9 HOURS 
Tournament History
History of the Regions Charity Classic presented by Bruno’s Supermarkets
A dream and an act of faith led Joseph S. Bruno to invest his family's $600 savings to begin a humble grocery business. He opened his first 20' x 40' corner store more than 65 years ago. This first store barely held 1,500 items. Compare this to today's Bruno's Supercenter covering 53,000 square feet and carrying more than 50,000 items.
As the company enjoyed tremendous success, the Bruno family felt compelled to demonstrate yet another valued family principle. They wanted to continue to give back to the community contributing to their company's success. It was from this principle the Bruno’s Memorial Classic was born.
Angelo Bruno and his son, Ronald, combined their business skills and connections with their love for golf in 1991 to bring a major Champions Tour event (formerly called SENIOR PGA TOUR) to the Birmingham area. This event was to provide first-class golf entertainment while raising substantial monies for Alabama charities.
The Bruno's Memorial Classic was named in memory of Angelo and Lee Bruno who were tragically killed in a plane crash just days after the tournament's official announcement. Angelo and Lee Bruno have been Honorary Chairmen in Memoriam since the inaugural event in 1992.
In 2005, Regions Financial Corporation signed on as the title sponsor, and Bruno's Supermarkets continued its support of the event as the presenting sponsor. The tournament then became the Regions Charity Classic presented by Bruno’s Supermarkets. Also in 2005, the tournament announced a venue change. The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Ross Bridge became the new home for this Birmingham-Hoover Champions Tour event in 2006. The golf course, part of the spectacular Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, is the third longest course in the world.
At the first tournament in 1992, George Archer was the winner after opening with a 66, three behind Jack Keifer, then adding a second-round 68 before struggling to a final-round 74. The rains cooled the August heat that year, but in 1993 there was no relief. Bob Murphy was cool enough to shoot 69/67/67 - 203 - for his first Champions Tour victory.
Jim Dent prevailed in 1994 with a 201, while Graham Marsh won his first Champions Tour event the following year, carding a 63 in the first round and finishing with a 201 total.
In 1996 John Bland, John Paul Cain and Kermit Zarley tied at 208 during a rainy final round. The sun emerged during the playoff, and after two dramatic extra holes, Bland won the $157,000 top prize anticlimactically with a bogey putt on the 18th hole.
For once in 1997, Hale Irwin didn't win. Instead, he led cheers for someone else. Irwin, winner at that time of four tournaments on the Champions Tour, including the previous two, couldn't come up with a third at the Regions Charity Classic presented by Bruno’s Supermarkets. It was Irwin's final-round playing partner Jay Sigel who walked away with the victory, and it was Irwin who applauded as he joined Sigel's victory march down the 18th fairway.
In 1998, Hubert Green, who, along with golf architect Bob Cupp, helped design Greystone Golf & Country Club's Founder's Course (the first venue of the Regions Charity Classic), played his final six holes in six-under-par and won his first-ever Champions Tour title in his old hometown. Green's bogey-free, final-round 64 gave him a 54-hole total of 13-under-par and edged Hale Irwin by a stroke.
In 1999, Larry Nelson became the second straight Alabama native to win the Regions Charity Classic presented by Bruno’s Supermarkets. He wasted no time getting started on Sunday of tournament week. Nelson birdied the first two holes to take the lead and never looked back. His closing round of 4-under-par 68 was enough to hold off Dana Quigley, who shot a closing round 6-under 66, by one stroke.
2000's champion, John Jacobs, shot a final-round 64, including an eagle-3 at 18, and then beat Gil Morgan on the first sudden-death playoff hole to win the Ninth Annual Regions Charity Classic presented by Bruno’s Supermarkets. Jacobs parred the first playoff hole, then par-5 18th, while Morgan shot a final-round 3-under 69 and bogeyed the playoff hole after his second shot landed in the water.
In 2001, Hale Irwin put three rounds of 7 under par 65 together to win his first Regions Charity Classic presented by Bruno’s Supermarkets trophy with a score of -21.
Sammy Rachels birdied the second playoff hole to win the 2002 Regions Charity Classic presented by Bruno’s Supermarkets over Dana Quigley. The playoff was the third in the history of the event and the second in the last three years. Rachels and Quigley finished regulation at 15 under and Rachels became the 11th different winner in the tournament’s 11-year history.
In 2003, Tom Jenkins shot a 5-under-par 67 with competitors Bruce Fleisher and Hale Irwin three strokes behind him. The Regions Charity Classic presented by Bruno’s Supermarkets became his fourth win on the Champions Tour in just five years.
Bruce Fleisher had a 7-stroke victory in 2004 which became the largest winning margin in tournament history. Fleisher sealed the win that morning of the final round with a 4-stroke lead and 3 consecutive birdies on holes 13-15.
In 2005, D.A. Weibring completed a controversial 4-inch putt and shot a 3 under 69 Sunday to finish at 15 under, 201. It became Weibring’s third win on the Champions Tour and the 14th different winner in 14 years.
In 2006, the tournament changed venues to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Ross Bridge (also in Hoover, AL), and the record remained as Brad Bryant became the 15th different winner of the Regions Charity Classic. An eagle on 16 pushed Bryant past second-round leader Mark McNulty to capture his second title of the 2006 season with a -17 under par.
Brad Bryant defended his title in 2007 becoming the first multiple winner in the tournament's 16-year history. In a playoff on No. 18, Bryant defeated R.W. Eaks with a birdie on the third playoff hole.
Thanks to Regions and the continued commitment of Bruno’s Supermarkets, the tradition of annual charitable giving will grow for many years to come. Tremendous community support, the leadership of Ronald Bruno, an extremely dedicated staff and more than 1,200 volunteers are vital components in making this tournament a success each year. The Classic celebrates its 17th year in 2008 and is apporaching $10 million donated to Alabama charities.