack Nicklaus becomes the only Sahara champion to successfully defend his title. He wins by one shot over Steve Spray.
• 1968: Chi-Chi Rodríguez shoots a final round 64 to come from six shots back and force a sudden death playoff. He then birdies the first playoff hole to defeat Dale Douglass.
• 1969: Nicklaus shoots a final round 65 for his 29th PGA Tour title and fourth Sahara victory. He finishes four shots ahead of Frank Beard.
• 1971: Lee Trevino wins his sixth PGA Tour event of the year, one shot ahead of George Archer.
• 1974: Al Geiberger wins for the first time on tour since his PGA Championship triumph in 1966; he finishes three shots ahead of Jerry Heard, Wally Armstrong, Mike Hill, and Dave Hill.
• 1976: Runner-up five years earlier, Archer wins the last Sahara, two strokes ahead of defending champion Dave Hill and third round leader Don January.

Winners

Year	TourTemplate:Efn	Winner	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Winner's share ($)
Sahara Invitational
1976	PGAT	Template:Flagicon George Archer	271	−13	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Dave Hill Template:Flagicon Don January	27,000
1975	PGAT	Template:Flagicon Dave Hill	270	−14	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Rik Massengale	27,000
1974	PGAT	Template:Flagicon Al Geiberger	273	−11	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Wally Armstrong Template:Flagicon Jerry Heard Template:Flagicon Dave Hill Template:Flagicon Mike Hill	27,000
1973	PGAT	Template:Flagicon John Mahaffey	271	−13	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Dave Eichelberger	27,000
1972	PGAT	Template:Flagicon Lanny Wadkins	273	−11	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Arnold Palmer	27,000
1971	PGAT	Template:Flagicon Lee Trevino	280	−8	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon George Archer	27,000
1970	PGAT	Template:Flagicon Babe Hiskey	276	−12	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Miller Barber Template:Flagicon Terry Dill Template:Flagicon Bob Goalby	20,000
1969	PGAT	Template:Flagicon Jack Nicklaus (4)	272	−12	4 strokes	Template:Flagicon Frank Beard	20,000
1968	PGAT	Template:Flagicon Chi-Chi Rodríguez	274	−10	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Dale Douglass	20,000
1967	PGAT	Template:Flagicon Jack Nicklaus (3)	270	−14	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Steve Spray	20,000
1966	PGAT	Template:Flagicon Jack Nicklaus (2)	282	−2	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Miller Barber Template:Flagicon Arnold Palmer	20,000
1965	PGAT	Template:Flagicon Billy Casper	269	−15	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Billy Martindale	20,000
1964	PGAT	Template:Flagicon R. H. Sikes	275	−9	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jack McGowan Template:Flagicon Jack Nicklaus Template:Flagicon Phil Rodgers	12,000
1963	PGAT	Template:Flagicon Jack Nicklaus	276	−8	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Gay Brewer Template:Flagicon Al Geiberger	13,000
1962	PGAT	Template:Flagicon Tony Lema	270	−14	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Don January	2,800
Sahara Pro-Am
1961		Template:Flagicon Phil Rodgers				Template:Flagicon
1960		Template:Flagicon Bob Duden				Template:Flagicon
1959		Template:Flagicon Doug Sanders				Template:Flagicon
1958		Template:Flagicon Bill Johnston				Template:Flagicon

External links

• 1970-1976 Results and stats on The Sahara Invitational