PaineWebber Invitational (Home Depot Invitational) on Champions Tour
First played: 1980
Last played: 2001
The PaineWebber Invitational was originally a 54-hole event, then switched to 72 holes for a few years. But from 1987 through the end, it was 54 holes in duration. The tournament debuted in 1980, the first year the PGA Senior Tour existed, but did not become an official Senior Tour event until 1983.
The 72-hole scoring record was 279 by Miller Barber in 1985. The lowest 54-hole winning score was 201 by Bruce Fleisher in the final year, 2001 (the year before, Fleisher tied the then-record of 203.) The 18-hole tournament record of 63 was set by Hubert Green in 2000.
The biggest winner was Fleisher, who won the final three tournaments consecutively. At the time of his last (2001), Fleisher's three consecutive wins in the same event tied the Champions Tour record. The only other back-to-back champion was Jim Dent, both of whose wins came via playoff. Joining Dent as a two-time champion was Bruce Crampton. Gene Littler won twice in the three years before this event became an official Senior Tour tournament, and Miller Barber won once before that and once after.
The inaugural winner was Littler, who beat Arnold Palmer by two in 1980. Palmer, who never won this tournament, was also runner-up (by one) to Peter Thomson in 1984.
The 1989 tournament was canceled by Hurricane Hugo.
Also known as: This tournament was called the World Senior Invitational when it was created in 1980, then the WBTV World Senior Invitational. In 1985, PaineWebber came on as title sponsor and remained through 1995, with the tournament first called the PaineWebber World Senior Invitational and then the PaineWebber Invitational. It was without a sponsor in 1996, and the name reverted back to World Senior Invitational. Over its last five years, 1997-2001, it was called the Home Depot Invitational.
Winners of the PaineWebber Invitational/Home Depot Invitational
1980* — Gene Littler, 2111981* — Miller Barber, 282
1982* — Gene Littler, 280
1983 — Doug Sanders, 283
1984 — Peter Thomson, 281
1985 — Miller Barber, 277
1986 — Bruce Crampton, 279
1987 — Gary Player, 207 (defeated Bob Charles in playoff)
1988 — Dave Hill, 206
1989 — Not played
1990 — Bruce Crampton, 205
1991 — Orville Moody, 207
1992 — Don Bies, 203
1993 — Mike Hill, 204
1994 — Lee Trevino, 203
1995 — Bob Murphy, 203
1996 — Graham Marsh, 206
1997 — Jim Dent, 208 (defeated Larry Gilbert and Lee Trevino in playoff)
1998 — Jim Dent, 207 (defeated Bob Charles in playoff)
1999 — Bruce Fleisher, 205
2000 — Bruce Fleisher, 203 (defeated Hubert Green in playoff)
2001 — Bruce Fleisher, 201
(*Not an official Champions Tour tournament)
Golf courses: This tournament was played throughout its history at two golf courses in Charlotte, North Carolina. Through 1989, the facility was Quail Hollow Club; from 1990 through the end, it was TPC at Piper Glen.
