1970s1980sAustinGolfHighlightsPGASpecials

Golf – 1978 To 1982 – Highlights – Liberty Of Mutual Legends Of Golf Tournament – Onion Creek Austin

DOG COMMENTARY:

The Liberty of Mutual Legends of Golf Tournament was played at Onion Creek Country Club in Austin, Texas from 1978 to 1989….as it is often called “The tournament that launched the Champions Tour”….as   Liberty Mutual was the main sponsor of the tournament.  Today, the Bass Pro Shops have the sponsorship of the tournament….which is known as the Legends of Golf at Big Cedar….which is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour Champions.  Beginning in 2014, it has been played at Big Cedar Lodge on the par-3 Top of the Rock course….which was designed by Jack Nicklaus….and the 18-hole Buffalo Ridge course….which was redesigned by Tom Fazio in Ridgedale, Missouri. The tournament is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops which owns the Big Cedar Lodge. 

It currently consists of two separate events using four-ball and alternate shot formats with two-man teams….as the 54-hole Champions Division (age 50–65) and the 45-hole Legends Division (age 65+) (on the final day of the tournament….which is held at Top of the Rock,…when Legends play the course only once….while Champions play the course twice….with just the Champions Division event being an official money/official victory event.   

However, back in the day between 1978 and 1989….when these highlights were recorded in this video herewith….it was a 54-hole event  with 2-man teams playing a “best ball format” featuring some of the all-time PGA standouts like Sam Sneed, Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Dow Finsterwald, Miller Barber, Doug Sanders, Don January, et al.

This was a event that Bone Daddy would go to every year….cuz he just loved “The Mysterious Mr. X” Miller Barber….and would follow him religiously throughout the tournament…..evidenced by the Liberty of Mutual “Legends of Golf” memorabilia in our ImaSportsphile collection.  So, this video is a pure “nugget of gold” in our treasure chest of vintage memories…and very near and dear to our Bone Daddy, the original Sportsphile….as he says this tournament was very popular and so well attended that it outgrew the smaller Onion Creek Country Club facility.  BD always comments on how close the gallery could get to the legendary golfers…..and how much interaction there was between gallery and players….partly because they were trying to sell the idea of a Seniors Golf program….so, these great legends of the game would talk openly and freely with the fans in attendance.

4 Comments

  1. I was there working on the course. From 1979 through 1989.
    Great fun being behind the scenes working our butts off.
    I knew Jimmy Demaret.

    1. Howdy Joe, it is always exciting for us here at ImaSportsphile to hear from someone who was actually at one of the events featured in our vintage library….especially when that person was a part of the event….albeit working behind the scenes. Since we have longtime ties to Austin, Texas….as our entire 2300 hours of vintage video that we are currently in process of posting on our site was recorded at the famous Madison Square Garden, The Sports Place at 302 E. 6th Street in Austin from 1976 to 1991…having a viewer comment on an original Austin event like the Liberty Of Mutual Legends of Golf Tournament at Onion Creek Country Club….who was an integral part of making this tremendous event possible…always makes our efforts worthwhile….since we are building an absolute treasure chest of memories….as seeing some of our footage from this event obviously brings back to you after watching…and getting to know Jimmy Demaret just puts a cherry on top of those cherished memories of yours. We are glad that you found our site….and want you to know that we surely have more Legends golf still to post in the 9,000 videos we have left to post….so, stay tuned.

  2. Hello I was cleaning a old house and found a flyer with two signed names it seems to be this event really looking for info if what I have is worth something

    1. Joseph, thanks for your comment and inquiry….it would help me to know the names of the two signatures and the event and year for the flyer…so, if you will get back to me with this information….I see what I can tell you about your value.

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