Buick Invitational

Buick Invitational
Tournament information
Location	La Jolla, California
Established	1952
Course(s)	Torrey Pines Golf Course
Par	72
Yardage	7,208 South/6,874 North
Tour(s)	PGA Tour
Format	Stroke play
Purse	$5,200,000
Month Played	January
Tournament record score
Aggregate	266 George Burns (1987) 266 Tiger Woods (1999)
To-par	-22 George Burns (1987) -22 Tiger Woods (1999)
Current champion
Tiger Woods

The Buick Invitational, is a PGA Tour professional golf tournament played in the San Diego, California area in the early part of the Tour season, known as the "West Coast Swing." The tournament was originally known as the San Diego Open, and was noted for having singer-actor Andy Williams as a celebrity host during much of its existence. The Buick Invitational is the 4th event on the 2007 PGA Tour Schedule, and is part of the Tour's FedEx Cup Competition. ^[1]

Course history

From 1952-53, the tournament was played at San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista, California before spending 1954 at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California. In 1955 the event moved to Mission Valley Country Club in San Diego, California, and after the 1956 event was played at Singing Hills Country Club in El Cajon, California, the event returned to Mission Valley CC until 1961. In 1962, Mission Valley CC changed its name to Stardust Country Club (and now is known as Riverwalk Golf Club) and the event stayed there from 1962-63; after spending 1964 at Rancho Bernardo Country Club (now Rancho Bernardo Inn) in San Diego, California, it returned to Stardust CC until 1967.

In 1968, the event began its relationship with Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California, where it has been played ever since. In the current tournament set-up, players will split the first 36 holes between the North and South Courses, then play the final 36 holes on the South Course. In 2008, Torrey Pines-South will be host to the U.S. Open. ^[1]

Winners

Buick Invitational ^[1]

• 2007 Tiger Woods
• 2006 Tiger Woods (playoff)
• 2005 Tiger Woods
• 2004 John Daly (playoff)
• 2003 Tiger Woods
• 2002 José María Olazábal
• 2001 Phil Mickelson
• 2000 Phil Mickelson
• 1999 Tiger Woods
• 1998 Scott Simpson
• 1997 Mark O'Meara
• 1996 Davis Love

Buick Invitational of California

• 1995 Peter Jacobsen
• 1994 Craig Stadler
• 1993 Phil Mickelson
• 1992 Steve Pate

Shearson Lehman Brothers Open

• 1991 Jay Don Blake

Shearson Lehman Hutton Open

• 1990 Dan Forsman
• 1989 Greg Twiggs

Shearson Lehman Hutton Andy Williams Open

• 1988 Steve Pate

Shearson Lehman Brothers Andy Williams Open

• 1987 George Burns
• 1986 Bob Tway

Isuzu-Andy Williams San Diego Open

• 1985 Woody Blackburn
• 1984 Gary Koch
• 1983 Gary Hallberg

Wickes-Andy Williams San Diego Open

• 1982 Johnny Miller
• 1981 Bruce Lietzke

Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational

• 1980 Tom Watson
• 1979 Fuzzy Zoeller
• 1978 Jay Haas
• 1977 Tom Watson
• 1976 J. C. Snead
• 1975 J. C. Snead
• 1974 Bobby Nichols
• 1973 Bob Dickson
• 1972 Paul Harney
• 1971 George Archer
• 1970 Pete Brown
• 1969 Jack Nicklaus
• 1968 Tom Weiskopf

San Diego Open Invitational

• 1967 Bob Goalby
• 1966 Billy Casper
• 1965 Wes Ellis
• 1964 Art Wall, Jr.
• 1963 Gary Player
• 1962 Tommy Jacobs
• 1961 Arnold Palmer
• 1960 Mike Souchak
• 1959 Marty Furgol
• 1958 No Tournament
• 1957 Arnold Palmer

Convair-San Diego Open

• 1956 Bob Rosburg
• 1955 Tommy Bolt

San Diego Open

• 1954 Gene Littler
• 1953 Tommy Bolt
• 1952 Ted Kroll

Multiple winners

Seven players have won this tournament more than once through 2007.

• 5 wins
  • Tiger Woods: 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007

• 3 wins
  • Phil Mickelson: 1993, 2000, 2001

• 2 wins
  • Tommy Bolt: 1953, 1955
  • Arnold Palmer: 1957, 1961
  • Steve Pate: 1988, 1992
  • J.C. Snead: 1975, 1976
  • Tom Watson: 1977, 1980

Records and trivia

• Tournament course record: Torrey Pines North Course - 61, Mark Brooks, 1990, and Brandt Snedeker, 2007; Torrey Pines South Course - 62, Tiger Woods, 1999
• Tiger Woods is the only five-time winner of the tournament, and Phil Mickelson the only other golfer to win more than twice.
• Hall of Famer Gene Littler is the only golfer to have won the tournament as an amateur, doing so in 1954. Littler, a San Diego native, never won as a professional - although he was runner-up three times (1969, 1974, 1978).
• One of the most memorable years in the tournament's history was 1982, when Johnny Miller outdueled Jack Nicklaus to win by one stroke.
• Tiger Woods (2005-07) won the tournament three straight years. J.C. Snead (1975-76) and Phil Mickelson (2000-01) won in back-to-back years.

References

See also External Links section below

External Links

• Official site
• Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site
• Buick Invitational results since 1970 - Winners, Finishers, Scores and Earnings

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