Children’s Miracle Network Classic History and Past Winners

The Children’s Miracle Network Classic has been played at Walt Disney World in Florida in one form or another since 1971. In its initial year, it was known as the Walt Disney World Open Invitational or the Walt Disney World Classic. The first three years it was won by—who else—Jack Nicklaus.

From 1974 – 1981, the event was played as a two-man, better ball event, making it officially part of the PGA Tour’s unofficial Silly Season. Sanity returned in 1982, when it re-emerged as the Walt Disney World Golf Classic. The revived event was won that year by Hal Sutton.

Walt Disney World was in the title of the tournament until 2007, when it was rechristened the Children’s Miracle Network Classic Presented by Wal Mart. Other than the Walt Disney corporation, the other sponsor has been Japanese consumer electronics company Funai, Oldsmobile and National Car Rental. It’s now just the Children’s Miracle Network Classic.

Two Walt Disney World Golf Courses are used in the tournament: The Magnolia Course at Walt Disney World and its sister Palm Course. The nearby Lake Buena Vista golf course also has been part of the event in several years. (You can see photos of my trip to the Lake Buena Vista Golf Course here.)

In spite of its position in the schedule, historically, the Disney has been popular with the players. Many of them live nearby, and the tournament makes it easy to take the kids to Disney World.

A complete list of winners follows:

2010Robert GarrigusUnited States
Children’s Miracle Network Classic presented by Wal-Mart
2009 Stephen Ames Trinidad and Tobago / Canada
2008 Davis Love IIIUnited States
2007 Stephen AmesTrinidad and Tobago / Canada
FUNAI Classic at the Walt Disney World Resort
2006 Joe Durant United States
2005 Lucas Glover United States
2004 Ryan Palmer United States
2003 Vijay Singh Fiji
Disney Golf Classic
2002 Bob Burns United States
National Car Rental Golf Classic Disney
2001 José Cóceres Argentina
2000 Duffy Waldorf United States
1999 Tiger Woods United States
1998John Huston United States
Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic
1997 David Duval United States
1996 Tiger Woods United States
1995 Brad Bryant United States
1994 Rick Fehr United States
1993 Jeff Maggert United States
1992 John Huston United States
1991 Mark O’Meara United States
1990 Tim Simpson United States
1989 Tim Simpson United States
1988 Bob Lohr United States
1987 Larry Nelson United States
1986 Raymond Floyd United States
1985 Lanny Wadkins United States
Walt Disney World Golf Classic
1984 Larry Nelson United States
1983 Payne Stewart United States
1982 Hal Sutton United States
Walt Disney World National Team Championship
1981 Vance Heafner and Mike Holland both United States
1980 Danny Edwards and David Edwards both United States
1979 George Burns and Ben Crenshaw both United States
1978 Wayne Levi and Bob Mann both United States
1977 Gibby Gilbert and Grier Jones both United States
1976 Woody Blackburn and Billy Kratzert both United States
1975 Jim Colbert and Dean Refram both United States
1974 Hubert Green and Mac McLendon both United States
Walt Disney World Golf Classic
1973 Jack Nicklaus United States
Walt Disney World Open Invitational
1972 Jack Nicklaus United States
1971 Jack Nicklaus United States

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Discover more from GolfBlogger Golf Blog

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading