| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Castle Rock, Colorado |
| Established | 1986 |
| Course(s) | Castle Pines Golf Club |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,619 yards (6,967 m)[1] |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Modified Stableford[2] |
| Prize fund | US$5,500,000 |
| Month played | August |
| Final year | 2006 |
| Tournament record score | |
| Score | 48 points Phil Mickelson (1997) 48 points Ernie Els (2000) |
| Final champion | |
 Dean Wilson | |
| Location map | |
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Usa_edcp_relief_location_map.png)  Castle Pines GC Location in the United States &sq=&lang=&file=File:USA_Colorado_relief_location_map.svg) Castle Pines GC Location in Colorado | |
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,[3][2] enacted because of the significant elevation of the venue, which averages 6,300 feet (1,920 m) 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.[4][5]
On February 8, 2007, the PGA Tour announced the permanent cancellation of the International.[6][7][8][3][9] 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.
- ^ Fineran, John (August 8, 2006). "Differences make International unique". PGA Tour. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
- ^ a b "Modified Stableford points system". PGA Tour. August 7, 2006. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
- ^ a b "PGA Tour". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). August 14, 2006. p. D4.
- ^ Paige, Woody (January 17, 2007). "Vickers' tourney, pro tour at odds". The Denver Post. Retrieved January 17, 2007.
- ^ Hawkins, John (February 6, 2007). "Last Stop For the International". Golf Digest. Archived from the original on February 22, 2007. Retrieved February 7, 2007.
- ^ "Mile High Disappointment: International Event No More". Golf Channel. Associated Press. February 8, 2007. Retrieved February 9, 2007.
- ^ "PGA drops tourney". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). wire services. February 8, 2007. p. C2.
- ^ "Wilson tops Lehman at International". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. August 14, 2006. p. C2.
- ^ Schuchmann, Joel (August 13, 2006). "Notes: Wilson wins first International playoff in ten years". PGA Tour. Retrieved July 9, 2012.