Atlanta Classic

The Atlanta Classic was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour, a regular stop in suburban Atlanta for over four decades. It was founded in 1967, although previous events dating to 1934 are included in the PGA Tour's past winners list. AT&T was the last title sponsor of the tournament.

AT&T Classic
Tournament information
LocationDuluth, Georgia
Established1934
Course(s)TPC Sugarloaf
Par72
Length7,179 yards (6,564 m)[1]
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fundUS$5,500,000
Month playedMay
Final year2008
Tournament record score
Aggregate260 Phil Mickelson (2006)
To par−28 as above
Final champion
Ryuji Imada
Location Map
TPC Sugarloaf
Location in the United States
TPC Sugarloaf
Location in Georgia

From 1967 to 1996, it was played at the Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, northwest of Atlanta. From 1997 to 2008, it was played over the Stables and Meadows nines at TPC at Sugarloaf in Duluth, northeast of Atlanta.

For most of its years, the Atlanta tournament was usually held in May. From 1999–2006, it was moved to early April, the week before the Masters. Its final two editions were in mid-May, a week after the Players Championship (which was moved from late March). The tournament was cancelled after the 2008 season.[2]

This event is not to be confused with the AT&T Champions Classic played in Valencia, California, a Champions Tour (now PGA Tour Champions) tournament which bore the "AT&T Classic" name in 2006, prior to AT&T's acquisition of BellSouth. It was cancelled after the 2009 season.

TPC Sugarloaf currently hosts an annual PGA Tour Champions event, the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, which debuted in 2013.

Winners
YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory		Runner(s)-upWinner's
share ($)
AT&T Classic
2008 Ryuji Imada273−15Playoff Kenny Perry990,000
2007 Zach Johnson (2)273−15Playoff Ryuji Imada972,000
BellSouth Classic
2006 Phil Mickelson (3)260−2813 strokes Zach Johnson
José María Olazábal		954,000
2005 Phil Mickelson (2)208−8Playoff Arjun Atwal
Rich Beem
Brandt Jobe
José María Olazábal		900,000
2004 Zach Johnson275−131 stroke Mark Hensby810,000
2003 Ben Crane272−164 strokes Bob Tway720,000
2002 Retief Goosen272−164 strokes Jesper Parnevik684,000
2001 Scott McCarron (2)280−83 strokes Mike Weir594,000
2000 Phil Mickelson205−11Playoff Gary Nicklaus504,000
1999 David Duval270−182 strokes Stewart Cink450,000
1998 Tiger Woods271−171 stroke Jay Don Blake324,000
1997 Scott McCarron274−143 strokes David Duval
Brian Henninger
Lee Janzen		270,000
1996 Paul Stankowski280−8Playoff Brandel Chamblee234,000
1995 Mark Calcavecchia271−172 strokes Jim Gallagher Jr.234,000
1994 John Daly274−141 stroke Nolan Henke
Brian Henninger		216,000
1993 Nolan Henke271−172 strokes Mark Calcavecchia
Nick Price
Tom Sieckmann		216,000
1992 Tom Kite (2)272−163 strokes Jay Don Blake180,000
BellSouth Atlanta Golf Classic
1991 Corey Pavin272−16Playoff Steve Pate180,000
1990 Wayne Levi (2)275−131 stroke Keith Clearwater
Larry Mize
Nick Price		180,000
1989 Scott Simpson278−10Playoff Bob Tway162,000
Georgia-Pacific Atlanta Golf Classic
1988 Larry Nelson (2)268−201 stroke Chip Beck126,000
1987 Dave Barr265−234 strokes Larry Mize108,000
1986 Bob Tway269−192 strokes Hal Sutton90,000
1985 Wayne Levi273−15Playoff Steve Pate90,000
1984 Tom Kite269−195 strokes Don Pooley72,000
1983 Calvin Peete206−102 strokes Chip Beck
Jim Colbert
Don Pooley		72,000
1982 Keith Fergus273−15Playoff Raymond Floyd54,000
Atlanta Classic
1981 Tom Watson277−11Playoff Tommy Valentine54,000
1980 Larry Nelson270−187 strokes Andy Bean
Don Pooley		54,000
1979 Andy Bean265−238 strokes Joe Inman54,000
1978 Jerry Heard269−192 strokes Lou Graham
Bob Murphy
Tom Watson		40,000
1977 Hale Irwin (2)273−151 stroke Steve Veriato40,000
1976: No tournament
1975 Hale Irwin271−174 strokes Tom Watson45,000
1974: Atlanta Country Club hosted the Tournament Players Championship
1973 Jack Nicklaus272−162 strokes Tom Weiskopf30,000
1972 Bob Lunn (2)275−132 strokes Gary Player26,000
1971 Gardner Dickinson275−13Playoff Jack Nicklaus25,000
1970 Tommy Aaron275−131 stroke Dan Sikes25,000
1969 Bert Yancey277−11Playoff Bruce Devlin23,000
1968 Bob Lunn280−83 strokes Lee Trevino23,000
1967 Bob Charles282−62 strokes Tommy Bolt
Richard Crawford
Gardner Dickinson		22,000
1948–1966: No tournament
Atlanta Open
1947 Toney Penna281−31 stroke Jimmy Demaret2,000
Atlanta Invitational
1946 Lew Worsham279−91 stroke Jimmy Demaret2,200
Atlanta Open
1945 Byron Nelson263−139 strokes Sammy Byrd2,000
1935–1944: No tournament
1934 Ky Laffoon286−26 strokes Johnny Golden500

Tournament highlights
  • 1967: Bob Charles wins the first modern era PGA Tour event played in Atlanta. He finishes two shots ahead of Gardner Dickinson, Tommy Bolt, and Richard Crawford.[3]
  • 1968; Bob Lunn is victorious for the second straight week on the PGA Tour. He wins by three shots over Lee Trevino.[4]
  • 1970: Georgia native Tommy Aaron wins by one shot over Dan Sikes.[5] Tom Weiskopf came to the 72nd hole tied with Aaron but closed with a double bogey.
  • 1972: Bob Lunn becomes the tournament's first repeat winner. He beats Gary Player by two shots.[6]
  • 1977: Hale Irwin becomes the first Atlanta champion to successfully defend his title. He beats Steve Veriato by two shots.[7]
  • 1979: Andy Bean shoots a third round 61 on his way to an 8-stroke victory over Joe Inman.[8]
  • 1980: Georgian Larry Nelson wins by seven shots over Don Pooley and defending champion Andy Bean.[9]
  • 1983: Calvin Peete shoots a final round 63, including a hole out for birdie from a bunker on the 71st hole. He wins by two shots over Chip Beck, Jim Colbert, and Don Pooley.[10]
  • 1986: Bob Tway shoots a final round 64 to win by two shots over Hal Sutton.[11]
  • 1988 Larry Nelson birdies the 72nd hole to become a two-time winner of the tournament. He edges Chip Beck by one shot.[12]
  • 1990: Wayne Levi birdies the 72nd hole in near darkness to earn his first PGA Tour win in five years. He finishes one shot ahead of Nick Price, Keith Clearwater, and Larry Mize.[13]
  • 1992: Tom Kite begins the final round bogey-bogey before making six consecutive birdies on his way to a three shot victory over Jay Don Blake.[14] Amateur David Duval, a junior at Georgia Tech held the 54 hole lead[15] by two strokes before shooting a final round 79 to finish T13.[16]
  • 1994: John Daly wins by one shot over Brian Henninger and defending champion Nolan Henke. Afterwards Daly says "This is the first tournament I've won on the PGA Tour in a sober fashion."[17]
  • 1996: Sixth alternate Paul Stankowski birdies the first sudden death playoff hole to defeat Brandel Chamblee.[18]
  • 1998: Tiger Woods notches his only victory of the year in Atlanta. He finishes one shot ahead of Jay Don Blake.[19]
  • 2000: Phil Mickelson wins for the first time in Atlanta. He birdies the first hole of a sudden death playoff to defeat Gary Nicklaus.[20]
  • 2003: Ben Crane shoots a final round 63 to win by four shots over Bob Tway.[21]
  • 2006: Mickelson dominates the field, using two drivers in preparation for the Masters the following week. He concluded with an eagle on the 72nd hole to post a score of 28-under-par, a career best. Mickelson won by 13 strokes over José María Olazábal and Zach Johnson, and would go on to win the Masters the next week.
  • 2007: Zach Johnson seems to like playing golf in Georgia. His third career PGA Tour victory like his first two, the 2004 BellSouth Classic and the 2007 Masters Tournament take place in the state. He defeats Ryuji Imada on the first hole of a sudden death playoff.[22]
  • 2008: The last version of the tournament sees Ryuji Imada win in a sudden death playoff over Kenny Perry.[23]

References
  1. "AT&T Classic". ESPN. May 18, 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
  2. Golf: Valero Texas Open may move to spring
  3. Bob Charles wins Atlanta Classic
  4. Lunn Atlanta victor for second straight
  5. Aaron conquers Atlanta
  6. Bob Lunn triumphs in Atlanta Classic
  7. Irwin edges crowd favorite Veritato in Atlanta Classic
  8. Andy Bean romps to easy Atlanta Classic victory
  9. Nelson sails to Atlanta golf title
  10. Peete fires a 63 to win at Atlanta
  11. Tway wins by 2 strokes in Atlanta
  12. Nelson Loses Big Lead but Wins With Birdie on Last Hole
  13. Wayne Levi takes Atlanta Classic
  14. Battling Kite wins Atlanta Classic
  15. Amateur Duval takes two-shot lead at Atlanta
  16. Kite wins Masters pass with Atlanta Classic win
  17. Clean sober Daly wins at BellSouth
  18. Wow! Cool! Stankowski wins BellSouth, gets spot in Masters
  19. Woods upbeat after taking BellSouth
  20. Mickelson beats Nicklaus
  21. Crane claims Classic title
  22. Johnson captures Atlanta Classic
  23. Japan's Imada wins Atlanta Classic play-off

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