Jim Colbert’s effort to bring the PGA Tour back to Las Vegas was a coordinated, local-driven push led by the Las Vegas Founders Club, a group of influential business and community leaders who Colbert recruited.
In 1983, the group helped return the PGA Tour to Las Vegas when Las Vegas PGA Tour player Jim Colbert, Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2004, brought together business leaders Chuck Ruthe, James Cashman, Tom Hartley, Dick Etter and others to form the Las Vegas Founders Club.. The Founders Club stepped in to provide financial backing, organizational structure, and a clear mission to restore the PGA Tour to Las Vegas.
Colbert’s role in that revival was tied to credibility and timing. He was an established and respected PGA Tour professional, and his consistent presence in Las Vegas during that period helped reinforce that the event was once again worth playing.
His involvement signaled to fellow players that the tournament was regaining stability under the Founders Club’s leadership. That mattered in an era when player commitment was essential to keeping an event alive.
The Founders Club was responsible for bringing the first million dollar purse in PGA Tour history to Las Vegas. Many people say the exposure from the nationally televised professional golf tournaments was one of the key reasons for the growth of more than 40 new golf courses in Las Vegas.
The Founders Club provided the structure and financial commitment, while Colbert helped reinforce confidence in the event among players and stakeholders. Together, their contributions ensured that professional golf did not fade from Las Vegas, but instead found a path forward during a critical period.
Colbert and the Founders Club are a key contributor to the golf history of Las Vegas. The also helped raise millions for worthy charities throughout Southern Nevada.