The American Golf Classic was a tournament on the PGA Tour from 1961 to 1976 at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. It was the third event at the storied South course, after the Rubber City Open Invitational (1954–1959) and the PGA Championship in 1960.[3]
The final edition in 1976 was played on the North course, with the World Series of Golf held the following week on the South course.[1][4] The World Series of Golf was succeeded by the current WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, held on the South course.
Tournament highlights
- 1961: Jay Hebert wins the inaugural version of the tournament by defeating Gary Player on the second hole of a sudden death playoff. To get in the playoff, Hebert had to make a 20-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole.[5]
- 1963: Johnny Pott leads the second AGC wire to wire. He wins by four shots over Arnold Palmer.[6]
- 1964: Ken Venturi makes the AGC his third triumph for 1964. He finishes five shots ahead of Mason Rudolph.[7]
- 1965: Al Geiberger wins for the 3rd time ever on the PGA Tour. He finishes four shots ahead of Arnold Palmer. One year later, Geiberger would also win the PGA Championship at the Firestone Country Club.[8]
- 1967: Arnold Palmer becomes the first and only multiple winner of the AGC. He finishes three shots ahead of Doug Sanders.[9]
- 1968: Jack Nicklaus wins in a sudden death playoff over Lee Elder and Frank Beard.[10] Elder, a tour rookie at the time, matched Nicklaus shot for shot for four extra holes before losing on the fifth. The finish of the 1968 American Golf Classic has been called one of the most exciting in televised golf history.[11]
- 1969: Raymond Floyd shoots a final round 65 to win by four shots over Bobby Nichols.[12]
- 1973: Bruce Crampton wins by three shots over Lanny Wadkins, Gay Brewer, and Bob Murphy. It is Crampton's 4th win of the year and at the time vaults him to #1 on the money list for the year.[13]
- 1974: Jim Colbert wins the AGC in a four-way playoff.[2] He defeats Raymond Floyd, Gay Brewer, and Forrest Fezler.[14]
- 1976: David Graham wins the last edition of the tournament, the only one played on the North course.[1] He finished four shots ahead of Lou Graham.[15]
Winners
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 |  David Graham |
274 | −14 | 4 strokes |  Lou Graham
|
| 1975: No tournament | |||||
| 1974 | Jim Colbert |
281 | +1 | Playoff | Gay Brewer Forrest Fezler Raymond Floyd
|
| 1973 | Bruce Crampton |
273 | −7 | 3 strokes | Gay Brewer Bob Murphy Lanny Wadkins
|
| 1972 | Bert Yancey |
276 | −4 | Playoff | Tom Ulozas
|
| 1971 | Jerry Heard |
275 | −5 | 3 strokes | Dale Douglass
|
| 1970 | Frank Beard |
276 | −4 | 2 strokes | Tommy Aaron Bruce Crampton Jack Nicklaus
|
| 1969 | Raymond Floyd |
268 | −12 | 4 strokes | Bobby Nichols
|
| 1968 | Jack Nicklaus |
280 | E | Playoff | Frank Beard Lee Elder
|
| 1967 | Arnold Palmer (2) |
276 | −4 | 3 strokes | Doug Sanders
|
| 1966: No tournament | |||||
| 1965 | Al Geiberger |
280 | E | 4 strokes | Arnold Palmer
|
| 1964 | Ken Venturi |
275 | −5 | 5 strokes | Mason Rudolph
|
| 1963 | Johnny Pott |
276 | −4 | 4 strokes | Arnold Palmer
|
| 1962 | Arnold Palmer |
276 | −4 | 5 strokes | Mason Rudolph
|
| 1961 | Jay Hebert |
278 | −2 | Playoff |  Gary Player
|
References
- ^ a b c "Akron ready to play host to 2 in a row". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. Associated Press. August 25, 1976. p. 45.
- ^ a b "Colbert wins American Classic in playoff". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 24, 1974. p. 16.
- ^ "A Championship Legacy". Archived from the original on January 3, 2008. Retrieved November 5, 2007.
- ^ "Jack 'salvages' season". Toledo Blade. Ohio. Associated Press. September 6, 1976. p. 34.
- ^ Jay Hebert wins Golf Classic in playoff with Gary Player
- ^ Johnny Pott wins Golf Classic title
- ^ American Golf Title won by Ken Venturi
- ^ Al Geiberger pockets 20,000 for American Golf Classic win
- ^ McGowan falters; Palmer wins Classic
- ^ Nicklaus wins dramatic playoff with Lee Elder
- ^ Nicklaus, Jack; Wind, Herbert Warren (1969). The Greatest Game of All: My Life in Golf. Simon & Schuster.
- ^ Ray Floyd proves point
- ^ Bruce Crampton triumphs in American Golf Classic
- ^ Jim Colbert gets it all in Golf Classic
- ^ Harris, Mike (August 30, 1976). "Australian David Graham wins American Golf Classic". Argus-Press. Owosso, Michigan. Associated Press. p. 10.