Champions Tour Senior Gold Rush Golf Tournament
First played: 1987
Last played: 2001
"Raley's" was in the tournament name (see "Also Known As" below) for about half of its existence. In those years, Raley's, a chain of supermarkets, was the title sponsor. The tournament was three rounds (54 holes) throughout its time on the Champions Tour.
George Archer recorded the most wins, three of them, all in the Raley's Senior Gold Rush years. Archer was the only multiple champion.
In the tournament's final year, Tom Kite's winning score of 194 tied the then-Champions Tour record for most strokes under par in a 54-event at 22-under-par. Kite's 194 also set the tournament record for final total, besting the 195 recorded a year earlier by Jim Thorpe.
Thorpe and Kite share the tournament's 18-hole scoring record with 62s. The largest margin of victory was eight strokes by Bob Charles in 1992.
Also known as: The tournament's original name was Rancho Murieta Senior Gold Rush, in use for five years. Then followed five years as the Raley's Senior Gold Rush, then four years as Raley's Gold Rush Classic, and, finally, two years as just the Gold Rush Classic.
Winners of the Senior Gold Rush
1987 — Orville Moody, 2051988 — Bob Charles, 207
1989 — Dave Hill, 207
1990 — George Archer, 204
1991 — George Archer, 206
1992 — Bob Charles, 201
1993 — George Archer, 202
1994 — Bob Murphy, 208 (defeated Dave Eichelberger in playoff)
1995 — Don Bies, 205
1996 — Jim Colbert, 202
1997 — Bob Eastwood, 204
1998 — Dana Quigley, 203
1999 — David Graham, 199
2000 — Jim Thorpe, 195
2001 — Tom Kite, 194
Golf courses: From its first year through 1995, the Senior Gold Rush took place at Rancho Murieta Country Club in Rancho Murieta, California. From 1996 though its final edition, it was played at Serrano Country Club in El Dorado Hills, California.
