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The Viking Classic is a golf tournament on the PGA Tour named for its main sponsor, Viking Range Corporation. It is played annually in September in Madison, Mississippi. The tournament is held at the Annandale Golf Club. From 1968 to 1993 it was played at the Hattiesburg Country Club in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Known as the Magnolia State Classic from 1968 through 1985 with notable winners including Roger Maltbie, Craig Stadler, and Payne Stewart, the tournament was re-named the Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic in 1986. In the past, this tournament was generally played opposite of a major or limited field tournament; today, it is part of the Fall Series, a group of events held after The Tour Championship. In either case, the leading players in men's professional golf rarely participate. Until 1994, it was played opposite The Masters and then opposite the British Open in the mid-90s. More recently, it played opposite various World Golf Championships and The Tour Championship; since 2007, it has generally played opposite the major team events involving PGA Tour players, namely the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.
It has been an official money PGA Tour event since 1994. Prior to that, it was a satellite event with the money counting but the wins counting as unofficial.
Since 2007, it has been part of the Fall Series. Because the FedEx Cup season championship is already determined by that time, elite players generally pass on Fall Series events; most players in the tournament are trying to either make the Top 125 on the money list and retain their tour cards, or earn a quick two-year exemption by winning. The 2007 event was played in the same week as the Presidents Cup; most of the top Tour players played in that event instead of the Viking Classic. The situation was similar in 2008, with the tournament being scheduled opposite the Ryder Cup. The 2009 purse was due to be $3,700,000, with $666,000 going to the winner. That year's event was also to be the first in the tournament's recent history to be the sole event on the PGA Tour schedule for that week, as it had been moved to the end of October with a scheduled finish on November 1. However, the tournament was cancelled on October 31, due to unplayable conditions at the Annandale Golf Club. The event was not rescheduled. The 2010 event will again be held opposite the Ryder Cup.
Known as the Magnolia State Classic from 1968 through 1985 with notable winners including Roger Maltbie, Craig Stadler, and Payne Stewart, the tournament was re-named the Deposit Guaranty Golf Classic in 1986. In the past, this tournament was generally played opposite of a major or limited field tournament; today, it is part of the Fall Series, a group of events held after The Tour Championship. In either case, the leading players in men's professional golf rarely participate. Until 1994, it was played opposite The Masters and then opposite the British Open in the mid-90s. More recently, it played opposite various World Golf Championships and The Tour Championship; since 2007, it has generally played opposite the major team events involving PGA Tour players, namely the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.
It has been an official money PGA Tour event since 1994. Prior to that, it was a satellite event with the money counting but the wins counting as unofficial.
Since 2007, it has been part of the Fall Series. Because the FedEx Cup season championship is already determined by that time, elite players generally pass on Fall Series events; most players in the tournament are trying to either make the Top 125 on the money list and retain their tour cards, or earn a quick two-year exemption by winning. The 2007 event was played in the same week as the Presidents Cup; most of the top Tour players played in that event instead of the Viking Classic. The situation was similar in 2008, with the tournament being scheduled opposite the Ryder Cup. The 2009 purse was due to be $3,700,000, with $666,000 going to the winner. That year's event was also to be the first in the tournament's recent history to be the sole event on the PGA Tour schedule for that week, as it had been moved to the end of October with a scheduled finish on November 1. However, the tournament was cancelled on October 31, due to unplayable conditions at the Annandale Golf Club. The event was not rescheduled. The 2010 event will again be held opposite the Ryder Cup.