84 Lumber Classic
Encyclopedia
The 84 Lumber Classic was an golf
tournament on the PGA Tour
from 2000 to 2006. The event's title sponsor was lumber company 84 Lumber
. The host course from 2003 to 2006, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
in Farmington, Pennsylvania
, was owned by 84 Lumber founder Joseph Hardy.
in 2000 and 2002, with the 2001 event at Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier, Pennsylvania
. It was replaced by the 84 Lumber Classic for the 2003 season. Unlike the Pennsylvania Classic, the 84 Lumber stayed at the same western Pennsylvanian spot: Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa's Mystic Rock course, Joe Hardy's course designed by architect Pete Dye
, in Farmington, Pennsylvania. In 2003, the tournament attracted a very small number of well known pros. The tournament did have the fan favorite, John Daly
, as one of the main attractions. Daly was in a deal with the 84 Lumber
company to wear its logo during his competitive golf rounds, and thus he did appear at the tournament. The low attraction of highly ranked pros showed in golfer J. L. Lewis
seizing victory.
The struggle to attract better competition was evident in Hardy's decision to bring Pete Dye back in order to renovate the course. The renovations included lengthening as well as creating better spectator views for the tournament. The major renovation may have been the building of Falling Rock, a large clubhouse with extensive facilities for the players. Hardy had publicly stated that he was interested in hosting a U.S. Open at Nemacolin Woodlands, but unfortunately the difficulty of the course was questionable due to the low winning score from 2003.
In 2004, number one ranked player Vijay Singh
accepted Hardy's invitation to play in the 84 Lumber Classic. The acceptance by Singh was a victory for the directors of tournament in attracting better competition. At the time, Singh was not endorsing the 84 Lumber company, but he received an offer after his victory. The second installment of the 84 Lumber Classic was a bigger success then the first. Singh went on to win over little opposition during his record setting year. The tournament yielded low scores despite the strong efforts to make the course more challenging by owner Joe Hardy.
The third installment of the 84 Lumber Classic carried the best turn-out of highly ranked players in the tournament's history. Two of the four best players in the world, Phil Mickelson
and 84 Lumber sponsored Vijay Singh, attracted greater crowds. However, the expected battle between the two giants was dampened by a Cinderella story contestant who had recently leaped into the national spotlight. U.S. Open
contender, Jason Gore
, was able to pull off a victory after jumping up on to the PGA Tour from the Nationwide Tour
. Gore's victory assured him a tour card for several years to come, while raising the question of whether Hardy should offer a sponsorship to the newcomer. However, the similarity between already sponsored John Daly and Gore forced Hardy to choose one over the other.
- was the last installment of the 84 Lumber Classic.
accepted an invitation by Wie family friend and 84 Lumber owner Joe Hardy to play in the 2006 tournament. It was be her sixth attempt to make a cut in a PGA Tour event and third attempt in 2006. It was expected that Wie's involvement would help draw fans to the event. At the September event, Wie shot 14 over par over the first two rounds, finishing 23 strokes behind the leaders and last among all competitors who completed two rounds.
. All events that had been scheduled for the previous week were cancelled. The Laurel Valley course used that year was about 40 miles west of Shanksville, Pennsylvania
, where United Airlines Flight 93
went down. The hole flags used during the tournament consisted of American flags as a sign of patriotism and as a remembrance of all who lost their lives in the attacks.
84 Lumber Classic of Pennsylvania
SEI Pennsylvania Classic
Marconi Pennsylvania Classic
SEI Pennsylvania Classic
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
tournament on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
from 2000 to 2006. The event's title sponsor was lumber company 84 Lumber
84 Lumber
84 Lumber is an American building materials chain. 84 Lumber Company is the largest privately held building materials supplier to professional contractors in the country. Headquartered in the Pittsburgh Metro Area town of Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, it was founded in 1956 by Joseph Hardy...
. The host course from 2003 to 2006, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
Nemacolin Woodlands Resort
The Nemacolin Woodlands Resort is a resort in Farmington, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. The resort is currently owned by Maggie Hardy Magerko, president of the 84 Lumber Company, and was founded by Joseph Hardy.-History:...
in Farmington, Pennsylvania
Farmington, Pennsylvania
Farmington is an unincorporated community in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States along the National Road. It is situated about 50 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, and is the closest settlement to Fort Necessity...
, was owned by 84 Lumber founder Joseph Hardy.
History of the 84 Lumber Classic
Before the 84 Lumber Classic, there was the Pennsylvania Classic, which was played at Waynesborough Country Club in Paoli, PennsylvaniaPaoli, Pennsylvania
Paoli is a census-designated place in Chester County near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is situated in portions of two townships: Tredyffrin and Willistown...
in 2000 and 2002, with the 2001 event at Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier, Pennsylvania
Ligonier, Pennsylvania
Ligonier is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2000 census. Ligonier was settled in the 1760s. The borough is well known for nearby Idlewild Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, and nearby Seven Springs Mountain Resort...
. It was replaced by the 84 Lumber Classic for the 2003 season. Unlike the Pennsylvania Classic, the 84 Lumber stayed at the same western Pennsylvanian spot: Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa's Mystic Rock course, Joe Hardy's course designed by architect Pete Dye
Pete Dye
Paul B. "Pete" Dye is a world-renowned golf course designer and a member of a famous family of course designers. He is married to fellow designer and former amateur champion Alice Dye.-Early life:Pete Dye was born in Urbana, Ohio...
, in Farmington, Pennsylvania. In 2003, the tournament attracted a very small number of well known pros. The tournament did have the fan favorite, John Daly
John Daly (golfer)
John Patrick Daly is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour.Daly is known primarily for his driving distance off the tee , his non-country club appearance and attitude, and his rough-and-tumble personal life. Daly remains one of the most popular and intriguing figures on the PGA Tour...
, as one of the main attractions. Daly was in a deal with the 84 Lumber
84 Lumber
84 Lumber is an American building materials chain. 84 Lumber Company is the largest privately held building materials supplier to professional contractors in the country. Headquartered in the Pittsburgh Metro Area town of Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, it was founded in 1956 by Joseph Hardy...
company to wear its logo during his competitive golf rounds, and thus he did appear at the tournament. The low attraction of highly ranked pros showed in golfer J. L. Lewis
J. L. Lewis
John Lee "J.L." Lewis is an American professional golfer. He has won twice on the PGA Tour: the John Deere Classic in 1999, and the 84 Lumber Classic in 2003. In 1999 he won the Honda Invitational in Guadalajara, Mexico. In 2010, Lewis earned a spot on the Champions Tour after placing well on the...
seizing victory.
The struggle to attract better competition was evident in Hardy's decision to bring Pete Dye back in order to renovate the course. The renovations included lengthening as well as creating better spectator views for the tournament. The major renovation may have been the building of Falling Rock, a large clubhouse with extensive facilities for the players. Hardy had publicly stated that he was interested in hosting a U.S. Open at Nemacolin Woodlands, but unfortunately the difficulty of the course was questionable due to the low winning score from 2003.
In 2004, number one ranked player Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
accepted Hardy's invitation to play in the 84 Lumber Classic. The acceptance by Singh was a victory for the directors of tournament in attracting better competition. At the time, Singh was not endorsing the 84 Lumber company, but he received an offer after his victory. The second installment of the 84 Lumber Classic was a bigger success then the first. Singh went on to win over little opposition during his record setting year. The tournament yielded low scores despite the strong efforts to make the course more challenging by owner Joe Hardy.
The third installment of the 84 Lumber Classic carried the best turn-out of highly ranked players in the tournament's history. Two of the four best players in the world, Phil Mickelson
Phil Mickelson
Philip Alfred Mickelson is an American professional golfer. He has won four major championships and a total of 39 events on the PGA Tour. He has reached a career high world ranking of 2nd in multiple years. He is nicknamed "Lefty" for his left-handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed...
and 84 Lumber sponsored Vijay Singh, attracted greater crowds. However, the expected battle between the two giants was dampened by a Cinderella story contestant who had recently leaped into the national spotlight. U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
contender, Jason Gore
Jason Gore
Jason William Gore is an American professional golfer.Gore was born in Van Nuys, California. He first attended the University of Arizona before transferring to Pepperdine University. While at Pepperdine, he was part of their NCAA Division I Championship team in 1997. He also played on the...
, was able to pull off a victory after jumping up on to the PGA Tour from the Nationwide Tour
Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
. Gore's victory assured him a tour card for several years to come, while raising the question of whether Hardy should offer a sponsorship to the newcomer. However, the similarity between already sponsored John Daly and Gore forced Hardy to choose one over the other.
The End of the Classic
The 84 Lumber Company announced in April 2006 that it would no longer host the Classic. The move was unexpected, but understandable as the company had recently laid off a significant number of employees nationwide. Hardy's daughter, Maggie, explained the situation as the sponsorship of tournament being unfair to the thousands who had lost their jobs, and also unnecessary because the purpose of the tournament was to entertain clients — which the company could do at any other golf tournament. The 2006 event - won by Ben CurtisBen Curtis (golfer)
Ben Clifford Curtis is an American professional golfer best known for winning the 2003 Open Championship.-Early career:Curtis was born in Columbus, Ohio and grew up in Ostrander, Ohio. His family runs the , also in Ostrander...
- was the last installment of the 84 Lumber Classic.
Michelle Wie at 2006 event
Teenager Michelle WieMichelle Wie
Michelle Sung Wie is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. At age 10, she became the youngest player to qualify for a USGA amateur championship. Wie would also become the youngest winner of the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links and the youngest to qualify for a LPGA Tour event...
accepted an invitation by Wie family friend and 84 Lumber owner Joe Hardy to play in the 2006 tournament. It was be her sixth attempt to make a cut in a PGA Tour event and third attempt in 2006. It was expected that Wie's involvement would help draw fans to the event. At the September event, Wie shot 14 over par over the first two rounds, finishing 23 strokes behind the leaders and last among all competitors who completed two rounds.
Trivia
The 2001 Pennsylvania Classic was the first PGA Tour tournament staged after the September 11, 2001 attacksSeptember 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
. All events that had been scheduled for the previous week were cancelled. The Laurel Valley course used that year was about 40 miles west of Shanksville, Pennsylvania
Shanksville, Pennsylvania
Shanksville is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 245, as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area and is approximately 60 miles southeast from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, where United Airlines Flight 93
United Airlines Flight 93
United Airlines Flight 93 was United Airlines' scheduled morning transcontinental flight across the United States from Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco International Airport in California. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, the Boeing 757–222 aircraft operating the...
went down. The hole flags used during the tournament consisted of American flags as a sign of patriotism and as a remembrance of all who lost their lives in the attacks.
Winners
84 LUMBER Classic- 2006 Ben CurtisBen Curtis (golfer)Ben Clifford Curtis is an American professional golfer best known for winning the 2003 Open Championship.-Early career:Curtis was born in Columbus, Ohio and grew up in Ostrander, Ohio. His family runs the , also in Ostrander...
- 2005 Jason GoreJason GoreJason William Gore is an American professional golfer.Gore was born in Van Nuys, California. He first attended the University of Arizona before transferring to Pepperdine University. While at Pepperdine, he was part of their NCAA Division I Championship team in 1997. He also played on the...
- 2004 Vijay SinghVijay SinghVijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
84 Lumber Classic of Pennsylvania
- 2003 J. L. LewisJ. L. LewisJohn Lee "J.L." Lewis is an American professional golfer. He has won twice on the PGA Tour: the John Deere Classic in 1999, and the 84 Lumber Classic in 2003. In 1999 he won the Honda Invitational in Guadalajara, Mexico. In 2010, Lewis earned a spot on the Champions Tour after placing well on the...
SEI Pennsylvania Classic
- 2002 Dan ForsmanDan ForsmanDaniel Bruce Forsman is an American professional golfer.-Early years:Forsman was born in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. He grew up in northern California, where he learned to play golf at Los Altos Golf and Country Club. He attended Arizona State University.-Professional career:Forsman turned...
Marconi Pennsylvania Classic
- 2001 Robert AllenbyRobert AllenbyRobert Allenby is an Australian professional golfer.Allenby was born in Melbourne, Australia. His father was from Leeds, England and emigrated to Australia as a young man.-Professional career:...
SEI Pennsylvania Classic
- 2000 Chris DiMarcoChris DiMarcoChristian Dean DiMarco is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. DiMarco has won seven tournaments as a pro, including three PGA Tour events.-Early years:...