Trevino To Play In Pro Classic Golf’s All-Time Money Leader Will Come To Spokane In July

The date and site of the Pro Classic have changed, but tournament director Toby Steward’s commitment to lure at least one of golf’s biggest names to Spokane each year has not.

And even though his original plan to bring in “The King” was scuttled when Arnold Palmer underwent surgery for prostate cancer earlier this winter, Steward came up with a remarkable save.

He announced Tuesday afternoon that this year’s two-day Classic, which will be staged July 20-21 at the Creek at Qualchan Golf Course, will feature Lee Trevino, professional golf’s all-time leading money winner with over $9.5 million in earnings from the PGA and Senior PGA Tours.

Trevino, 57, has won the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship twice each, and is considered one of the most personable professional golfers of all time.

He will join a field of between 16 and 20 Senior PGA Tour members for the Pro-Am Tournament on Monday, July 21, and the six-hole $10,000 Shoot-out that will follow. In addition, Trevino will hold a clinic following the pro-am event.

“We had everything all set up with Arnie, until the cancer thing came up,” Steward said, “but we feel very fortunate to be able to bring in Lee, who we feel is also among the top three names in all of golf.”

Among the other Senior PGA Tour competitors who have agreed to play in this year’s Pro Classic are Rick Acton, Butch Baird, Don Bies, Homero Blancas, Bob Brue, Dave Eichelberger, Tony Jacklin, Orville Moody, Jimmy Powell, Larry Ziegler and host professional Ken Still.

All but Jacklin competed in last year’s event, which was held at Indian Canyon Golf Course.

The event was moved to Qualchan because of a conflict with the Rosauers Open, which will be held at Indian Canyon July 16-20. But Steward said there is a good chance the event will remain at Qualchan, the newest of Spokane’s four city owned courses.

“I’m thrilled about the change of venue,” Steward said, noting that Qualchan will be more “spectator friendly” than the hilly, tree-lined terrain of Indian Canyon. “It will be easier walking than last year and accessibility will be much better.”

Last year, STA busses were used to shuttle spectators from various locations to Indian Canyon. This year, Steward said he hopes to have public parking available adjacent to Qualchan.

The event, which was held on Labor Day Weekend the past three years, was moved to mid-July to accommodate the playing schedules and travel plans of the Senior Tour pros who are involved.

Steward said he hopes to announce at least four more Senior Tour competitors in the near future, along with a new sponsor for the Shoot-out, which was sponsored last year by United Paint.

Steward also announced the addition of the Washington Water Power/ Energy Solutions Junior Championship, an $8,000 Club Professionals Invitational and a Stapleford competition in the Savin Championship, an amateur tournament that has served in the past as the centerpiece of the first day of the event.

All three of the new events will be held Sunday, July 20, with the traditional pro-am tournament, various clinics and the $10,000 Shoot-out scheduled for Monday, July 21.

Tickets for this year’s event are $20 and are on sale now at G&B Select-a-Seat outlets. Steward said ticket sales, for the first time, will be limited, but he declined to say how many will be sold.

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