The International (styled as The INTERNATIONAL) was a professional golf tournament in Colorado on the PGA Tour. It was played for 21 seasons, from 1986 through 2006, at the Castle Pines Golf Club at Castle Pines Village in Castle Rock, south of Denver.
It had the distinction of being one of two PGA Tour events not conducted at traditional stroke play, the only other exception is the match-play event, the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship. The International was the only tournament to use the Modified Stableford scoring system, enacted because of the significant elevation of the venue, which averages above sea level.
Beginning in 2007, the International was scheduled to change dates to be played during the first full weekend of July (July 5–8, and July 4–7, 2008), midway between the U.S. Open and the British Open. Tournament officials hoped this new date would draw even more top-ranked players, such as Tiger Woods, as it would no longer be contested the week before (or after) the year's final major (PGA Championship). Even with the change in dates, both tournament founder Jack A. Vickers and the membership of the club were apparently not happy with the overall direction the PGA Tour was taking.
On February 8, 2007, the PGA Tour announced the permanent cancellation of the International. It was replaced by the AT&T National, hosted by the Tiger Woods Foundation, and held in the Washington, D.C. area; near sea level and at standard stroke play.
The Modified Stableford scoring system returned to the PGA Tour in 2012 at the Reno–Tahoe Open, also at high elevation.
Format The Modified Stableford system awards points on each hole, based on the score relative to par. It is designed to reward aggressive play, taking chances to go for birdies (or better), as the reward for a low score on a hole is typically greater than the punishment for a poor score. For example, over a two-hole span, a birdie (+2) and a bogey (−1) gain one point, where two pars gain nothing. The scoring operates as follows:
Strokesvs. par Name Points 3 under Albatross (double eagle) +8 2 under Eagle +5 1 under Birdie +2 Even Par 0 1 over Bogey −1 2 over + Double bogey or more −3 Holes in one are treated as the score relative to par; an ace on a par-3 hole would be considered an eagle and scored as +5.
The International used several different formats throughout its history. Until 1993, final-round scores alone determined the winner; additionally, the event had multiple cuts in every year except 2005. 1986: Field cut to 78 after first round; cut to 39 after second round based solely on second-round scores; cut to 12 after third round based solely on third-round scores; winner determined solely by final-round score 1987–1988: Field cut to 78 after first round; cut to 54 after second round based solely on second-round scores; cut to 18 after third round based solely on third-round scores; winner determined solely by final-round score 1989: Field cut to 72 after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to 24 after third round based solely on third-round scores; winner determined solely by final-round score 1990–1992: Field cut to 72 after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to 24 after third round based on three-round cumulative scores; winner determined solely by final-round score 1993–1997: Field cut to 72 after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to 24 after third round based on three-round cumulative scores; winner determined by four-round cumulative score 1998–2004, 2006: Field cut to top 70 and ties after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; cut to top 35 and ties after third round based on three-round cumulative scores; winner determined by four-round cumulative score 2005: Due to rain, schedule changed; no play Thursday; field cut to top 60 and ties after second round based on two-round cumulative scores; 36 holes played on Sunday, with winner determined by four-round cumulative score
Winners YearWinnerScoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-upWinner'sshare ($)The International 2006 Dean Wilson 34 points Playoff Tom Lehman990,000 2005 Retief Goosen 32 points 1 point Brandt Jobe900,000 2004 Rod Pampling 31 points 2 points Alex Čejka900,000 2003 Davis Love III (2) 46 points 12 points Retief Goosen Vijay Singh900,000 2002 Rich Beem 44 points 1 point Steve Lowery810,000 2001 Tom Pernice Jr. 34 points 1 point Chris Riley720,000 2000 Ernie Els 48 points 4 points Phil Mickelson630,000Sprint International 1999 David Toms 47 points 3 points David Duval468,000 1998 Vijay Singh 47 points 6 points Phil Mickelson Willie Wood360,000 1997 Phil Mickelson (2) 48 points 7 points Stuart Appleby306,000 1996 Clarence Rose 31 points Playoff Brad Faxon288,000 1995 Lee Janzen 34 points 1 point Ernie Els270,000 1994 Steve Lowery 35 points Playoff Rick Fehr252,000The International 1993 Phil Mickelson 45 points 8 points Mark Calcavecchia234,000 1992 Brad Faxon 14 points 2 points Lee Janzen216,000 1991 José María Olazábal 10 points 3 points Ian Baker-Finch Scott Gump Bob Lohr198,000 1990 Davis Love III 14 points 3 points Steve Pate Eduardo Romero Peter Senior180,000 1989 Greg Norman 13 points 2 points Clarence Rose180,000 1988 Joey Sindelar 17 points 4 points Steve Pate Dan Pohl180,000 1987 John Cook 11 points 2 points Ken Green180,000 1986 Ken Green 12 points 3 points Bernhard Langer180,000
Notes
References
External links Official tournament website Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site