Explosion Rocks Las Vegas Invitational
Chemical plant explosion in Henderson impacts Las Vegas courses
To celebrate the PGA TOUR returning to Las Vegas this week for the Shriner’s Children’s Open, we are exploring the 1988 Panasonic Las Vegas Invitational. It wasn’t just the action on the courses that was explosive that year.
This tournament has been played since 1983 when Fuzzy Zoeller won the Panasonic Vegas Pro-Celebrity Classic. Scroll down to learn more.
For more PGA TOUR action in “Sin City,” I’ve written about the 1976 Sahara Invitational in Vegas HERE, legal gambling on the Tournament of Champions when it was played in Vegas HERE, and Al Geiberger’s victory at the 1974 Sahara HERE.
Black Desert Resort, a new course on the PGA Tour Schedule, hosted the Black Desert Championship. The Ivins, UT, course, Tom Weiskopf’s final design, was carved out of a black lava field that looked spectacular, along with the Utah mountains, on television. Matt McCarty, in the midst of a great run of golf, captured his first PGA TOUR title. Scroll down as I provide a few of my thoughts, as well as the Clips You Might Have Missed.
We’ve got a question for you to weigh in on with the Tour Backspin Poll. This week’s Music Clip has Tracy Chapman doing “Fast Car” live in 1988. Tour Backspin Goes to The Movies, has the 1988 theatrical trailer for “Bull Durham.” Scroll down to listen and watch.
The Swing Like a Pro features Gary Koch and Golf’s MVP Red Heat training aid. The WHAT HOLE IS IT? Presented by Rota Golf this week has a hole that may look familiar to you. Submit your answer and you may just win a golf swag prize pack which includes our new 19th Hole Hot Sauce (soon to be available online in the Tour Backspin Golf Shop). Rota Golf has a cool way to map out your bucket list journey of playing the top 100 courses in the U.S. that you should check out. Click on the Rota Ad to view more. We’ve got some links for you in the Check it Out section and an ad from 1988 for Maxfli in this week’s Vintage Ad. Scroll down to view.
The Tour Backspin Poll
Last week we wanted to know if your group played the “leaf rule.” For the first time in the history of The Tour Backspin Poll, we had 100% of respondents who answered that yes, they play the leaf rule.
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Enjoy!
Larry Baush
Koch Wins For First Time in Four Years in Vegas
It is the first week of May 1988, and the PGA TOUR is arriving in Las Vegas for the Panasonic Las Vegas Invitational, a five-day tournament with a pro-am element that features the second largest purse of the year—$1,388,889. The winner would take home $250,000, an amount that changed the dynamics of the tour at the time.
“Unfortunately, there is too much prize money available here.”
“Unfortunately, there is too much prize money available here,” Greg Norman told the Associated Press prior to the start of the tournament. “The winner is going to govern the money-winning list.”
Norman had recent history on his side as the winner of the 1985 event, Curtis Strange, set a season long money earning record with earnings of $542,321. Norman won the event himself in 1986 and in the process broke Strange’s record with earnings of $653,296. While the 1987 winner, Paul Azinger, did not lead the money list, he came in second with earnings of $822,481 which would have set a record if it were not for Curtis Strange winning $925,941, but he did win Player of the Year honors. In each year, it was the Panasonic Las Vegas Invitational that provided the jump-start to the top of the money-winning list.
“I’d like to see about four or five more with purses like this to kind of balance it out.”
Norman didn’t really object to the large purse offered in Vegas; it was more that he wanted more events offering large purses for balance. That would ensure that one event would not overwhelm the results on the money-winning list.
“I’d like to see about four or five more with purses like this to kind of balance it out,” Norman said. “Not make it so top-heavy.”
Except for the Nabisco Championship, which featured a $2 million purse, with the winner getting $360,000, the winner’s check in the Las Vegas Invitational was about 40% larger than any other official tour event.
Sandy Lyle, winner of the Masters in April, came to “Sin City” with earnings of $603,821 and a finish near the top could put him in position to become the first player to earn more than $1 million in a single season.
The Panasonic Las Vegas Invitational was a 90-hole tournament that began on Wednesday, and it would be played on three courses in the desert. The host courses were the Las Vegas Country Club, the Desert Inn Country Club, and the Spanish Trail Golf and Country Club. Spanish Trail was the most difficult of the three, and all three courses would be used for the first three rounds while the Las Vegas Country Club would host the final two rounds. There were 156 pros who would play one round on each course with a different team made up of three amateurs in the first three rounds. There would be a 54-hole cut with the pros finishing up on the weekend which would be televised nationally by NBC.
“I’m hitting the ball absolutely the best I ever had. Everything is strong. Every part of my game. My confidence is very high.”
The United Press International named the leading contenders listing Lyle, Mark Calcavecchia, Craig Stadler, Ben Crenshaw, Fred Couples, Don Pooley, David Frost, and Ray Floyd. They also listed the stars who were missing from the field including Chip Beck, Lanny Wadkins, Seve Ballesteros, Tom Watson, and Tom Kite. Norman set a 90-hole scoring record in 1985 when he recorded a 27-under-par, 333. The defending champion, Paul Azinger, was confident on the eve of his defense.
“I’m hitting the ball absolutely the best I ever had,” Azinger said to Bob Green, the golf writer for the AP. “Everything is strong. Every part of my game. My confidence is very high.”
“You could feel the shock waves hitting your chest.”
The first round on Wednesday was rocked between 11:30 and 11:40 am by an explosion at the Pacific Engineering and Production Company of Nevada (PEPCON), in Henderson, NV. The chemical plant produced and stored ammonium perchlorate ("AP"), an oxidizer used in solid propellant rockets, including the Space Shuttle boosters, Trident SLBMs, and other rockets such as the Patriot. Players could feel the effects of the blast that killed two, injured 372, and caused an estimated $100 million in damages. The explosion registered a 3.5 on the Richter scale.
“You could feel the shock waves hitting your chest,” said Curt Byrum, who shot a 65 on the Las Vegas Country Club.
The blast shook the steel beams supporting a temporary building housing registration and press facilities, and a plume of smoke and gases was clearly visible from all three courses used for the tournament. Tournament officials briefly considered evacuating the golf course, but the southerly winds were blowing the toxic cloud that contained ammonia chloride away from the courses and play continued.
Bobby Wadkins sat atop the leaderboard with a 64 shot on the Desert Inn course. He was followed by Byrum and Mark O’Meara at 65. O’Meara also played at Desert Inn. Bob Lohr posted a 66 at Las Vegas Country Club while Tim Simpson (Las Vegas Country Club) and Rick Fehr (Desert Inn) finished with 67s. Defending champion Paul Azinger opened his defense with a 70 at Desert Inn. Greg Norman shot a 68 at Desert Inn and led a large group at four-under that included Gary Koch. Craig Stadler recorded a 68 at Spanish Trail, the best score of the day at that course.
“We had no choice (but to postpone). It was dangerous out there.”
Thursday’s second round was just as challenging to tournament officials as the first round that had to deal with an explosion. High winds forced a postponement of play at 4:44 in the afternoon. The National Weather Service clocked the winds at 35 miles per hour, with gusts over 55. The gusts were blowing balls off the greens at Spanish Trails.
“We had no choice (but to postpone),” tournament director Jim Cook said of the high winds. “It was dangerous out there.”
There was more than half the field who were unable to complete their rounds when play was suspended. These players marked their positions and would return the next day to complete their second rounds. Officials made the decision to shorten the tournament from 90 holes to 72 holes.
Bob Lohr overcame a double-bogey in his round to shoot a two-under-par 70 for a two-round total of 136, one shot ahead of Peter Jacobsen who had a 66. Keith Clearwater (68-70) and Ben Crenshaw (69-69) were at 138. Paul Azinger skied to a 76 in the windy conditions and was well down the leaderboard.
Wadkins was two-over for the day through nine holes when play was suspended while Curt Byrum was even-par through 15 holes. Norman was four-over through nine holes. Rick Fehr and Gary Koch were among the players who would have to come back on Friday to complete their rounds. Those players who completed the second round before play was suspended would have a surprise day off on Friday while there were 71 players returned to the course to complete their second round.
It was still windy when players arrived Friday morning to complete their second rounds, and it was cold. Byrum was the only player who was among the five leaders who did not finish his second round on Thursday. He dropped a 35-foot birdie putt at the final hole at Desert Inn to shoot even par in the second round and, at 137, he was within one shot of the leader, Lohr, and was tied with Jacobsen.
“It was cold and windy when we started this morning,” Byrum said. The wind was gusting to 35 miles per hour with temperatures in the 40s when he began his round.
Gary Koch finished his second round with a 73 for a two-round total of 141, tied with a very large group of nine other players. Jay Don Blake, who played in his 500th tour event at the 2024 Black Desert Championship last week, was at 140 after two consecutive scores of 70.
“Unfortunately, anyone who played at Spanish Trail on Thursday afternoon is pretty much out of the tournament.”
Spanish Trail was the biggest challenge for players once the wind came up and the temperatures dropped. First round leader Wadkins found that out the hard way as he skied to a 79 in his wind-interrupted second round for a two-round total of 143.
“Unfortunately, anyone who played at Spanish Trail on Thursday afternoon is pretty much out of the tournament,” Greg Norman said. He played in the worst of the weather on Thursday and didn’t find the going much easier on Friday morning. He shot a 73 and sat at 143 after two rounds.
Those players who were playing Spanish Trail on Saturday had the best of the draw as the conditions were nowhere near as brutal as those faced on Thursday. Byrum took advantage of the benign conditions and fashioned a round of 67, five-under-par, which gave him a one-stroke lead at 204. He birdied the last two holes of his round.
“I’m fortunate to be there (in the lead),” Byrum said after his round. “Part of the deal is the draw. The guys who were stuck at Spanish Trail got the worst of it.”
Ben Crenshaw, also playing Spanish Trail, moved up the leaderboard to second place after matching Byrum’s 67. He was one-stroke behind Byrum, tied with Jacobsen, who shot a 68 at Spanish Trail.
“With the right weather conditions, if you’re putting well, feel good about your game, if you’re hitting it well, you can shoot 59. It’s a distinct possibility.”
Gary Koch, Rick Fehr, and Greg Norman all made moves in the third-round. Koch shot a 66 and was at 207, Fehr shot 67 for a 208 total, and Norman carded a 66 for a 209 total. In addition to Fehr, the group at 208 included second-round leader Lohr, who shot a 72, Davis Love III (70-71-67), Gene Sauers (69-71-68), David Canipe (71-69-68), and Payne Stewart (70-72-66).
Despite what Norman said the day prior about being “pretty much out of the tournament,” he now insisted that his round had put him back into the tournament. “I didn’t birdie any of the par-5s,” he said after his round. “I feel very strongly that I can shoot 62 on this course and get in the hunt. I feel very confident about my game.”
After a pause, Norman went even further saying, “With the right weather conditions, if you’re putting well, feel good about your game, if you’re hitting it well, you can shoot 59. It’s a distinct possibility.”
Sandy Lyle, the Masters champion missed the cut after rounds of 71, 76, 71, for a 218 total.
Sunday’s exciting finish had a revolving leaderboard as six players either held the lead or were tied for the lead at one point or another during the round. Late in the back nine there were four players tied for the lead; Koch, Jacobsen, Byrum, and Mark O’Meara who finished with a 66.
Koch hit only two fairways on the back nine, but he scrambled his way to a hard-fought score of 67 that gave him a four-round total of 274, 14-under-par. Koch finished his round and then nervously watched the only two players that had a chance to tie him with a birdie at the final hole—Jacobsen and Byrum. Both players missed their birdies, and Koch became a winner for the first time since 1984.
“It’s been a long time. It feels good.”
Koch had been on the comeback trail since a disastrous 1987 season and only got into the Las Vegas event through a sponsor’s exemption. He won $250,000 which was more than he had won in all but one of his 12 previous seasons on the tour.
“It’s been a long time,” he said after the round. “It feels good.”
Jacobsen and O’Meara tied for second place at 275, while Byrum, Joey Sindelar, David Canipe, Rick Fehr, and Gene Sauers tied for fourth place at 276. Greg Norman did not shoot a 59 in the final round. He finished with a 71 for a total of 280, well down the leaderboard.
The tight back nine with the lead being traded back-and-forth was a perfect wacky ending to a week that saw a chemical plant explosion, winds over 55 miles per hour, and temperatures in the 40s. Only in Vegas.
Next Week: Al Geiberger wins individual honors at the 1973 ABC Japan vs USA Golf Matches
BONUS STORY
The contenders, and the winner, in the 1988 Panasonic Las Vegas Invitational included many players who later became announcers and analysts on television. The winner, Gary Koch began working for ESPN in 1990 before moving over to NBC in 1996.
Peter Jacobsen, who finished in a tie for second, presented two shows for the Golf Channel. The first was Plugged In which featured music, storytelling, and skits that included his co-host Matt Griesser of the FootJoy SignBoy commercials fame. The other was Peter and Friends, a panel discussion show. He then provided audio for the Golden Tee Golf video game and now provides analysis for NBC Sports and the Golf Channel.
Curt Byrum started his broadcasting career with the Golf Channel in 2001 and provides analysis and on-course reporting for PGA TOUR broadcasts.
Curtis Strange, who finished with a 283 and won $3,778, was hired by ESPN/ABC in 1997 and worked as the lead analyst alongside Mike Tirico. He left in 2004 in a contract dispute before the U.S. Open but rejoined the networks in 2008.
Bobby Clampett finished at 285 and won $3,042, joined CBS Sports as an on-course analyst in 1991 for the PGA Championship. He joined the network full-time as a tower announcer in 1995 and worked the tower at the 15th hole until 2007 when he was replaced by Ian Baker-Finch.
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WHAT HOLE IS IT?
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Congratulations to Glenn Blue, who correctly identified #13, at Black Desert Resort in Ivins, UT, in last week’s WHAT HOLE IS IT? contest. Glenn beat out five other correct answers in the random drawing. We’re sending a prize pack of golf swag, including the new Tour Backspin 19th Hole Hot Sauce, to Glenn.
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We got our hands on a treasure trove of film that we are cleaning up and digitizing for the Tony Lema documentary. Some great footage of Tony in action and even home movies. Very exciting. Check out the trailer below.
PGA TOUR Wrap-Up | Black Desert Championship
Matt McCarty has had a good few months and on Sunday, he won won his first title on the PGA TOUR. It was his fourth title in his last ten starts including three victories on the Korn Ferry Tour. Those three wins earned him a battlefield promotion to the PGA TOUR and he won the Black Desert Championship, just his third start on the tour.
The win puts him in the field at the Sentry, the Masters, the PGA Championship, and this week’s Shriner’s Childrens Open.
McCarty started the final round with a two-shot lead but he played the 12th hole a bit nervously resulting in a bogey. Two holes later at the drivable, par-4, 14th hole, McCarty hit a beautiful 3-wood off the tee, a left-to-right shot that nestled up just 3½ feet from the pin. He rolled in the eagle putt and had a three-stroke lead with four holes to play. He coasted in from there.
What a beautiful course to watch the PGA pros play. The fairways are wide, but missing them is very penal. The lava rocks led to a lot of penalty strokes. McCarty won, in part, because he was able to hit fairways and avoid the lava.
The top ten shots from the Black Desert Chanpionship.
Clips You Might Have Missed
So cool to have your dad there to witness the event.
Jay Don Blake, playing in his 500th PGA TOUR event, does it with a classic 50-year-old Bullseye putter.
Michael Kim gets a good ruling.
First ace, and it was witnessed by Tony Finau.
This is how they mow the huge fairways at Black Desert Resort.
What a way to make the cut.
Shank alert!
This is funny.
Tour Backspin Quiz | Guess The Clubhouse
Do you recognize this clubhouse?
Scroll down for answer
Swing Like a Pro
Gary Koch for Golf’s MVP Red Heat training aid.
Blind Shot
Click for something fun. 👀
Brendan Porath and Joseph LaMagna discuss why the Black Desert Resort course is the type of venue that may become more prevalent. Read more at the Fried Egg.
The Golf Chanel has one of the better double bogeys made on the tour this year.
Billy Andrade tells a great story about the dark days he had in his career in 1999 and 2000 and how winning in Las Vegas in 2000 helped him escape the abyss. A new ball that came on the market in Las Vegas, and was put in play by dozens of players, played a part in his win. Read it at pgatour.com.
Tour Backspin Music Clip
This song got a lot of play this year thanks to Luke Combs.
Tour Backspin Quiz Answer:
Pictured is the Las Vegas Country Club clubhouse.
Hi Larry,
My wife and I enjoyed your Tour Backspin hot sauce. We liked the slightly sweet flavor and the mild spicy twang. Our son who easily ingests the hottest of sauces, yours was perfect for our older palates. Will Tour Backspin sauce be sold at any retail stores in Northern California? It sure was a nice addition to the swag you send winners of the weekly WHII contest.
Most golfers know the Big 3 from the 1960s. If there was a Big 5 my vote would be for Casper and Tony. Looking forward to the documentary on Tony.
Keep up the great work.
Thank you,
Bruce E.
The Tour Backspin 19th Hole Hot Sauce will not be available in retail stores, but you’ll be able to order it at the Tour Backspin Golf Shop soon.
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Final Thoughts
How cool was that ace by 12-year-old Emery Johnson?
Raise your hand if you used a Bullseye putter.
I must find a way to play Black Desert Resort.