A bit of history as the tournament hits its 18th year.
By: Bob Nuse
This will be the third year that the Instinet Classic will be played at The Tournament Players Club at Jasna Polana in Princeton. It is the 18th year of the tournament overall, which has previously been known as the Bell Atlantic Classic.
As the tournament gets set to be played for the first time in the month of May, here are some facts for fans to digest.
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Dr. Gil Morgan has won the Instinet Classic the two previous years it has been played at Jasna Polana. Morgan shot a 15-under-par 201 to win last year by two strokes over Tom Jenkins and J.C. Snead. At the 2000 tournament, Morgan shot a 17-under-par 199, which is a tournament record.
Last year, Morgan took control of the tournament with a double eagle on the second day of the tournament. Morgan holed a 3-iron from 256 yards out on the par-5 hole for the first double eagle of his career.
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In an effort to make their tournaments more fan friendly, the Senior PGA Tour has put in a series of new initiatives that should be fully in place by 2003. They are making changes in areas of eligibility, television air times and presentations, as well as bringing fans and sponsors "inside the ropes," allowing them to get more up close and personal with the players. They also hope to have a game improvement platform at each event, designed to deliver instruction in compelling and entertaining ways.
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Gary Player, who designed the course at Jasna Polana, will once again be playing in the Instinet Classic. After missing the first tournament in 2000, Player was part of the 2001 Instinet Classic, where he finished with a 6-over-par 222, which was good enough to finish tied for 62nd place.
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There are four open spots in the tournament field, which will go to qualifiers. That event will be held May 13 at Jericho National Golf Club in New Hope, Pa. The top finisher of the four players who qualified last year was Tom Elfers, who finished in a tie for 33rd place. Rex Caldwell finished 47th, Butch Sheehan was 50th and Bob Leaver was 67th.
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In the history of the tournament there have been four players to record a hole-in-one. Just one of those four, however, has come at Jasna Polana. Bob Lendzion recorded an ace during the 2000 tournament, which was the first year the event was held in Princeton.
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Those who attend the Instinet Classic will have an opportunity to watch on television as well. On Friday, May 17, there will be live coverage on PAX. The Saturday and Sunday play will be televised by CNBC on a tape delay basis from 5:30-7 p.m.
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When Morgan won last year’s Instinet Classic he became the first player to win the tournament in back-to-back years. He is not, however, the first player to win it more than once. Dale Douglass (1990 and 1996) and Lee Trevino (1992 and 1994) have both won the tournament twice in its 17-year run.
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This is the first year that veteran golfers Ben Crenshaw, Tom Purtzer and Fuzzy Zoeller are eligible to play on the Senior PGA Tour. Among those who will be eligible next year are Andy Bean, Craig Stadler and Jay Haas. In 2004, Peter Jacobsen will be eligible for the tour, while a year later Greg Norman and Curtis Strange will become eligible.
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The total purse for the Instinet Classic is $1,500,000, with the winner earning $225,000.