For the 15th consecutive year, the Champions Tour returns to The Woodlands Country Club for the Insperity Invitational. The 78-player field features all seven of the 12 most recent tournament, including defending champion John Daly and three-time winner Bernhard Langer.
Daly captured his first pro title since the 2004 Buick Invitational at last year’s Insperity. Despite finishing with three-straight bogeys, the fan favorite hung on to a one-stroke victory.
Here’s all the information you need to stay on top of this week’s Insperity Invitational.
THE SKINNY
Tournament: Insperity Invitational
Dates:Â May 4-6, 2018
Where: The Woodlands, Texas
Course: The Woodlands Country Club
Distance: Par 72, 7,018 yards
Architect:: Robert Von Hagge / Bruce Devlin (1978)
Format: 54-holes, stroke play, no cut
Purse: $2,200,000
Winning Share: $330,000
Defending Champions: John Daly
Marquee Players: Daly, Langer, Jesper Parnevik, Mark Calcavecchia, Joe Durant, Fred Funk, Mark O’Meara, Rocco Mediate, Miguel Angel Jiménez, Jay Haas, Colin Montgomerie, Jeff Maggert, Jerry Kelly, and Kirk Triplett
TV AND ONLINE
Round 1: Fri 6-8:00 pm (GOLF)
Round 2: Sat 3-5:30 pm (GOLF)
Round 3: Sun 3-5:30 pm (GOLF)
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HISTORY
The Insperity Invitational debuted in 2004 as the Administaff Small Business Classic, and is played in suburban Houston. The first four editions were at Augusta Pines Golf Club in Spring, Texas, then moved to The Woodlands Country Club in The Woodlands in 2008, the former home of the Houston Open on the PGA Tour
For the first eight editions, the then Administaff tournament was contested in October, but switched to early May in 2012.
The sponsor has been the same since its inception, as Insperity was previously known as Administaff. The purse for 2018 is $2.2 million, with a winner’s share of $330,000.
TOURNAMENT NAMES
2014-18: Insperity Invitational
2011-13: Insperity Championship
2004-10: Administaff Small Business Classic
RECENT WINNERS
2017: John Daly (−14)
2016: Jesper Parnevik (−12)
2015: Ian Woosnam (−11)
2014: Bernhard Langer (−11)
2013: Esteban Toledo (−6)
2012: Fred Funk (−14)
2011: Brad Faxon (−10)
DEFENDING CHAMPION
John Daly was running out of gas down the stretch on Sunday at The Woodlands, but the two-time major champion held on to capture the 2017 Insperity Invitational.
It was Daly’s first Tour title since the 2004 Buick Invitational.
Despite bogeying the final three holes, the 51-year-old Daly finished with a 3-under-par for the day, and 14-under for the tournament.
“It wasn’t pretty at the end. But I got it done and that’s all that matters,” said Daly.
Kenny Perry and Tommy Armour III finished one shot back, and tied for second at 13-under.
After he tapped in for bogey, Daly pumped his fist, did some hugging, and then was sprayed with champagne by friends.
FINAL TOP 5
1 John Daly -14 ($322,500)
2 Tommy Armour III -13 ($172,000)
2 Kenny Perry -13 ($172,000)
4 Kevin Sutherland -11 ($129,000)
5 Jay Haas -10 ($103,200)
THE FIELD
The field at The Woodlands is headlined by defending champion and fan favorite John Daly. The two-time major winner picked up his first trophy since the 2004 Buick Invitational in classic Daly fashion by bogeying the final three holes, finishing one clear of Tommy Armour III.
Some of the other past champions in Texas include Jesper Parnevik, Ian Woosnam, Jay Haas, Esteban Toledo, Bernhard Langer, and Fred Couples.
In all, 32 of the top 36 players in the current Charles Schwab Cup standings will be teeing it up including six 2018 winners in Paul Broadhurst, Mark Calcavecchia, Joe Durant, Steve Flesch,
Jerry Kelly, and Kirk Triplett.
Players who will be teeing it up close to home include Houston residents Jeff Maggert and Mark O’Meara, while Mark Brooks (Fort Worth), Clark Dennis (Fort Worth), Tom Kite (Austin) and Wes Short Jr. (Austin) are from the surrounding cities. Five players attended college in the state of Texas including Maggert (Texas A&M), Colin Montgomerie (Houston Baptist), while Brooks, Kite and Short attended the University of Texas.
