Sahara Invitational

{{short description|Golf tournament formerly on the PGA Tour}}

{{Infobox golf tournament

| name = Sahara Invitational

| image =

| location = Las Vegas, Nevada

| establishment = 1958

| course = Sahara Nevada Country Club

| par = 71

| yardage = {{convert|6800|yd|m}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9KhGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HPgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2601%2C530658 |work=The Day |location=New London, Connecticut) |agency=Associated Press |title=Sahara victory surprises Archer |date=October 4, 1976 |page=29 }}

| tour = PGA Tour

| format = Stroke play

| purse = {{currency|135,000|USD}}

| month_played = September/October

| aggregate = 269 Billy Casper (1965)

| to-par = −15 as above

| final_year = 1976

| final_champion = {{flagicon|USA}} George Archer

| map = USA#USA Nevada

| map_label = Sahara Nevada CC

| map_caption = Location in the United States##Location in Nevada

| map_relief = yes

| map_label_position =

| map_size = 230

| coordinates = {{coord|36.128|-115.125}}

}}

The Sahara Invitational was a PGA Tour event in Nevada from 1958 through 1976, played in Las Vegas and sponsored by the Sahara Hotel. In the first four years, it was the Sahara Pro-Am and an unofficial tour event. Paradise Valley Country Club hosted in 1970 and 1971, and Sahara Nevada Country Club from 1972–1976.

Jack Nicklaus won Sahara four times in a seven-year span in the 1960s, and three future major champions (Tony Lema,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sNwzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=CukDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4787%2C87160 |work=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Lema victor at Las Vegas with a 270 |date=October 1, 1962 |page=12}} Lanny Wadkins, and John Mahaffey) made Sahara their first tour victory.

A month after the 1976 event, it was announced in early November that the Sahara Invitational was being discontinued. Edward M. Nigro, vice president and general manager of Hotel Sahara, cited rising costs, scheduling conflicts, and a decline in the national promotion benefit as the reasons for the tournament's cancellation.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eNsvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=v_oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4401%2C802551 |work=Lakeland Ledger |location=(Florida) |agency=Associated Press |title=Sahara golf no more |date=November 5, 1976 |page=1B}}

The Las Vegas Founders returned the PGA Tour to Las Vegas in 1983 with the Panasonic Las Vegas Pro Celebrity Classic; since 2007, it has been organized by the Shriners Hospitals for Children.