For decades Las Vegas had the distinction of being the only city in the US that played host to all three tours. That honor is gone. We have lost two good tournaments during the 2000-2001 season. The first was the LPGA Tournament that has always been held at the Desert Inn Golf Course, but due to the proposed closing of the course, they cancelled the event - and it turned out that they did not even close the course that year! Why couldn't they have found another course - we sure have plenty of fine PGA caliber courses and the ladies sure do enjoy the trip here.

The Senior PGA Tournament was taken out of the loop for the 2002 season because of a lack of sponsorship. For 16 years it has been an enjoyable event. I have had the pleasure of seeing many of the greats and past greats play on this tour. An article discussing the whys and wherefores of this can be read at: Senior Classic.

Loosing both of them is a great blow to my golfing enjoyment. For 13 years straight, I never missed any one of the three tournaments, and I will certainly miss the variety it offered in the pleasure of following the 3 tours here in Vegas.

Well, at least we still have the PGA and the Wendy's 3 Tour Challenge playing here!

This year introduces 3 new tournaments to the Las Vegas scene - " The Las Vegas Celebrity Classic", "National Senior Golf Association", "Las Vegas Founders Showdown".

March 08 - 10 : Callaway Golf Las Vegas Intercollegiate -
The 2nd annual event hosted by the UNLV Mens Golf Team, played at the Southern Highlands Golf Course.

March 13 - 17 : Las Vegas Celebrity Classic -
The Celebrity Players Tour features many of the greatest athletes in the history of America's four major sports (NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB), star performers from the world of entertainment, television, music, motion pictures and politics. The Las Vegas inaugural event will be hosted at the new Silverstone Golf Club, and featuring more than 50 golfers from the Celebrity Players Tour, including actors Ray Romano and Brad Garrett (from "Everybody Loves Raymond", Charles Barkley - NBA All-Star, TNT Commentator , former NFL star Eric Dickerson and Baseball Hall of Famers Johnny Bench and Mike Schmidt, Bruce Jenner - Olympic Gold Medal winner, are among those signed up. It will be a two day Pro-Am competition followed by a two-day, 36-hole celebrity tournament with a $150,000 purse. Tickets for the four-day event are $10 each and good for all four days.
Visit their website at: Las Vegas Celebrity Classic

June 1 - 2 : Pepsi Tour Challenge - The Las Vegas Shoot-Out
In their 9th year of hosting tournaments, this is their first venture into Las Vegas and will be held at Black Mountain. See information on all their tournaments at: Pepsi Tour

June 18 - 21 : AJGA - Las Vegas Founders' Legacy Junior Golf -
Annually played at the Legacy Golf Course, Henderson Nv., - for the Juniors -this year it was supposed to be moved to the new Henderson course - Tuscany Golf Club. But because of all the opening problems, the tournament stayed at the Legacy.

September 24 - 26 : PGA Fall Expo
Held in the Las Vegas Convention Center. The PGA Merchandise Show was renamed in 2001 and is the annual fall introduction of new merchandise.

October 10 - 13 : Invensys Classic at Las Vegas
The total prize money has been raised to $5 Million for the year 2002, with 1st place paying $900,000. Courses will be a rotation of TPC-Summerlin, TPC-Canyons and the Southern Highlands Golf Club. This is the annual PGA event and was the first tournament that Tiger Woods won.
The Las Vegas Founders' Club announced that Tom Lehman, Justin Leonard, Lee Janzen and Jesper Parnevik have committed to play along with the champions of 19 PGA TOUR events in 2001, including Mark Calcavecchia, Joe Durant and Scott Verplank. Nine of the 18 championships in the history of the Invensys Classic at Las Vegas will also be represented in the field: Billy Andrade (2000), Jim Furyk (1999, 1998, 1995), Bill Glasson (1997), Davis Love III (1993), John Cook (1992), Andrew Magee (1991), and Bob Tway (1990). Also scheduled to appear are John Daly, Stewart Cink, Jeff Maggert, Rocco Mediate and Craig Stadler. There will also be a heavy local flavor to this year's field, with UNLV alumni Jeremy Anderson, Ed Fryatt, Skip Kendall, Scott Lander, and Chris Riley committed, as well as local players Tommy Armour III, Robert Gamez, Bob May, and John Riegger.
On Friday - May 31, 2002 Invensys announced that they would no longer sponser the Las Vegas tournament. They have sponsored the Classic since 1999. Well, lets see what is going to happen now!

Phil Tataurangi won the 2002 event - his first PGA tournament win - with a score of -29

October 16-19: Re-Max World Long Drive Championship
Have you ever seen these guys swing? Club head speeds of 145+MPH (normal golfer is about 90MPH), ball speeds of 210+MPH (normal golfer is about 150MPH)! The longest drive measured was a cool 462 yards. And they have to be accurate - at least with in a narrowish fairway. This is a great event to come out and watch, but it makes you feel like taking up knitting! You'll dang sure hurt yourself if you try to swing like these guys. With a total purse of $325,000 it has drawn over 13,000 entries from 15 countries. The event is free and open to the public, but get there early - seating is limited to 3,000 and it fills up fast! For more information, visit their web site at: .

Nov 1 - 5 : Wendy's Three tour Challenge
The 3-Tour Challenge will be Nov. 5 (with pro-ams on the 3rd & 4th). and will air on ABC from 1-3 p.m. on Dec. 21 and 22.
The event has been won by the LPGA 2 times, and 4 times each by the Seniors and the PGA tours.
This is first year it will be held at the Dragon Ridge C. C. The previous 6 years, it has been held at the Lake Las Vegas Resort. See article at: Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge moves.
This year the players are:

Laura Diaz, Juli Inkster, Karrie Webb.

Ben Crenshaw, Tom Kite, Gary McCord

Rich Beem, John Daly, Jim Furyk.

November 4 - 8 : National Senior Golf Association
The inaugural event is scheduled to be played at the TPC Summerlin, TPC Canyons and Las Vegas Pauite Courses. Their web site is located at: NSGA

November 11-13 : Las Vegas Founders Showdown
This inaugural tournament is to be played at the Anthem Country Club, and will encompass 15 womens college golf teams. Hosted by The UNLV Womens Golf Team - The Lady Rebels, and sponsered by the Las Vegas Founders Club (they also handle the Invensys Classic and the AJGA - Las Vegas Founders' Legacy Junior Golf tournaments). Looks like it will be an enjoyable event to attend and watch.

February 16-19 - USGA Workshop on the Rules of Golf
The USGA will be conducting a "Workshop on the Rules of Golf" during February of 2001. The course, #2035, will be from February 16-19 ( Friday-Monday) with the deadline for registration on Feb-02-01. The USGA instructor will be local expert Reed Mackenzie, PGA Instructor - Mark Wilson and the Coordinator will be David Young. For information and registration form, please see the USGA site.

March 09-11 - Callaway Golf Las Vegas Intercollegiate -
Held at the Rio Secco Golf Club, Henderson, NV. This was the former Golf Digest's Masters of College Golf tourney.

April 16-22 Las Vegas Senior PGA Classic
Held at the TPC-Summerlin, Larry Nelson is the defending champion (Last year Nelson's 19-under 197 total set a tournament record). So far eight of the top 10 finishers on last year's money list, 16 of the top 20 and 19 of the top 25 had committed to play in the Las Vegas Senior Classic. The TPC at Summerlin is the only course to host a PGA Tour and Senior Tour event in the same year. The course will be host to the PGA Invensys Classic Oct. 8-14. The Las Vegas Founders Club has donated more than $5.2 million to local charities in the history of the 22-year-old Las Vegas Senior Classic. A Pro-AM format is played Wednesday thru Friday, with Saturday & Sunday pros only.
Additional Web site news articles for the Las Vegas Senior PGA Classic:
SrPGA:Official LV Senior PGA Classic Site
LV Review Journal:Underdogs shine on Senior circuit
LV Review.com:Tournament News, history and links
LV Review Journal:Tournament has history of attracting top players
LV Review Journal:TPC AT SUMMERLIN: Well-liked course offers risks, rewards
LV Review Journal:Senior Classic: Did You Know?
LV Review Journal:Fleisher lets others fold
Las Vegas Sun: Bruce Fleisher wins for the first time in nine months
Las Vegas Sun: McGee sees it all slip away
Las Vegas Sun: Big risk pays no reward for Hall
LV Review Journal:Senior Classic begins drive for 2002

September 24 - 26 PGA Fall Expo
Held in the Las Vegas Convention Center. The PGA Merchandise Show has a new name.
NOTE: This show was cancelled due to the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center.

October 9 LPGA's Duel in the Desert
Annika Sorenstam and Karrie Webb play on Paiute's new Wolf Course for a match in the Shell's Wonderful World of Golf series, which will be aired Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN. It was a made-for-television event that will give needed exposure to the LPGA and the world's two finest women's players.

October 10 - 14 Invensys Classic at Las Vegas
The total prize money will be raised to 4.5 Million, this year and 5 Million for the year 2002. Courses will be a rotation of TPC-Summerlin, TPC-Canyons and the Southern Highlands Golf Club.
The Las Vegas Founders' Club announced that Tom Lehman, Justin Leonard, Lee Janzen and Jesper Parnevik have committed to play along with the champions of 19 PGA TOUR events in 2001, including Mark Calcavecchia, Joe Durant and Scott Verplank. Nine of the 18 championships in the history of the Invensys Classic at Las Vegas will also be represented in the field: Billy Andrade (2000), Jim Furyk (1999, 1998, 1995), Bill Glasson (1997), Davis Love III (1993), John Cook (1992), Andrew Magee (1991), and Bob Tway (1990). Also scheduled to appear are John Daly, Stewart Cink, Jeff Maggert, Rocco Mediate and Craig Stadler. There will also be a heavy local flavor to this year's field, with UNLV alumni Jeremy Anderson, Ed Fryatt, Skip Kendall, Scott Lander, and Chris Riley committed, as well as local players Tommy Armour III, Robert Gamez, Bob May, and John Riegger.


October 17-20 - Re-Max World Long Drive Championship
These Guys Are Long! Held at the Palms Golf Club in Mesquite. Come out and watch these guys hit the ball 335+ yards. Art Sellinger, tournament director, grew up as one of the founding members of the Southern Nevada Junior Golf Association. He went on to star at Chaparral High School and play briefly at UNLV. Sellinger is a two-time world long-drive champion and an owner of Long Drivers of America, the company that puts on the world championship. Jason Zuback holds the event finals record of 412 yards, 27 inches for his 1997 victory.
A very interesting article appeared in USA Today on Oct 17, Long-drive winner epitome of power. You can watch the replay of the event on ESPN, Christmas day, at 3PM EST.

Nov 6 - Wendy's Three tour Challenge
Each year 3 professional golfers from the PGA, LPGA and Senior PGA Tours battle it out to see who will be victorious in the Wendy's Three-Tour Challenge Golf Tournament. The event supports the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. Established in 1992, the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption works to raise awareness for the more than 100,000 children waiting for adoption and to educate prospective parents about the adoption process. Dave Thomas was adopted at birth and has become a national advocate for the cause. Since its inception in 1992, the Wendy's Three-Tour Challenge has raised nearly $7.5 million for adoption. A highlight of the 2000 tournament was a $1 million hole-in-one by Senior PGA player Tom Kite. Half of the prize money was donated to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. The other half went to the Senior PGA Tour team. The LPGA won the first year, and the SPGA & PGA has each won 4 times. The event was telecast on the ABC Network December 22 & 23, 2001 - 4:00-6:00 PM (EST). This year it was played at the South Shore Golf Club at the Lake Las Vegas Resort, in Henderson, NV. Players include:

Dottie Pepper, Annika Sorenstam, Karrie Webb.

Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Fuzzy Zoeller

Mark Calcavecchia, Fred Couples, John Daly

The 2001 event was won - in a playoff between the Seniors and the LPGA - by the LPGA.

November 7 - 11 Las Vegas Celebrity Classic
NOTE: The Celebrity Golf Association tournament has been postponed and will be rescheduled in the spring. A date has not been determined. It was going against a conflicting event, plus some of the celebrities weren't able to travel to make it to Las Vegas in time for the November dates.

---

2000
During 2000, the following Tour tournaments are scheduled for play within the area. Come visit us during this time and watch some great golf and play while you are here.

March, 2000. Golf Digest's 2000 Masters of College Golf -

April 27-30 - Las Vegas Senior PGA Classic
Amid grips and complaints from the players, it will still be played at both the TPC-Canyons and the TPC-Summerlin. It seems that some of the players don't like the TPC-Canyons because of high winds preventing the ball from sticking on the greens. Some have even said they won't return. Both courses are played on Thursday & Friday, with the TPC-Summerlin on Saturday & Sunday. The total prize money was again increased, now at $1.4 million. Hey, that's not bad for a little wind. We play in this all the time - and don't win any money!!!!!

September 11-13 - PGA Merchandise Show in Las Vegas
Held in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

October 11-15 - PGA Las Vegas Invitational
Held at the TPC- Summerlin, Desert Inn Golf Club, and the Southern Highlands Golf Club.
The name has now changed to "Invensys Classic at Las Vegas", with the total purse raised from 2.5 to $4.25 million! Also, The Las Vegas Country Club has been replaced by a new course just opened this year - Southern Highlands. This may be very interesting - with a "virgin" course in the lineup. It will be the last PGA Tournament held at the Desert Inn. The 1st 3 rounds will be pro-am with the 4th round comprising of the top 10 amateurs. This is one of the richest pro-am events on the PGA circuit. ESPN will televise all 5 rounds.

Playing will be: three-time LVI winner and defending champion Jim Furyk, David Duval, Phil Mickelson, Justin Leonard, Robert Allenby, Billy Andrade, John Cook, Notah Begay, Fred Couples, Davis Love III, Tom Lehman, Hal Sutton, Mark O'Meara, Craig Stadler, Kirk Triplett, Brad Faxon - just to name a few. Our local PGA players entered: Jeramy Anderson, Tommy Armour III, Craig Barlow, Ed Fryatt, Robert Gamez, Skip Kendall, Michael Kirk, J.L. Lewis, Bob May, and Chris Riley.
Related News Articles:
LVRJ - Sept 21 - Furyk
LV Sun - Sept 14 - Furyk
LV Sun - Sept 12 - Mickelson, Leonard
Vegas Golfer - Sept - Invensys: Showtime
Results: Billy Andrade won the $765,00 1st place money with a score of -28.
Locals results: Jeramy Anderson - missed cut, Tommy Armour III - missed cut, Craig Barlow - missed cut, Ed Fryatt - T56, Robert Gamez - T49, Skip Kendall - T27, Michael Kirk - T40, J.L. Lewis - T27, Bob May - T22, and Chris Riley - missed cut.

Oct 24 - Wendy's Three tour Challenge
Held at Reflection Bay Golf Club at the Lake Las Vegas Resort.
Televised on ABC Sports Saturday Decenber 23, and Sunday December 24th, 2000, from 4:00-6:00 EST.
Players included:

Karrie Webb Dottie Pepper   Juli Inkster

Tom Watson Tom Kite Hale Irwin

Phil Mickelson Notah Begay III Rocco Mediate

Nov 8-11 - Desert Inn LPGA Tour Championship
Was to be held at the Desert Inn Country Club, but due to the course closing in 2001, they dropped the tourney! Dumb! Dumb! Dumber!

---

1999
During 1999, the following Tour tournaments are scheduled for play within the area. Come visit us during this time and watch some great golf and play while you are here.

March, 1999. Golf Digest's 1999 Masters of College Golf -
UNLV was the winner of the tourny.

May 13-16 - Las Vegas Senior PGA Classic
Once again, this tournament was played at both the TPC-Canyons and the TPC-Summerlin. Both courses were played Thursday & Friday, with the TPC-Summerlin on Saturday & Sunday. The total prize money was increased to $1.4 million.
The 1999 tournament was won by Vicente Fernandez.

September 28-30 - PGA Merchandise Show in Las Vegas
Held in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

October 22-23 - Re-Max World Long Drive Championship
Held at the Palms Golf Club in Mesquite. Come out and watch these guys hit the ball 335+ yards. Art Sellinger, tournament director, grew up as one of the founding members of the Southern Nevada Junior Golf Association. He went on to star at Chaparral High School and play briefly at UNLV. Sellinger is a two-time world long-drive champion and an owner of Long Drivers of America, the company that puts on the world championship. See more details about this at the Las Vegas Sun's article: Golf event goes to great lengths.

November 11-14 - PGA Las Vegas Invitational
Held at the TPC- Summerlin , Desert Inn, and the Las Vegas Country Club.

Nov 16 - Wendy's Three tour Challenge
Held at The South Shore @ Lake Las Vegas at the Lake Las Vegas Resort.
Jack Nicklaus returns to Las Vegas to play in a tournament for the first time in 30 years. He has been here a lot for the design of the course, but not to play in a tourny. Glad to see him back. This years 3-Tour teams consists of :
PGA: Juli Inkster, Karrie Webb,Dottie Pepper
SPGA: Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin, Tom Watson
PGA: Lee Janzen, Tom Lehman, Justin Leonard See a related story at : Las Review Jounal article

Nov 18-21 - LPGA Tour Championship
Held at the Desert Inn Country Club Si Ri Pak was the winner of this years tournament, through a dramatic playoff between Pak, Davies and Web.

---

1998
In 1998, the following Tour tournaments played in Las Vegas. There was some great golf with the top names attending.

Golf Digest's 1998 Masters of College Golf, the intercollegiate's top 15 mens college golf teams, was conducted at the Desert Inn Country Club. The was scheduled for March 12-15. This tournament is moving from the TPC @ The Woodlands in Houston, Texas. Golf Digest has said they are looking for this to be a long term move. The UNLV Rebel Golf Team was the host team.

Las Vegas Senior PGA Classic - April 23-26
For the first time the tournament will be held at both the TPC- Canyons and the TPC-Summerlin, in a rotation format. Both courses were played Thursday & Friday, with the TPC-Summerlin on Saturday & Sunday. The total prize money was raised to a record $1.8 million, with first place paying $210,000. Noted players were: Arnold Palmer, 1997 defending champion and 3 time PGA Sr Championship winner Hale Irwin, Jim Colbert, Chi Chi Rodrigues, and Gil Morgan. Quite a field. Hale Irwin won the 1998 event

The 1998 PGA Merchandise Show in Las Vegas held August 22-24, in a much larger facility, the Las Vegas Convention Center.

PGA Las Vegas Invitational - October 14-18
Held at the TPC- Summerlin & Desert Inn

LPGA Tournament of Champions - November 19-22
Held at the Desert Inn Country Club

Pepsi Tour @ Las Vegas - November 21-22
Held at the Wildhorse Golf Club

Tournament Players Tour - Las Vegas Classic - November 21-22


OK, so we don't have a Nike Tour stop here yet, but I'll bet that will change in the future.

It has been announced that the famous Olsdmobile Scramble, the largest golf tournament in the world ( drawing 120,000 amateur players ), is moving from Orlando, Florida to - yes, you guessed it - Las Vegas. The final dates & course or courses has not been announced yet.

---

1997
During 1997, the following Tour tournaments played within the area.

April 24-27 - Las Vegas Senior PGA Classic
Held at the TPC- Canyons
1997 Winner: Hale Irwin; 1996 & 1995 Winner: Jim Colbert. 24 of the top 25 Senior players competed in 1997.

Oct 22-26 -PGA Las Vegas Invitational
Held at The TPC-Summerlin
1996 Winner: Tiger Woods ( his 1st PGA Tour win ).
1997 Winner: Bill Glasson
The LVI is always a dramatic tournament. It is the last attempt for many players to qualify for the top 125 money winners, so they can keep their card for the next year. It is also the last chance for players to make the top 30 and qualify for the Tournament of Champions the following week.
For 1997, the total prize money was raised to $1.8 million, with 1st place paying $324,000. The courses included were: Las Vegas Country Club - Wed., Thur. & Fri; ; the Desert Inn Golf Club - Wed., Thur., & Fri; & The TPC-Summerlin - all five days, in a rotation format. Additionally, the Las Vegas Hilton Country Club was the practice facility for the players on Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday.
This tournament is the last chance for players trying to get into the Tour Championship's top 30, and for some, the last chance to make the top 125 and retain their card for the next year. It is always an exciting tournament. 36 of the Tours tournament champions, with 15 of the top 30 money winners, signed to play. 1997 proved to be one of the tournaments greatest field of players, and a very drama filled finish.

Nov 4 - Wendy's Three tour Challenge
Held at The South Shore @ Lake Las Vegas C.C. # 26
1996 Winner : The PGA Tour.
1997 players for PGA: Fred Couples, Phil Mickelson, Tom Lehman.
1997 players for SPGA: Jack Nicklaus, Larry Nelson, Johnny Miller.
1997 players for LPGA: Nancy Lopez, Anna Sorenstam, Karrie Webb.
1997 Winner : The PGA Tour. 2nd: LPGA, 3rd: SPGA
The tournament was shown on television December 20-21, on ABC.

Nov 11-13 - Nitro Senior Series of Pro Golf
Held in rotation Tuesday & Wednesday, at the Painted Desert Golf Club and the Wildhorse Golf Club , with the final round thursday at the Painted Desert. Total prize money will be $200,000, with $30,000 for 1st place. It is the Senior version of the Nike Tour.
1997 winner of the event was Bobby Stroble, by 1 stroke, with a 3 day total of 9 under par 207.

Nov 19 - LPGA Michelob Light Million Dollar Hole-In-One Challenge
Held at The Desert Inn Country Club. Only the LPGA players who made a hole-in-one during a tournament this year were elegable to compete. There were 25 entered in this shoot off, each getting two shots for $1,000,000. No one made it.
(New for 1997)

Nov 20-23 - LPGA Tour Championship
Held at the Desert Inn Country Club
1996 Winner : Karrie Webb.
1997 Winner : Anna Sorenstam.