This level of exposure is tremendous and provides us more positive exposure than we could ever afford. Of the five Emerald Coast Classics, three were decided in sudden-death overtime, one was decided by a single stroke, and one was settled by two strokes. Winners include Raymond Floyd, Lee Trevino, Isao Aoki, Quigley and Duval. The Emerald Coast Classic contributions went to groups with healthcare, education, children's services, golfing and the arts. The Tournament's strong support of charitable groups is one reason so many people volunteer to work at the Classic.
Volunteers work on a variety of tasks.
The Emerald Coast Classic has a rich heritage in professional golf on the Gulf Coast. Pro golf goes back nearly 70 years, to the 1929 Pensacola Open. The prizes then were much smaller, but times were much different, and there was no formal PGA TOUR as we know it today. Instead, players followed a loosely organized schedule, often traveling three, four and even five to an automobile as they made their way from tournament to tournament. Financial concerns shelved the Pensacola Open after 1946, but the Pensacola Sports Association revived the tournament in 1956.