Sahara Invitational

The Sahara Invitational was a PGA Tour event in Nevada from 1958 through 1976, played in Las Vegas and sponsored by the Sahara Hotel. In the first four years, it was the Sahara Pro-Am and an unofficial tour event. Paradise Valley Country Club hosted in 1970 and 1971, and Sahara Nevada Country Club from 1972–1976.

Sahara Invitational

Tournament information
Location	Las Vegas, Nevada
Established	1958
Course(s)	Sahara Nevada Country Club
Par	71
Length	6,800 yards (6,200 m)[1]
Tour(s)	PGA Tour
Format	Stroke play
Prize fund	US$135,000
Month played	September/October
Final year	1976
Tournament record score
Aggregate	269 Billy Casper (1965)
To par	−15 as above
Final champion
George Archer
Location map
Sahara Nevada CC Location in the United States Show map of the United States Sahara Nevada CC Location in Nevada Show map of Nevada

Jack Nicklaus won Sahara four times in a seven-year span in the 1960s, and three future major champions (Tony Lema,^[2] Lanny Wadkins, and John Mahaffey) made Sahara their first tour victory.

A month after the 1976 event,^[1] it was announced in early November that the Sahara Invitational was being discontinued. Edward M. Nigro, vice president and general manager of Hotel Sahara, cited rising costs, scheduling conflicts, and a decline in the national promotion benefit as the reasons for the tournament's cancellation.^[3]

The Las Vegas Founders returned the PGA Tour to Las Vegas in 1983 with the Panasonic Las Vegas Pro Celebrity Classic; since 2007, it has been organized by the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Tournament highlights

• 1962: Tony Lema wins the inaugural Sahara Invitational, three shots ahead of Don January.^[2]
• 1964: R. H. Sikes shoots a first round 62 on his way to a two shot triumph over defending champion Jack Nicklaus, Phil Rodgers, and Jack McGowan.^[4]
• 1967: Jack Nicklaus becomes the only Sahara champion to successfully defend his title. He wins by one shot over Steve Spray.^[5]
• 1968: Chi-Chi Rodríguez shoots a final round 64 to come from six shots back and force a sudden death playoff. He then birdies the first playoff hole to defeat Dale Douglass.^[6]
• 1969: Nicklaus shoots a final round 65 for his 29th PGA Tour title and fourth Sahara victory. He finishes four shots ahead of Frank Beard.^[7]
• 1971: Lee Trevino wins his sixth PGA Tour event of the year, one shot ahead of George Archer.^[8]
• 1974: Al Geiberger wins for the first time on tour since his PGA Championship triumph in 1966; he finishes three shots ahead of Jerry Heard, Wally Armstrong, Mike Hill, and Dave Hill.^[9]
• 1976: Runner-up five years earlier, Archer wins the last Sahara, two strokes ahead of defending champion Dave Hill and third round leader Don January.^[1]

Winners

Year	Tour[a]	Winner	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Winner's share ($)
Sahara Invitational
1976	PGAT	George Archer	271	−13	2 strokes	Dave Hill Don January	27,000
1975	PGAT	Dave Hill	270	−14	Playoff	Rik Massengale	27,000
1974	PGAT	Al Geiberger	273	−11	3 strokes	Wally Armstrong Jerry Heard Dave Hill Mike Hill	27,000
1973	PGAT	John Mahaffey	271	−13	3 strokes	Dave Eichelberger	27,000
1972	PGAT	Lanny Wadkins	273	−11	1 stroke	Arnold Palmer	27,000
1971	PGAT	Lee Trevino	280	−8	1 stroke	George Archer	27,000
1970	PGAT	Babe Hiskey	276	−12	1 stroke	Miller Barber Terry Dill Bob Goalby	20,000
1969	PGAT	Jack Nicklaus (4)	272	−12	4 strokes	Frank Beard	20,000
1968	PGAT	Chi-Chi Rodríguez	274	−10	Playoff	Dale Douglass	20,000
1967	PGAT	Jack Nicklaus (3)	270	−14	1 stroke	Steve Spray	20,000
1966	PGAT	Jack Nicklaus (2)	282	−2	3 strokes	Miller Barber Arnold Palmer	20,000
1965	PGAT	Billy Casper	269	−15	3 strokes	Billy Martindale	20,000
1964	PGAT	R. H. Sikes	275	−9	3 strokes	Jack McGowan Jack Nicklaus Phil Rodgers	12,000
1963	PGAT	Jack Nicklaus	276	−8	1 stroke	Gay Brewer Al Geiberger	13,000
1962	PGAT	Tony Lema	270	−14	3 strokes	Don January	2,800
Sahara Pro-Am
1961		Phil Rodgers
1960		Bob Duden
1959		Doug Sanders
1958		Bill Johnston

Notes

1. PGAT − PGA Tour.