The International (golf)

The International (styled as The INTERNATIONAL) was a professional golf tournament in Colorado on the PGA Tour. It was played for 21 seasons, from 1986 through 2006, at the Castle Pines Golf Club at Castle Pines Village in Castle Rock, south of Denver.

The International
Tournament information
LocationCastle Rock, Colorado
Established1986
Course(s)Castle Pines Golf Club
Par72
Length7,619 yards (6,967 m)[1]
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatModified Stableford[2]
Prize fundUS$5,500,000
Month playedAugust
Final year2006
Tournament record score
Score48 points Ernie Els (2000)
48 points Phil Mickelson (1997)
Final champion
United States Dean Wilson
Location Map
Castle Pines GC is located in the United States
Castle Pines GC
Castle Pines GC
Location in the United States
Castle Pines GC is located in Colorado
Castle Pines GC
Castle Pines GC
Location in Colorado

It had the distinction of being one of two PGA Tour events not conducted at traditional stroke play, the only other exception is the match-play event, the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. The International was the only tournament to use the Modified Stableford scoring system,[3][2] enacted because of the significant elevation of the venue, which averages 6,300 feet (1,920 m) above sea level.

Beginning in 2007, the International was scheduled to change dates to be played during the first full weekend of July (July 5–8, and July 4–7, 2008), midway between the U.S. Open and the British Open. Tournament officials hoped this new date would draw even more top-ranked players, such as Tiger Woods, as it would no longer be contested the week before (or after) the year's final major (PGA Championship). Even with the change in dates, both tournament founder Jack A. Vickers and the membership of the club were apparently not happy with the overall direction the PGA Tour was taking.[4][5]

On February 8, 2007, the PGA Tour announced the permanent cancellation of the International.[6][7][8][3][9] It was replaced by the AT&T National, hosted by the Tiger Woods Foundation, and held in the Washington, D.C. area; near sea level, it uses standard stroke play.

The Modified Stableford scoring system returned to the PGA Tour in 2012 at the Reno–Tahoe Open, also at high elevation.

Format

The Modified Stableford system awards points on each hole, based on the score relative to par. It is designed to reward aggressive play, taking chances to go for birdies (or better), as the reward for a low score on a hole is typically greater than the punishment for a poor score. For example, over a two-hole span, a birdie (+2) and a bogey (−1) gain one point, where two pars gain nothing. The scoring operates as follows:[2][3]

Strokes
vs. par
NamePoints
3 underAlbatross (double eagle)+8
2 underEagle+5
1 underBirdie+2
EvenPar 0
1 overBogey−1
2 over +Double bogey or more−3

Holes in one are treated as the score relative to par; an ace on a par-3 hole would be considered an eagle and scored as +5.

The International used several different formats throughout its history. Until 1993, final-round scores alone determined the winner; additionally, the event had multiple cuts in every year except 2005.[10]

  • 1986: Field cut to 78 after first round; cut to 39 after second round based solely on second-round scores; cut to 12 after third round based solely on third-round scores; winner determined solely by final-round score
  • 1987–1988: Field cut to 78 after first round; cut to 54 after second round based solely on second-round scores; cut to 18 after third round based solely on third-round scores; winner determined solely by final-round score
  • 1989: Field cut to 72 after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to 24 after third round based solely on third-round scores; winner determined solely by final-round score
  • 1990–1992: Field cut to 72 after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to 24 after third round based on three-round cumulative scores; winner determined solely by final-round score
  • 1993–1997: Field cut to 72 after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to 24 after third round based on three-round cumulative scores; winner determined by four-round cumulative score
  • 1998–2004, 2006: Field cut to top 70 and ties after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to top 35 and ties after third round based on three-round cumulative scores; winner determined by four-round cumulative score
  • 2005: Due to rain, schedule changed;[11] no play Thursday; field cut to top 60 and ties after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; 36 holes played on Sunday, with winner determined by four-round cumulative score

Winners

YearWinnerScore[lower-alpha 1]Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-upWinner's
share ($)
The International
2006United States Dean Wilson34 pointsPlayoffUnited States Tom Lehman990,000
2005South Africa Retief Goosen32 points1 pointUnited States Brandt Jobe900,000
2004Australia Rod Pampling31 points2 pointsGermany Alex Čejka900,000
2003United States Davis Love III (2)46 points12 pointsSouth Africa Retief Goosen
Fiji Vijay Singh
900,000
2002United States Rich Beem44 points1 pointUnited States Steve Lowery810,000
2001United States Tom Pernice Jr.34 points1 pointUnited States Chris Riley720,000
2000South Africa Ernie Els48 points4 pointsUnited States Phil Mickelson630,000
Sprint International
1999United States David Toms47 points3 pointsUnited States David Duval468,000
1998Fiji Vijay Singh47 points6 pointsUnited States Phil Mickelson
United States Willie Wood
360,000
1997United States Phil Mickelson (2)48 points7 pointsAustralia Stuart Appleby306,000
1996United States Clarence Rose31 pointsPlayoffUnited States Brad Faxon288,000
1995United States Lee Janzen34 points1 pointSouth Africa Ernie Els270,000
1994United States Steve Lowery35 pointsPlayoffUnited States Rick Fehr252,000
The International
1993United States Phil Mickelson45 points8 pointsUnited States Mark Calcavecchia234,000
1992United States Brad Faxon14 points2 pointsUnited States Lee Janzen216,000
1991Spain José María Olazábal10 points3 pointsAustralia Ian Baker-Finch
United States Scott Gump
United States Bob Lohr
198,000
1990United States Davis Love III14 points3 pointsUnited States Steve Pate
Argentina Eduardo Romero
Australia Peter Senior
180,000
1989United States Greg Norman13 points2 pointsUnited States Clarence Rose180,000
1988United States Joey Sindelar17 points4 pointsUnited States Steve Pate
United States Dan Pohl
180,000
1987United States John Cook11 points2 pointsUnited States Ken Green180,000
1986United States Ken Green12 points3 pointsGermany Bernhard Langer180,000

Notes

  1. Between 1986–1992, the winning score (points) were for the final round only.

References

  1. Fineran, John (August 8, 2006). "Differences make International unique". PGA Tour. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  2. "Modified Stableford points system". PGA Tour. August 7, 2006. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  3. "PGA Tour". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). August 14, 2006. p. D4.
  4. Paige, Woody (January 17, 2007). "Vickers' tourney, pro tour at odds". The Denver Post. Retrieved January 17, 2007.
  5. Hawkins, John (February 6, 2007). "Last Stop For the International". Golf Digest. Archived from the original on February 22, 2007. Retrieved February 7, 2007.
  6. "Mile High Disappointment: International Event No More". Golf Channel. Associated Press. February 8, 2007. Retrieved February 9, 2007.
  7. "PGA drops tourney". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). wire services. February 8, 2007. p. C2.
  8. "Wilson tops Lehman at International". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. August 14, 2006. p. C2.
  9. Schuchmann, Joel (August 13, 2006). "Notes: Wilson wins first International playoff in ten years". PGA Tour. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  10. "The International". GolfStats.com. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  11. "Beckman in charge at International". The Item. Sumter, South Carolina. Associated Press. August 7, 2005.

39.4407°N 104.8985°W / 39.4407; -104.8985

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