The International (golf)

Not to be confused with The International (golf course), a golf course located in Bolton, Massachusetts.
The International
Tournament information
LocationCastle Rock, Colorado
Established1986
Course(s)Castle Pines Golf Club
Par72
Length7,619 yards (6,967 m)[1]
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatModified Stableford[2]
Prize fundUS$5,500,000
Month playedAugust
Final year2006
Tournament record score
Score48 points Phil Mickelson (1997)
48 points Ernie Els (2000)
Final champion
Dean Wilson
Location map
Castle Pines GC
Location in the United States
Castle Pines GC
Location in Colorado

The International (styled as The INTERNATIONAL) was a professional golf tournament in Colorado on the PGA Tour. It was played for 21 seasons, from 1986 through 2006, at the Castle Pines Golf Club at Castle Pines Village in Castle Rock, south of Denver.

It had the distinction of being one of two PGA Tour events not conducted at traditional stroke play, the only other exception is the match-play event, the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. The International was the only tournament to use the Modified Stableford scoring system,[3][2] enacted because of the significant elevation of the venue, which averages 6,300 feet (1,920 m) above sea level.

Beginning in 2007, the International was scheduled to change dates to be played during the first full weekend of July (July 5–8, and July 4–7, 2008), midway between the U.S. Open and the British Open. Tournament officials hoped this new date would draw even more top-ranked players, such as Tiger Woods, as it would no longer be contested the week before (or after) the year's final major (PGA Championship). Even with the change in dates, both tournament founder Jack A. Vickers and the membership of the club were apparently not happy with the overall direction the PGA Tour was taking.[4][5]

On February 8, 2007, the PGA Tour announced the permanent cancellation of the International.[6][7][8][3][9] It was replaced by the AT&T National, hosted by the Tiger Woods Foundation, and held in the Washington, D.C. area; near sea level and at standard stroke play.

The Modified Stableford scoring system returned to the PGA Tour in 2012 at the Reno–Tahoe Open, also at high elevation.

Format

The Modified Stableford system awards points on each hole, based on the score relative to par. It is designed to reward aggressive play, taking chances to go for birdies (or better), as the reward for a low score on a hole is typically greater than the punishment for a poor score. For example, over a two-hole span, a birdie (+2) and a bogey (−1) gain one point, where two pars gain nothing. The scoring operates as follows:[2][3]

Strokes
vs. par		 Name Points
3 under Albatross (double eagle) +8
2 under Eagle +5
1 under Birdie +2
Even Par  0
1 over Bogey −1
2 over + Double bogey or more −3

Holes in one are treated as the score relative to par; an ace on a par-3 hole would be considered an eagle and scored as +5.

The International used several different formats throughout its history. Until 1993, final-round scores alone determined the winner; additionally, the event had multiple cuts in every year except 2005.[10]

  • 1986: Field cut to 78 after first round; cut to 39 after second round based solely on second-round scores; cut to 12 after third round based solely on third-round scores; winner determined solely by final-round score
  • 1987–1988: Field cut to 78 after first round; cut to 54 after second round based solely on second-round scores; cut to 18 after third round based solely on third-round scores; winner determined solely by final-round score
  • 1989: Field cut to 72 after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to 24 after third round based solely on third-round scores; winner determined solely by final-round score
  • 1990–1992: Field cut to 72 after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to 24 after third round based on three-round cumulative scores; winner determined solely by final-round score
  • 1993–1997: Field cut to 72 after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to 24 after third round based on three-round cumulative scores; winner determined by four-round cumulative score
  • 1998–2004, 2006: Field cut to top 70 and ties after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to top 35 and ties after third round based on three-round cumulative scores; winner determined by four-round cumulative score
  • 2005: Due to rain, schedule changed;[11] no play Thursday; field cut to top 60 and ties after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; 36 holes played on Sunday, with winner determined by four-round cumulative score

Winners

Year Winner Score[a] Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up Winner's
share ($)
The International
2006 Dean Wilson 34 points Playoff Tom Lehman 990,000
2005 Retief Goosen 32 points 1 point Brandt Jobe 900,000
2004 Rod Pampling 31 points 2 points Alex Čejka 900,000
2003 Davis Love III (2) 46 points 12 points Retief Goosen
Vijay Singh		 900,000
2002 Rich Beem 44 points 1 point Steve Lowery 810,000
2001 Tom Pernice Jr. 34 points 1 point Chris Riley 720,000
2000 Ernie Els 48 points 4 points Phil Mickelson 630,000
Sprint International
1999 David Toms 47 points 3 points David Duval 468,000
1998 Vijay Singh 47 points 6 points Phil Mickelson
Willie Wood		 360,000
1997 Phil Mickelson (2) 48 points 7 points Stuart Appleby 306,000
1996 Clarence Rose 31 points Playoff Brad Faxon 288,000
1995 Lee Janzen 34 points 1 point Ernie Els 270,000
1994 Steve Lowery 35 points Playoff Rick Fehr 252,000
The International
1993 Phil Mickelson 45 points 8 points Mark Calcavecchia 234,000
1992 Brad Faxon 14 points 2 points Lee Janzen 216,000
1991 José María Olazábal 10 points 3 points Ian Baker-Finch
Scott Gump
Bob Lohr		 198,000
1990 Davis Love III 14 points 3 points Steve Pate
Eduardo Romero
Peter Senior		 180,000
1989 Greg Norman 13 points 2 points Clarence Rose 180,000
1988 Joey Sindelar 17 points 4 points Steve Pate
Dan Pohl		 180,000
1987 John Cook 11 points 2 points Ken Green 180,000
1986 Ken Green 12 points 3 points Bernhard Langer 180,000

Notes

  1. ^ Between 1986–1992, the winning score (points) were for the final round only.

References

  1. ^ Fineran, John (August 8, 2006). "Differences make International unique". PGA Tour. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c "Modified Stableford points system". PGA Tour. August 7, 2006. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c "PGA Tour". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). August 14, 2006. p. D4.
  4. ^ Paige, Woody (January 17, 2007). "Vickers' tourney, pro tour at odds". The Denver Post. Retrieved January 17, 2007.
  5. ^ Hawkins, John (February 6, 2007). "Last Stop For the International". Golf Digest. Archived from the original on February 22, 2007. Retrieved February 7, 2007.
  6. ^ "Mile High Disappointment: International Event No More". Golf Channel. Associated Press. February 8, 2007. Retrieved February 9, 2007.
  7. ^ "PGA drops tourney". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). wire services. February 8, 2007. p. C2.
  8. ^ "Wilson tops Lehman at International". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. August 14, 2006. p. C2.
  9. ^ Schuchmann, Joel (August 13, 2006). "Notes: Wilson wins first International playoff in ten years". PGA Tour. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  10. ^ "The International". GolfStats.com. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  11. ^ "Beckman in charge at International". The Item. Sumter, South Carolina. Associated Press. August 7, 2005.

39°26′27″N 104°53′55″W / 39.4407°N 104.8985°W / 39.4407; -104.8985

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