Regions Tradition

The Regions Tradition is a tournament "traditionally" known more simply as The Tradition, although it has had several title sponsors in its history (Regions became title sponsor beginning in 2011). The Tradition is one of the five major championships of senior golf, being designated as a major in 1989 when the event debuted.

The Tradition was played in May for much of its history, but in 2012 moved to June on the Champions Tour schedule.

2013 Tournament
• When: June 6-9
• Where: Shoal Creek, Birmingham, Alabama

2012 Regions Tradition
Tom Lehman won this tournament for the second straight years, joining Gil Morgan and Jack Nicklaus as back-to-back winners of The Tradition (Nicklaus did it two different times). Lehman won by two strokes over runners-up Bernhard Langer and Chien Soon Lu, finishing at 14-under 274. It is Lehman's sixth win on the Champions Tour and his third victory in a senior major.

Official Website
Champions Tour tournament site

• 72 holes: 265 - Doug Tewell, 2001
• 18 holes: 62 - Brad Bryant, 2009; Tom Watson, 2003; Doug Tewell, 2001

The Regions Tradition is currently played at Shoal Creek Golf and Country Club in Shoal Creek, Alabama (a Birmingham suburb). Shoal Creek is a Jack Nicklaus-designed course that has been the site of the PGA Championship and the U.S. Amateur Championship.

The Tradition tournament has been sited at several other courses in its history. From its founding in 1989 through 2001 it was played at the Cochise Course at Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Ariz. In 2002 it stayed in the Scottsdale area but moved to Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club.

From 2003-2010 The Tradition was played in Oregon, first at The Reserve Vineyards & Golf Club (Aloha, Ore.), then at Crosswater Club at Sunriver (Sunriver, Ore.).

And beginning in 2011, Shoal Creek became the host course.

• The Tradition was first played in 1989, and immediately was designated as a major championship. At the time, it joined the previously existing Senior PGA Championship, U.S. Senior Open and Senior Players Championship as the fourth senior major. (The Senior British Open later joined to make five senior majors.)

• Don Bies won that inaugural Tradition, but Jack Nicklaus won the second and third times the tournament was played. In 1992, Nicklaus came close to making it three in a row, but missed a putt on the final hole to fall out of a potential playoff with Lee Trevino.

• Nicklaus went on to win twice more (1995-96), making it four victories total for the Golden Bear. Nicklaus is the only golfer to win The Tradition more than twice.

• Nicklaus' win at the 1990 Tradition was his first victory on the Champions Tour.

• Three golfers share the 18-hole scoring record of 62, and their three record rounds were played on three different courses. Doug Tewell first established the record in 2001 at the Cochise Course; Tom Watson tied it in 2003 at The Reserve; and Brad Bryant added his name to th record in 2009 at Crosswater Club at Sunriver.

• In 1997, Isao Aoki set the tournament record for most birdies with 27. Despite that, he finished six shots behind the winner, Gil Morgan.

• The Tradition is not recognized as a major by the European Senior Tour.

(p-playoff; w-shorted by weather)

Regions Tradition
2012 - Tom Lehman, 274
2011 - Tom Lehman-p, 275

Jeld-Wen Tradition
2010 - Fred Funk, 276
2009 - Mike Reid-p, 272
2008 - Fred Funk, 269
2007 - Mark McNulty, 272
2006 - Eduardo Romero-p, 273
2005 - Loren Roberts-p, 273
2004 - Craig Stadler, 275
2003 - Tom Watson, 273

The Countrywide Tradition
2002 - Jim Thorpe-p, 277
2001 - Doug Tewell, 265
2000 - Tom Kite-p, 280

The Tradition Presented by Countrywide
1999 - Graham Marsh-w, 136
1998 - Gil Morgan, 276
1997 - Gil Morgan, 266

The Tradition
1996 - Jack Nicklaus, 272
1995 - Jack Nicklaus-p, 276
1994 - Raymond Floyd-p, 271
1993 - Tom Shaw, 269
1992 - Lee Trevino, 274

The Tradition at Desert Mountain
1991 - Jack Nicklaus, 277
1990 - Jack Nicklaus-w, 206
1989 - Don Bies, 275