Atlanta Classic

AT&T Classic
Tournament information
LocationDuluth, Georgia
Established1934
Course(s)TPC Sugarloaf
Par72
Length7,179 yards (6,564 m)[1]
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fundUS$5,500,000
Month playedMay
Final year2008
Tournament record score
Aggregate260 Phil Mickelson (2006)
To par−28 as above
Final champion
Ryuji Imada
Location map
TPC Sugarloaf
Location in the United States
TPC Sugarloaf
Location in Georgia

The Atlanta Classic was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour, a regular stop in suburban Atlanta for over four decades. It was founded in 1967, although previous events dating to 1934 are included in the PGA Tour's past winners list. AT&T was the last title sponsor of the tournament.

From 1967 to 1996, it was played at the Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, northwest of Atlanta. From 1997 to 2008, it was played over the Stables and Meadows nines at TPC at Sugarloaf in Duluth, northeast of Atlanta.

For most of its years, the Atlanta tournament was usually held in May. From 1999 to 2006, it was moved to early April, the week before the Masters. Its final two editions were in mid-May, a week after the Players Championship (which was moved from late March). The tournament was cancelled after the 2008 season.[2]

This event is not to be confused with the AT&T Champions Classic played in Valencia, California, a Champions Tour (now PGA Tour Champions) tournament which bore the "AT&T Classic" name in 2006, prior to AT&T's acquisition of BellSouth. It was cancelled after the 2009 season.

TPC Sugarloaf currently hosts an annual PGA Tour Champions event, the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, which debuted in 2013.

Tournament highlights

  • 1967: Bob Charles wins the first modern era PGA Tour event played in Atlanta. He finishes two shots ahead of Gardner Dickinson, Tommy Bolt, and Richard Crawford.[3]
  • 1968; Bob Lunn is victorious for the second straight week on the PGA Tour. He wins by three shots over Lee Trevino.[4]
  • 1970: Georgia native Tommy Aaron wins by one shot over Dan Sikes.[5] Tom Weiskopf came to the 72nd hole tied with Aaron but closed with a double bogey.
  • 1972: Bob Lunn becomes the tournament's first repeat winner. He beats Gary Player by two shots.[6]
  • 1977: Hale Irwin becomes the first Atlanta champion to successfully defend his title. He beats Steve Veriato by two shots.[7]
  • 1979: Andy Bean shoots a third round 61 on his way to an 8-stroke victory over Joe Inman.[8]
  • 1980: Georgian Larry Nelson wins by seven shots over Don Pooley and defending champion Andy Bean.[9]
  • 1983: Calvin Peete shoots a final round 63, including a hole out for birdie from a bunker on the 71st hole. He wins by two shots over Chip Beck, Jim Colbert, and Don Pooley.[10]
  • 1986: Bob Tway shoots a final round 64 to win by two shots over Hal Sutton.[11]
  • 1988: Larry Nelson birdies the 72nd hole to become a two-time winner of the tournament. He edges Chip Beck by one shot.[12]
  • 1990: Wayne Levi birdies the 72nd hole in near darkness to earn his first PGA Tour win in five years. He finishes one shot ahead of Nick Price, Keith Clearwater, and Larry Mize.[13]
  • 1992: Tom Kite begins the final round bogey-bogey before making six consecutive birdies on his way to a three shot victory over Jay Don Blake.[14] Amateur David Duval, a junior at Georgia Tech held the 54 hole lead[15] by two strokes before shooting a final round 79 to finish T13.[16]
  • 1994: John Daly wins by one shot over Brian Henninger and defending champion Nolan Henke. Afterwards Daly says "This is the first tournament I've won on the PGA Tour in a sober fashion."[17]
  • 1996: Sixth alternate Paul Stankowski birdies the first sudden death playoff hole to defeat Brandel Chamblee.[18]
  • 1998: Tiger Woods notches his only victory of the year in Atlanta. He finishes one shot ahead of Jay Don Blake.[19]
  • 2000: Phil Mickelson wins for the first time in Atlanta. He birdies the first hole of a sudden death playoff to defeat Gary Nicklaus.[20]
  • 2003: Ben Crane shoots a final round 63 to win by four shots over Bob Tway.[21]
  • 2006: Mickelson dominates the field, using two drivers in preparation for the Masters the following week. He concluded with an eagle on the 72nd hole to post a score of 28-under-par, a career best. Mickelson won by 13 strokes over José María Olazábal and Zach Johnson, and would go on to win the Masters the next week.
  • 2007: Zach Johnson seems to like playing golf in Georgia. His third career PGA Tour victory like his first two, the 2004 BellSouth Classic and the 2007 Masters Tournament take place in the state. He defeats Ryuji Imada on the first hole of a sudden death playoff.[22]
  • 2008: The last version of the tournament sees Ryuji Imada win in a sudden death playoff over Kenny Perry.[23]

Winners

Year Winner Score To par Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up Winner's
share ($)
AT&T Classic
2008 Ryuji Imada 273 −15 Playoff Kenny Perry 990,000
2007 Zach Johnson (2) 273 −15 Playoff Ryuji Imada 972,000
BellSouth Classic
2006 Phil Mickelson (3) 260 −28 13 strokes Zach Johnson
José María Olazábal		 954,000
2005 Phil Mickelson (2) 208 −8 Playoff Arjun Atwal
Rich Beem
Brandt Jobe
José María Olazábal		 900,000
2004 Zach Johnson 275 −13 1 stroke Mark Hensby 810,000
2003 Ben Crane 272 −16 4 strokes Bob Tway 720,000
2002 Retief Goosen 272 −16 4 strokes Jesper Parnevik 684,000
2001 Scott McCarron (2) 280 −8 3 strokes Mike Weir 594,000
2000 Phil Mickelson 205 −11 Playoff Gary Nicklaus 504,000
1999 David Duval 270 −18 2 strokes Stewart Cink 450,000
1998 Tiger Woods 271 −17 1 stroke Jay Don Blake 324,000
1997 Scott McCarron 274 −14 3 strokes David Duval
Brian Henninger
Lee Janzen		 270,000
1996 Paul Stankowski 280 −8 Playoff Brandel Chamblee 234,000
1995 Mark Calcavecchia 271 −17 2 strokes Jim Gallagher Jr. 234,000
1994 John Daly 274 −14 1 stroke Nolan Henke
Brian Henninger		 216,000
1993 Nolan Henke 271 −17 2 strokes Mark Calcavecchia
Nick Price
Tom Sieckmann		 216,000
1992 Tom Kite (2) 272 −16 3 strokes Jay Don Blake 180,000
BellSouth Atlanta Golf Classic
1991 Corey Pavin 272 −16 Playoff Steve Pate 180,000
1990 Wayne Levi (2) 275 −13 1 stroke Keith Clearwater
Larry Mize
Nick Price		 180,000
1989 Scott Simpson 278 −10 Playoff Bob Tway 162,000
Georgia-Pacific Atlanta Golf Classic
1988 Larry Nelson (2) 268 −20 1 stroke Chip Beck 126,000
1987 Dave Barr 265 −23 4 strokes Larry Mize 108,000
1986 Bob Tway 269 −19 2 strokes Hal Sutton 90,000
1985 Wayne Levi 273 −15 Playoff Steve Pate 90,000
1984 Tom Kite 269 −19 5 strokes Don Pooley 72,000
1983 Calvin Peete 206 −10 2 strokes Chip Beck
Jim Colbert
Don Pooley		 72,000
1982 Keith Fergus 273 −15 Playoff Raymond Floyd 54,000
Atlanta Classic
1981 Tom Watson 277 −11 Playoff Tommy Valentine 54,000
1980 Larry Nelson 270 −18 7 strokes Andy Bean
Don Pooley		 54,000
1979 Andy Bean 265 −23 8 strokes Joe Inman 54,000
1978 Jerry Heard 269 −19 2 strokes Lou Graham
Bob Murphy
Tom Watson		 40,000
1977 Hale Irwin (2) 273 −15 1 stroke Steve Veriato 40,000
1976: No tournament
1975 Hale Irwin 271 −17 4 strokes Tom Watson 45,000
1974: Atlanta Country Club hosted the Tournament Players Championship
1973 Jack Nicklaus 272 −16 2 strokes Tom Weiskopf 30,000
1972 Bob Lunn (2) 275 −13 2 strokes Gary Player 26,000
1971 Gardner Dickinson 275 −13 Playoff Jack Nicklaus 25,000
1970 Tommy Aaron 275 −13 1 stroke Dan Sikes 25,000
1969 Bert Yancey 277 −11 Playoff Bruce Devlin 23,000
1968 Bob Lunn 280 −8 3 strokes Lee Trevino 23,000
1967 Bob Charles 282 −6 2 strokes Tommy Bolt
Richard Crawford
Gardner Dickinson		 22,000
1948–1966: No tournament
Atlanta Open
1947 Toney Penna 281 −3 1 stroke Jimmy Demaret 2,000
Atlanta Invitational
1946 Lew Worsham 279 −9 1 stroke Jimmy Demaret 2,200
Atlanta Open
1945 Byron Nelson 263 −13 9 strokes Sammy Byrd 2,000
1935–1944: No tournament
1934 Ky Laffoon 286 +6 6 strokes Johnny Golden 500

References

  1. ^ "AT&T Classic". ESPN. May 18, 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  2. ^ Golf: Valero Texas Open may move to spring
  3. ^ Bob Charles wins Atlanta Classic
  4. ^ Lunn Atlanta victor for second straight
  5. ^ Aaron conquers Atlanta
  6. ^ Bob Lunn triumphs in Atlanta Classic
  7. ^ Irwin edges crowd favorite Veritato in Atlanta Classic
  8. ^ Andy Bean romps to easy Atlanta Classic victory
  9. ^ Nelson sails to Atlanta golf title
  10. ^ Peete fires a 63 to win at Atlanta
  11. ^ Tway wins by 2 strokes in Atlanta
  12. ^ "Nelson Loses Big Lead but Wins With Birdie on Last Hole". The New York Times. Associated Press. June 27, 1988. Archived from the original on 2023-07-08.
  13. ^ Wayne Levi takes Atlanta Classic
  14. ^ Battling Kite wins Atlanta Classic
  15. ^ Amateur Duval takes two-shot lead at Atlanta
  16. ^ Kite wins Masters pass with Atlanta Classic win
  17. ^ Clean sober Daly wins at BellSouth
  18. ^ Wow! Cool! Stankowski wins BellSouth, gets spot in Masters
  19. ^ Woods upbeat after taking BellSouth
  20. ^ Mickelson beats Nicklaus
  21. ^ Crane claims Classic title
  22. ^ Johnson captures Atlanta Classic
  23. ^ Japan's Imada wins Atlanta Classic play-off

33°59′53″N 84°06′32″W / 33.998°N 84.109°W / 33.998; -84.109

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