Sports

PGA Tour Humana Challenge

By Brent Kelley, About.com Guide

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Bob Hope - Gerald Ford - Chrysler Classic

Legendary entertainer Bob Hope (right) hosted what was then called the Bob Hope Classic every year until his death in 2003, and former U.S. President Gerald Ford (left) was a frequent participant. This photo is from the 1996 tournament.

J.D. Cuban / Getty Images

About the PGA Tour Humana Challenge:

The full name of the tournament is Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation, and this is the PGA Tour event that traditionally was called the Bob Hope Classic. In fact, the name "Humana Challenge" is new for 2012.

Also new in 2012 are some format changes. The tournament will reduce from its traditional five rounds to four rounds. It will remain a pro-am, with amateurs playing along with the pros for the first three rounds.

Legendary entertainer Bob Hope's name was added to the tournament in 1965, and continued to be part of the tournament name even after Hope's death in 2003. In 2012, Hope's name won't be part of the event title, but the winner will receive the Bob Hope Trophy.

• Bob Hope quotes about golf

2012 Humana Challenge
A third-round 62 sent Mark Wilson on his way, and Wilson held on to win by two strokes. Wilson shot 67-69 in the final two rounds, both of which were completed on Sunday due to wind damage that delayed the third round. The trio of Robert Garrigus, John Mallinger and Johnson Wagner tied for second.

2011 Bob Hope Classic
Rookie Jhonattan Vegas won a 3-way playoff to claim his first PGA Tour victory. Vegas, Gary Woodland and defending champ Bill Haas all finished at 27-under 333. Haas was eliminated on the first playoff hole, then Vegas won the title with a par to Woodland's bogey on the second extra hole. That par came despite Vegas hitting his tee ball in the water.

Official Web site
PGA Tour tournament site

Humana Challenge Scoring Records:

72 holes: 264 - Mark Wilson, 2012
90 holes: 324 - Joe Durant, 2001
18 holes: 59 - David Duval, 1999 (PGA West/Palmer Course)

Humana Challenge Golf Courses:

The Humana Challenge has traditionally been played over multiple golf courses, in most years golfers rotating daily among four courses. Beginning 2012, that rotation is reduced to three courses. Those three 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.

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.

Humana Challenge Tournament 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. 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.
During the years the event was known as the Bob Hope Classic, it had a history of choosing "beauty queens," selected from among area college students. They were called "Classic Girls."
Jay Haas won the Hope in 1988. In 2010, his son Bill Haas won the tournament. They are the only father-son winners in tournament history. (See the list of father-son winners on the PGA Tour.)

United States presidents have often been among the celebrities to take part in the pro-am. Gerald Ford played regularly, and George H.W. Bush played often. Now, Bill Clinton's foundation is the tournament's charity.
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 Clinton (the first sitting president to play), and former presidents Ford and Bush.

PGA Tour Humana Challenge Winners:

(p-playoff)

Humana Challenge
2012 - Mark Wilson, 264

Bob Hope Classic
2011 - p-Jhonattan Vegas, 333
2010 - Bill Haas, 330
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