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PGA Tour Returns to Site of Tiger Woods’ First Victory

By Kathlene Bissell

6 Oct 1996: Tiger Wood follows through after a shot during the Las Vegas Invitational in Las Vegas, Nevada. Woods won the tournament, capturing his first ever win on the pro tour. Mandatory Credit: J.D. Cuban/Allsport
6 Oct 1996: Tiger Wood follows through after a shot during the Las Vegas Invitational in Las Vegas, Nevada. Woods won the tournament, capturing his first ever win on the pro tour. Mandatory Credit: J.D. Cuban/Allsport /
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Hello, world. With Tiger Woods set to return – again – to PGA TOUR action at the end of the month, let’s take a trip back 21 years, to his first victory in Las Vegas.

A lot has happened since Tiger Woods got his first victory in the 1996 Las Vegas Invitational, now the Shriner’s Hospital event. Most people forget it was his 11th tournament that, with the victory gave Woods his first two-year exemption and invitation to The Masters. Vegas wasn’t the first event he played, but that year, golf during September and October got a whole lot more interesting.

At that time Woods had two paths to the PGA Tour. One was by winning enough money to equal the top 125 in seven exemptions in what remained of that season. The other was by going through Q-School. He accelerated everything.

Woods could only get into tournaments by obtaining sponsor exemptions. Because of his amateur record, and because of the high level of interest by fans, the Greater Milwaukee Open was the first tournament to open the door. It was a Labor Day weekend finish, which meant a lot of people in eastern Wisconsin and in the Chicago market were spending their last summer weekends at lake houses. But at Brown Deer Golf Course, things were about to get very interesting.

Woods had announced he was turning pro after winning his third U.S. Amateur. On the Wednesday before the tournament he held what is now called his “Hello World” press conference.

There was a heightened level of interest among golf fans and sports fans, but Woods did not really contend. The first-round leader was Nolan Henke, who started with a 62. Woods was five shots back. Henke was on top in round two at 14-under par while Woods was at 6-under. Woods’ third round was the bad one for the week with a 73, and his final round 68 gave him a tie for 60th place. He made the cut, which was considered good. Loren Roberts was the eventual winner.

However, Woods did make an ace on Sunday. Even then, he was surrounded tee to green by golf fans. It was on the 16th. The shot was 188 yards and he used a 6-iron. We should have known it was just the beginning of a 20-year highlight reel, complete with the signature fist pump.

The next week, Woods played the Canadian Open and improved with a T-11 finish. The tournament was won by David Duval.

After that, it was the Quad City Classic, now the John Deere, in Moline, Illinois. It was played the same week as the Presidents Cup, and when Woods shot a 64 and took the lead in round two, writers started bailing out of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia, where the Cup was being contested because they thought Woods might win. One of them asked me the quickest way to Moline, Illinois. I said go to Chicago and drive west. That was the week when Tiger Woods took over golf.

“That was the week when Tiger Woods took over golf.”

Though he vaulted into the lead, Woods was beaten by Ed Fiori. Woods finished T-5, and many people found out how to get to Moline.

Woods’s fourth event was The B.C. Open, named for cartoonist Johnny Hart’s comic strip (because he was raised in Endicott, NY (Binghamton) where the tournament was held). Had the tournament gone four rounds, it might have been the site of Woods’ first victory since he was T-3 at the end of play on Saturday. But the event was called off on Sunday with what must have been unrelenting storms shortly after noon. Fred Funk and Pete Jordan were three shots better than Woods, and a one-hole playoff was won by Funk.

Woods did earn enough to guarantee himself a spot on the PGA Tour for 1997. With that goal accomplished, he took a rest and skipped the Buick Challenge.

October 2-6 in 1996 was date of the Las Vegas Invitational where Woods’ professional history was about to explode. It was his fifth tournament in six weeks, and he probably should have been too tired to perform well, except for the fact that he was Tiger Woods. Making matters more interesting, it was a five-round tournament in those days.

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The first-round lead was held by Keith Fergus; the second and third, by Rick Fehr; the fourth, by Ronnie Black, all of whom were PGA Tour winners in their day. After the fourth round, Davis Love III, who had been hovering near the lead, and Tiger Woods, who posted a final round 64, were tied. And, as it turned out, Davis Love III would become the first professional to be taken down by Woods in a playoff or in a final round grouping. Tigermania was born.

That victory gave Woods a two-year exemption as well as an invitation to The Masters.

Woods could have stopped there. But he didn’t. He went on to finish third at the Texas Open and then won the Walt Disney World Classic.

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Woods got his first PGA Tour card in four events, his first PGA Tour victory and two-year exemption in five events, won his first two PGA Tour events in seven starts and made the Tour Championship even though he didn’t start playing until Labor Day weekend. Since that time, Woods has challenged all the records in golf, with few remaining unequaled. It all started in Las Vegas, the site of Woods’ first professional victory.

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