The Buick Invitational is a PGA Tour professional golf tournament played in the San Diego, California area in the early part of the Tour season, known as the "West Coast Swing." The tournament was originally known as the San Diego Open, and was noted for having singer-actor Andy Williams as a celebrity host during much of its existence. The Buick Invitational is the fifth event on the 2009 PGA Tour schedule.

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Course history

From 1952–53, the tournament was played at San Diego Country Club in Chula Vista, California before spending 1954 at Rancho Santa Fe Golf Club in Rancho Santa Fe, California. In 1955 the event moved to Mission Valley Country Club in San Diego, California, and after the 1956 event was played at Singing Hills Country Club in El Cajon, California, the event returned to Mission Valley CC until 1961. In 1962, Mission Valley CC changed its name to Stardust Country Club (and now is known as Riverwalk Golf Club) and the event stayed there from 1962–63; after spending 1964 at Rancho Bernardo Country Club (now Rancho Bernardo Inn) in San Diego, California, it returned to Stardust CC until 1967.

In 1968, the event began its relationship with Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California, where it has been played ever since. In the current tournament set-up, players will split the first 36 holes between the North and South Courses, then play the final 36 holes on the South Course. In 2008, Torrey Pines-South hosted the U.S. Open. ^[1]

Winners

Year	Player	Country	Score	To par	1st Prize ($)	Purse ($)
Buick Invitational
2009	Nick Watney		277	-11	954,000	5,300,000
2008	Tiger Woods		269	-19	936,000	5,200,000
2007	Tiger Woods		273	-15	936,000	5,200,000
2006	Tiger Woods		278	-10	918,000	5,100,000
2005	Tiger Woods		272	-16	864,000	4,800,000
2004	John Daly		278	-10	864,000	4,800,000
2003	Tiger Woods		272	-16	810,000	4,500,000
2002	José María Olazábal		275	-13	648,000	3,600,000
2001	Phil Mickelson		269	-19	630,000	3,500,000
2000	Phil Mickelson		270	-18	540,000	3,000,000
1999	Tiger Woods		266	-22	486,000	2,700,000
1998	Scott Simpson		204*	-12	378,000	2,100,000
1997	Mark O'Meara		275	-13	270,000	1,500,000
1996	Davis Love		269	-19	216,000	1,200,000
Buick Invitational of California
1995	Peter Jacobsen		269	-19	216,000	1,200,000
1994	Craig Stadler		268	-20	198,000	1,100,000
1993	Phil Mickelson		278	-10	180,000	1,000,000
1992	Steve Pate		200*	-16	180,000	1,000,000
Shearson Lehman Brothers Open
1991	Jay Don Blake		268	-20	180,000	1,000,000
Shearson Lehman Hutton Open
1990	Dan Forsman		275	-13	162,000	900,000
1989	Greg Twiggs		271	-17	126,000	700,000
Shearson Lehman Hutton Andy Williams Open
1988	Steve Pate		269	-19	117,000	650,000
Shearson Lehman Brothers Andy Williams Open
1987	George Burns		266	-22	90,000	500,000
1986	Bob Tway		204*	-12	81,000	450,000
Isuzu-Andy Williams San Diego Open
1985	Woody Blackburn		269	-19	72,000	400,000
1984	Gary Koch		272	-16	72,000	400,000
1983	Gary Hallberg		271	-17	54,000	300,000
Wickes-Andy Williams San Diego Open
1982	Johnny Miller		270	-18	54,000	300,000
1981	Bruce Lietzke		278	-10	45,000	250,000
Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational
1980	Tom Watson		275	-13	45,000	250,000
1979	Fuzzy Zoeller		282	-6	45,000	250,000
1978	Jay Haas		278	-10	40,000	200,000
1977	Tom Watson		269	-19	36,000	180,000
1976	J. C. Snead		272	-16	36,000	180,000
1975	J. C. Snead		279	-9	34,000	170,000
1974	Bobby Nichols		275	-13	34,000	170,000
1973	Bob Dickson		278	-10	34,000	170,000
1972	Paul Harney		275	-13	30,000	150,000
1971	George Archer		272	-16	30,000	150,000
1970	Pete Brown		275	-13	30,000	150,000
1969	Jack Nicklaus		284	-4	30,000	150,000
1968	Tom Weiskopf		273	-15	30,000	150,000
San Diego Open Invitational
1967	Bob Goalby		269	-15	13,200	71,000
1966	Billy Casper		268	-16	5,800	45,000
1965	Wes Ellis		267	-17	4,850	39,000
1964	Art Wall, Jr.		274	-6	4,300	30,000
1963	Gary Player		270	-14	3,500	25,000
1962	Tommy Jacobs		277	-7	3,500	25,000
1961	Arnold Palmer		271	-13	2,800	22,500
1960	Mike Souchak		269	-19	2,800	22,500
1959	Marty Furgol		274	-14	2,800	20,000
1958	No tournament - moved from November to January
1957	Arnold Palmer		271	-17	2,400	15,000
Convair-San Diego Open
1956	Bob Rosburg		270	-18	2,400	15,000
1955	Tommy Bolt		274	-14	2,400	15,000
San Diego Open
1954	Gene Littler (a)		274	-14	2,400	15,000
1953	Tommy Bolt		274	-14	2,000	10,000
1952	Ted Kroll		276	-12	2,000	10,000
1930-51	No tournament
1929	Leo Diegel		282	-2	750	2,500
1928	No tournament
1927	Leo Diegel		214^		1,000	2,500

• (a) - amateur
• * rain-shortened to 54 holes
• ^ scheduled 54 holes

Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Sources ^{[2] [3] [4]}

Multiple winners

Seven players have won this tournament more than once through 2009.

• 6 wins
• *Tiger Woods: 1999, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
• 3 wins
• *Phil Mickelson: 1993, 2000, 2001
• 2 wins
• *Tommy Bolt: 1953, 1955
• *Arnold Palmer: 1957, 1961
• *Steve Pate: 1988, 1992
• *J. C. Snead: 1975, 1976
• *Tom Watson: 1977, 1980

Records and trivia

• Tournament course record: Torrey Pines North Course - 61, Mark Brooks, 1990, and Brandt Snedeker, 2007; Torrey Pines South Course - 62, Tiger Woods, 1999
• Tiger Woods is the only six-time winner of the tournament, and Phil Mickelson the only other golfer to win more than twice.
• Hall of Famer Gene Littler is the only golfer to have won the tournament as an amateur, doing so in 1954. Littler, a San Diego native, never won as a professional - although he was runner-up three times (1969, 1974, 1978).
• One of the most memorable years in the tournament's history was 1982, when Johnny Miller outdueled Jack Nicklaus to win by one stroke.
• Tiger Woods (2005-08) won the tournament four straight years. J. C. Snead (1975-76) and Phil Mickelson (2000-01) won in back-to-back years.
• In 1952, Boxer Joe Louis was invited to play in the San Diego Open on a sponsor's exemption, and became the first African American ever to play in this PGA Tour event.

References

1. PGA Tour 2007 Official Guide - January 2007, pages 1-5, 3-10 thru 3-11, 11-5.
2. 2009 Buick Invitational Media Guide - Tournament History - at www.buickinvitational.com
3. Buick Invitational - Winners - at www.pgatour.com
4. Buick Invitational - Winners - at golfobserver.com