Rio Pinar Country Club
The Rio Pinar Golf & Country Club is a semi-private Golf club and Country Club located in Rio Pinar, Florida, a suburb east of Orlando.
| Club information | |
|---|---|
  Location in the United States  Location in Florida | |
| Coordinates | 28.525°N 81.265°W |
| Location | Rio Pinar, Florida, U.S. |
| Established | 1957, 64 years ago |
| Type | Semi/private |
| Total holes | 18 |
| Tournaments hosted | Florida Citrus Open Lady Citrus Open |
| Designed by | Mark Mahannah (1957) Lloyd Clifton (1995) |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 7,001 yards (6,402 m) |
| Course rating | 73.9 |
| Slope rating | 130 [1] |
Established 64 years ago in 1957, the golf course was the original site of the Florida Citrus Open (now Arnold Palmer Invitational) on the PGA Tour from 1966 through 1978,[2][3] Some of golf's greatest players like Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, and Julius Boros won at Rio.
When the tournament relocated to Bay Hill in 1979, Rio Pinar was the site of the LPGA Tour's Lady Citrus Open for four years (1979–1982).
The Mark Mahannah & Lloyd Clifton-designed golf course is just the beginning at Rio Pinar! The Champions Grill or Lounge is a perfect place to unwind after your game or a perfect get-together with friends.
The fine dining room is perfect for evening intimate dinners, or the majestic banquet facilities and meeting rooms are available for weddings, parties, corporate meetings or special events are here for you at Rio Pinar.
Rio Pinar's Golf Academy offers lessons to all levels of players while the full-length driving range can let golfers practice their way to greatness. Rio Pinar has four hard court tennis courts to add an additional recreation choice whether with a partner or in one of the leagues.
Tour winners
PGA Tour
| Year | Player | Country | Score | To par | Winner's share ($) | Purse ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Citrus Open | ||||||
| 1978 | Mac McLendon |  United States | 271 | −17 | 40,000 | 200,000 |
| 1977 | Gary Koch | United States | 274 | −14 | 40,000 | 200,000 |
| 1976 | Hale Irwin | United States | 270 | −18 | 40,000 | 200,000 |
| 1975 | Lee Trevino | United States | 276 | −12 | 40,000 | 200,000 |
| 1974 | Jerry Heard (2) | United States | 273 | −15 | 30,000 | 150,000 |
| 1973 | Buddy Allin | United States | 265 | −23 | 30,000 | 150,000 |
| 1972 | Jerry Heard | United States | 276 | −12 | 30,000 | 150,000 |
| Florida Citrus Invitational | ||||||
| 1971 | Arnold Palmer | United States | 270 | −18 | 30,000 | 150,000 |
| 1970 | Bob Lunn | United States | 271 | −17 | 30,000 | 150,000 |
| Florida Citrus Open Invitational | ||||||
| 1969 | Ken Still | United States | 278 | −10 | 23,000 | 115,000 |
| 1968 | Dan Sikes | United States | 274 | −14 | 23,000 | 115,000 |
| 1967 | Julius Boros | United States | 274 | −10 | 23,000 | 115,000 |
| 1966 | Lionel Hebert | United States | 279 | −5 | 21,000 | 110,000 |
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Sources:[4][5]
LPGA Tour
| Year | Player | Country | Score | To par | Winner's share ($) | Purse ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando Lady Classic | ||||||
| 1982 | Patty Sheehan | United States | 209 | −7 | 22,500 | 150,000 |
| Florida Lady Citrus | ||||||
| 1981 | Beth Daniel | United States | 281 | −7 | 15,000 | 100,000 |
| 1980 | Donna White | United States | 283 | −9 | 15,000 | 100,000 |
| 1979 | Jane Blalock | United States | 286 | −6 | 15,000 | 100,000 |
References
- "Course Rating and Slope Database™: Rio Pinar CC". USGA. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
- "Dickinson takes lead in golf". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. March 19, 1966. p. 12.
- Lenoir, Bob (March 6, 1978). "McLendon dream pays off - $40,000". St. Petersburg Times. p. 1C.
- Arnold Palmer Invitational - Winners - at www.pgatour.com
- Arnold Palmer Invitational - Winners Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine - at www.golfobserver.com