Tournament Players Championship (Haig Whisky TPC)

This Tournament Players Championship should not be confused with the U.S. PGA Tour's Players Championship, which used the "Tournament Players Championship" name in its early years. The tournament we're writing about here was on the European Tour in the late 1970s and early 1980s. After its first two years, the tournament carried title sponsors, and its best-remembered name during those years is Haig Whisky TPC.

First played: 1977

Last played: 1984

This tournament was founded in 1977 as a replacement on the European Tour schedule for the Picadilly Medal Tournament, which was last played in 1976.

Neil Coles' win in that inaugural 1977 tournament was his second-to-last of 26 combined wins between the European Tour and the British PGA circuit that preceded it. Coles finished second by one stroke one year later.

Brian Barnes' win in 1981 was the last of his nine European Tour victories. He gained the win by beating Brian Waites in a playoff. Waites was the golfer who beat Coles by a stroke in 1978, and Waites also was runner-up by a stroke in 1979.

This tournament had no multiple champions; Waites came closest. Nick Faldo and Bernhard Langer were also championship who finished runner-up in other years.

Also known as: It was named "Tournament Players Championship" its first two years, but the remainder of its time the event had title sponsors. Its names in those years were SOS Talisman TPC, Haig Whisky TPC, and St. Mellion Timeshare TPC.

Winners of the Tournament Players Championship

1977 — Neil Coles, 288
1978 — Brian Waites, 286
1979 — Michael King, 281
1980 — Bernard Gallacher, 268
1981 — Brian Barnes, 276 (def. Brian Waites in playoff)
1982 — Nick Faldo, 270
1983 — Bernhard Langer, 269
1984 — Jaime Gonzalez, 265 (def. Mark James in playoff)

Golf courses: The tournament moved around England and Scotland a lot. It was played twice each at Foxhills in Surrey, England (first two years) and St. Mellion in Cornwall, England (last two years). It also was played at the Moor Park, Moortown, Dalmahoy and Notts golf clubs.