Sahara Invitational


The Sahara Invitational was a PGA Tour event that was played in Las Vegas, Nevada from 1958 to 1976. From 1958 to 1961 it was called the Sahara Pro-Am and was not an official PGA Tour event. It was played at Paradise Valley Country Club from 1970-1971; and at Sahara Nevada Country Club from 1972-1976. It was sponsored by the Sahara Hotel.
Jack Nicklaus won Sahara four times in a seven-year span. Future PGA Tour major champions, Tony Lema, Lanny Wadkins, and John Mahaffey, all made Sahara their first tour victory.
It was announced on November 4, 1976 that the Sahara Invitational was being cancelled. 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. The Las Vegas Founders returned the PGA Tour to Las Vegas in 1983 with the Panasonic Las Vegas Pro Celebrity Classic, a tournament that since 2007 has been organised by the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Winners

Sahara Invitational
YearWinnerCountryScoreTo par
1976George Archer271−13
1975Dave Hill270−14
1974Al Geiberger273−11
1973John Mahaffey271−13
1972Lanny Wadkins273−11
1971Lee Trevino280−8
1970Babe Hiskey276−12
1969Jack Nicklaus272−12
1968Chi-Chi Rodríguez274−10
1967Jack Nicklaus270−14
1966Jack Nicklaus282−2
1965Billy Casper269−15
1964R. H. Sikes275−9
1963Jack Nicklaus276−8
1962Tony Lema270−14

Sahara Pro-Am