About the PGA Tour Bob Hope Classic:
This tournament was first played in 1960. It is played in the Palm Springs, Calif., area, and has always been played on four courses during tournament week. The Bob Hope Classic is one of the rare five-round events on tour, and it is a celebrity pro-am. Celebs and amateurs play the first four rounds, pros only in the final round. Bob Hope's name was added to the tournament in 1965, and continues to be part of the tournament name even after Hope's death in 2003. Arnold Palmer serves as tournament host. Chrysler was the sponsor for many years, but withdrew prior to the 2009 event.
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Bob Hope quotes about golf2010 Bob Hope Classic
• When: Jan 20-24
• Where: PGA West (Palmer Private), PGA West (Nicklaus Private), La Quinta Country Club and SilverRock Resort; La Quinta, Calif.
2009 Tournament
Pat Perez opened with a 61, set a PGA Tour scoring record for lowest opening two rounds, and finished at 33-under 327, the third-lowest 90-hole total in Tour history. It was Perez's first win on the PGA Tour. Runnerup John Merrick was three strokes behind.
Official Web site
PGA Tour tournament site
PGA Tour Bob Hope Classic Records:
- Overall record: 324 - Joe Durant, 2001
- Tournament 18-hole record: 59 - David Duval, 1999 (PGA West/Palmer Course)
PGA Tour Bob Hope Classic Courses:
The Hope is played on four courses, with pros and their celeb/amateur partners rotating between the four over the first four days, then the pros only finishing on the designated host course for the final round. Currently, the four courses are:
- PGA West (Palmer Private course), La Quinta, Calif.
- PGA West (Nicklaus Private course), La Quinta, Calif.
- La Quinta Country Club, La Quinta, Calif.
- Silver Rock Resort, Palm Springs, Calif.
Numerous other courses in the Coachella Valley have been part of the rotation over the years, most notably Indian Wells Country Club and Bermuda Dunes Country Club.
PGA Tour Bob Hope Classic Trivia and Notes:
Arnold Palmer won the first tournament played - in 1960, when it was called the Palm Springs Golf Classic - and went on to win four more times (1962, 1968, 1971, 1973). Those five wins are the tournament record - no other golfer has won more than twice.
Among those two-time winners is Johnny Miller (1975-76). Miller is the only golfer to win this tournament in back-to-back years.
Palmer's victory at the 1973 Bob Hope Desert Classic was the 62nd of his PGA Tour career - and his final PGA Tour victory. David Duval won the title in 1999 by shooting 59 in the final round. That is the most-recent round of 59 on the PGA Tour. Duval trailed by seven entering the final round, but after 11 birdies plus an eagle on No. 18 he had a 1-stroke victory.
There have been 18 playoffs in tournament history, all but one of them sudden-death. The first one, in 1963, was an 18-hole playoff in which Jack Nicklaus defeated Gary Player. Two of Palmer's victories came via playoffs. In 1968 he defeated Deane Beman, and in 1971 Palmer beat Raymond Floyd. Every year from 1982 through 1986 - five straight tournaments - ended in a playoff.
The Hope has a history of choosing "beauty queens," selected from among area college students. They are called "Classic Girls" and the tradition lives on today. United States presidents have often been among the celebrities to take part in the Hope. Gerald Ford played regularly, and George H.W. Bush played often.
The defending champion was always paired with Bob Hope, and if a past president played, the president joined Hope and the defending champion. In 1995, defending champ Scott Hoch played the first round with Hope, President Bill Clinton (the first sitting president to play), and former presidents Ford and Bush. PGA Tour Bob Hope Classic Winners:
(p-playoff)
Bob Hope Classic
2009 - Pat Perez, 327
Bob Hope Chrysler Classic
2008 - D.J. Trahan, 334
2007 - Charley Hoffman, 343
2006 - Chad Campbell, 335
2005 - Justin Leonard, 332
2004 - Phil Mickelson-p, 330
2003 - Mike Weir, 330
2002 - Phil Mickelson-p, 330
2001 - Joe Durant, 324
2000 - Jesper Parnevik, 331
1999 - David Duval, 334
1998 - Fred Couples-p, 332
1997 - John Cook, 327
1996 - Mark Brooks, 337
1995 - Kenny Perry, 335
1994 - Scott Hoch, 334
1993 - Tom Kite, 325
1992 - John Cook-p, 336
1991 - Corey Pavin-p, 331
1990 - Peter Jacobsen, 339
1989 - Steve Jones-p, 343
1988 - Jay Haas, 338
1987 - Corey Pavin, 341
1986 - Donnie Hammond-p, 335
Bob Hope Classic
1985 - Lanny Wadkins-p, 333
1984 - John Mahaffey-p, 340
Bob Hope Desert Classic
1983 - Keith Fergus-p, 335
1982 - Ed Fiori-p, 335
1981 - Bruce Lietzke, 335
1980 - Craig Stadler, 343
1979 - John Mahaffey, 343
1978 - Bill Rogers, 339
1977 - Rik Massengale, 337
1976 - Johnny Miller, 344
1975 - Johnny Miller, 339
1974 - Hubert Green, 341
1973 - Arnold Palmer, 343
1972 - Bob Rosburg, 344
1971 - Arnold Palmer-p, 342
1970 - Bruce Devlin, 339
1969 - Billy Casper, 345
1968 - Arnold Palmer-p, 348
1967 - Tom Nieporte, 349
1966 - Doug Sanders-p, 349
1965 - Billy Casper, 348
Palm Springs Golf Classic
1964 - Tommy Jacobs-p, 353
1963 - Jack Nicklaus-p, 345
1962 - Arnold Palmer, 342
1961 - Billy Maxwell, 345
1960 - Arnold Palmer, 338
