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 Phil Mickelson (1997)
48 points Ernie Els (2000)
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 and at 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

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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
Name Points
3 under Albatross (double eagle) +8
2 under Eagle +5
1 under Birdie +2
Even Par  0
1 over Bogey −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

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Year Winner Score[a] Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-up Winner's
share ($)
The International
2006   Dean Wilson 34 points Playoff   Tom Lehman 990,000
2005   Retief Goosen 32 points 1 point   Brandt Jobe 900,000
2004   Rod Pampling 31 points 2 points   Alex Čejka 900,000
2003   Davis Love III (2) 46 points 12 points   Retief Goosen
  Vijay Singh
900,000
2002   Rich Beem 44 points 1 point   Steve Lowery 810,000
2001   Tom Pernice Jr. 34 points 1 point   Chris Riley 720,000
2000   Ernie Els 48 points 4 points   Phil Mickelson 630,000
Sprint International
1999   David Toms 47 points 3 points   David Duval 468,000
1998   Vijay Singh 47 points 6 points   Phil Mickelson
  Willie Wood
360,000
1997   Phil Mickelson (2) 48 points 7 points   Stuart Appleby 306,000
1996   Clarence Rose 31 points Playoff   Brad Faxon 288,000
1995   Lee Janzen 34 points 1 point   Ernie Els 270,000
1994   Steve Lowery 35 points Playoff   Rick Fehr 252,000
The International
1993   Phil Mickelson 45 points 8 points   Mark Calcavecchia 234,000
1992   Brad Faxon 14 points 2 points   Lee Janzen 216,000
1991   José María Olazábal 10 points 3 points   Ian Baker-Finch
  Scott Gump
  Bob Lohr
198,000
1990   Davis Love III 14 points 3 points   Steve Pate
  Eduardo Romero
  Peter Senior
180,000
1989   Greg Norman 13 points 2 points   Clarence Rose 180,000
1988   Joey Sindelar 17 points 4 points   Steve Pate
  Dan Pohl
180,000
1987   John Cook 11 points 2 points   Ken Green 180,000
1986   Ken Green 12 points 3 points   Bernhard Langer 180,000

Notes

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

References

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  1. ^ Fineran, John (August 8, 2006). "Differences make International unique". PGA Tour. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c "Modified Stableford points system". PGA Tour. August 7, 2006. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c "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.
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39°26′27″N 104°53′55″W / 39.4407°N 104.8985°W / 39.4407; -104.8985