Established 1967, 50 years ago Tour(s) PGA Tour Prize fund $8.75 million | Course(s) Glen Oaks Club
in 2017 Format Stroke play | |
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Location Varies – Old Westbury, New York in 2017 | ||
The Northern Trust is a golf tournament on the PGA Tour. Since 2007, it has been played in late August as the first (of four) tournaments of the PGA Tour's playoff system for the FedEx Cup. There are 125 players that earn the right to compete, based upon FedEx Cup points amassed during the regular PGA Tour season.
Contents
History
The tournament began in 1967 as the Westchester Classic and was played at the Westchester Country Club in Rye, New York, a suburb northeast of New York City in Westchester County. Beginning in 1976, it underwent a series of name sponsorships (detailed below), not unlike other PGA Tour stops. The name of the event evolved to the point that, by 1990, it no longer contained the name of its host course or location. However, among golfers on tour and many fans, it was still known by its traditional name, "The Westchester".
The tournament was usually played during June of each year, either the week before (in even-numbered years) or the week after (in odd-numbered years) the U.S. Open. It had its greatest attendance in 2001 when Tiger Woods participated, although two days of heavy rains disrupted play. It had one of its more exciting finishes in 2005, when Pádraig Harrington eagled the par-5 18th hole with a 65-foot putt to win the title. The most frequent winner of the tournament is Vijay Singh, with four trophies.
Beginning in 2008 it left the Westchester Country Club and began being rotated amongst different clubs in the New York metropolitan area (also detailed below).
In 2011, Hurricane Irene shortened the tournament to 54 holes, which was played that year at the Plainfield Country Club in Edison, New Jersey. The tournament ended by noontime on Saturday, August 27, allowing ample time for players and spectators to evacuate the golf course.
Since the move to late August, the tournament has traditionally closed CBS Sports' PGA Tour television schedule, due to the network's commitment to airing SEC College and NFL football, as well as (until 2014) the U.S. Open tennis tournament, during the fall months. Jim Nantz, who calls the final two rounds of the Northern Trust on television, is also the lead play-by-play announcer for the NFL on CBS.
In 2017, Chicago-based financial services company Northern Trust will take over as title sponsor, replacing Barclays, which had sponsored the tournament since 2005.
Winners
PO Indicates a win in a playoff
^ Indicates weather-shortened to 54 holes
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Main sources
Multiple winners
Five men have won the The Barclays more than once through 2016.