Crowne Plaza Invitational Winners and History

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NOTE: The Crowne Plaza Invitational became the Fort Worth Invitational and now is the Charles Schwab Challenge.

Unlike Arnold Palmer and Byron Nelson, there’s no tournament named for Ben Hogan. But if there was one, it would be The Colonial. Hogan won here at the Colonial Invitational five times (1946, 1947, 1952, 1953, 1959) and considered the Colonial Country Club his home course.

The genesis and inspiration for the Crowne Plaza Invitational was the 1941 US Open, which was held at Colonial Country Club. It was the first US Open held south of the Mason-Dixon line, and was thought a huge success. Local organizers hoped to capitalize on that goodwill, and in 1946 launched The Colonial Invitational.

Much of the appeal of the Colonial is that it has been played on the same classic course since its inception. Indeed, it’s impossible to imagine the tournament not being held there. The club, which dates to 1936, was designed by John Bredemus and Perry Maxwell and has among its memorable vistas holes that extend along the length of the Trinity River.

The Colonial National Invitational had no title sponsor until 1988, when it became the MasterCard Colonial Invitational. In 2003, it was picked up by Bank of America. In 2007, it became the Crown Plaza Invitational At Colonial. The current purse is $6,200,000, with $1,116,000 going to the winner.

The Colonial winners’ list looks like a Hall of Fame roster. In addition to Hogan, there’s Palmer, Snead, Casper, Bolt, De Vicenzo, Stockton, Crenshaw, Nicklaus, Price, Watson and Mickelson (Tiger is curiously absent). The strength of the winners’ roster is in part due to the strength of field: The Colonial is an Invitational, with only the top 80 players on the previous year’s money list guaranteed a spot.

A unique tradition at the Colonial is the “Champion’s Choice.” Each year, former Colonial Invitational Champions select two young players to join the field who otherwise would be ineligible. Among the Champions Choices were Al Greiberger, Tom Weiskopf, Craig Stadler, Curtis Strange, Mark O’Meara, Paul Azinger and Davis Love. Dave Stockton won the tournament in the year he was selected.

While the Masters has the Green Jacket, the Colonial offers a Scottish tartan plaid jacket for its champions and committee chairmen. The tournament and Colonial Golf club also is marked by the engraved marble Wall of Champions near the first tee, which features the name and score of each of the tournament’s winners.

A random note: In 2003, Annika Sorenstam played the Colonial Invitational, becoming the first women to play a PGA Tour event since Babe Zaharias entered the Los Angeles Open.

A list of the winners of the Colonial Invitational follows:

Charles Schwab / Colonial Invitational Winners

YearPlayerScoreTo parMargin
Charles Schwab Challenge
2019Kevin Na267-134 strokes
Fort Worth Invitational
2018Justin Rose260-203 strokes
Dean & DeLuca Invitational
2017Kevin Kisner270-101 stroke
2016Chris Kirk268-123 strokes
Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
2015Chris Kirk268–121 stroke
2014Adam Scott271−9Playoff
2013Boo Weekley266−141 stroke
2012Zach Johnson (2)268−121 stroke
2011David Toms265−151 stroke
2010Zach Johnson259−213 strokes
2009Steve Stricker263−17Playoff
2008Phil Mickelson (2)266−141 stroke
2007Rory Sabbatini266−14Playoff
Bank of America Colonial
2006Tim Herron268−12Playoff
2005Kenny Perry (2)261−197 strokes
2004Steve Flesch269−111 stroke
2003Kenny Perry261−196 strokes
MasterCard Colonial
2002Nick Price (2)267−135 strokes
2001Sergio García267−132 strokes
2000Phil Mickelson268−122 strokes
1999Olin Browne272−81 stroke
1998Tom Watson265−152 strokes
1997David Frost265−152 strokes
1996Corey Pavin (2)272−82 strokes
Colonial National Invitation
1995Tom Lehman271−91 stroke
Southwestern Bell Colonial
1994Nick Price266−14Playoff
1993Fulton Allem264−161 stroke
1992Bruce Lietzke (2)267−13Playoff
1991Tom Purtzer267−133 strokes
1990Ben Crenshaw (2)272−83 strokes
1989Ian Baker-Finch270−104 strokes
Colonial National Invitation
1988Lanny Wadkins270−101 stroke
1987Keith Clearwater266−143 strokes
1986Dan Pohl205 (rain - 54 holes)−5Playoff
1985Corey Pavin266−144 strokes
1984Peter Jacobsen270−10Playoff
1983Jim Colbert278−2Playoff
1982Jack Nicklaus273−73 strokes
1981Fuzzy Zoeller274−64 strokes
1980Bruce Lietzke271−91 stroke
1979Al Geiberger274−61 stroke
1978Lee Trevino (2)268−124 strokes
1977Ben Crenshaw272−81 stroke
1976Lee Trevino273−71 stroke
1975No tournament - hosted the Tournament Players Championship
1974Rod Curl276−41 stroke
1973Tom Weiskopf276−41 stroke
1972Jerry Heard275−52 strokes
1971Gene Littler28331 stroke
1970Homero Blancas273−71 stroke
1969Gardner Dickinson278−21 stroke
1968Billy Casper (2)275−55 strokes
1967Dave Stockton278−22 strokes
1966Bruce Devlin280E1 stroke
1965Bruce Crampton276−43 strokes
1964Billy Casper279−14 strokes
1963Julius Boros (2)279−14 strokes
1962Arnold Palmer2811Playoff
1961Doug Sanders28111 stroke
1960Julius Boros280E1 stroke
1959Ben Hogan (5)2855Playoff
1958Tommy Bolt28221 stroke
1957Roberto De Vicenzo28441 stroke
1956Mike Souchak280E1 stroke
1955Chandler Harper276−48 strokes
1954Johnny Palmer280E2 strokes
1953Ben Hogan (4)28225 strokes
1952Ben Hogan (3)279−14 strokes
1951Cary Middlecoff28221 stroke
1950Sam Snead277−33 strokes
1949No tournament - cancelled due to course flooding[17]
1948Clayton Heafner272−86 strokes
1947Ben Hogan (2)279−11 stroke
1946Ben Hogan279−11 stroke
Winners of the Charles Schwab / Colonial Invitational At Colonial.

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3 thoughts on “Crowne Plaza Invitational Winners and History”

  1. You go guy!  Congrats on the invitation.  Enjoy every minute, it is a well deserved opportunity.

    Reply
  2. Some big names of golf have won this golf tournament. I’d be interested to see how many times Tiger Woods has actually played this event. It’s unusual not to see his name there particularly during his prime between 2000 – 2009.

    Reply

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