LVI trophy unique

Monday, Oct. 20, 1997 | 4:20 a.m.

Prior to the 1995 tournament, Las Vegas Invitational officials and Tiffany & Co. teamed to craft a new sterling silver trophy, which has been awarded to each of the past two LVI champions, Jim Furyk and Tiger Woods.

Unique to the LVI, the trophy contains elements reflecting the rich heritage of the state of Nevada. Its primary components are a seven-inch replica of a Carson City silver dollar, complete with serrated edges, and a stylized sterling silver impression of the state mounted on the face of an ebonized wood base.

The trophy marks the latest evolution of the prize awarded to the LVI champion since the inaugural tournament in 1983, said Bob Cole, who was the LVI chairman when the trophy was commissioned. The first trophy was a brass replica of a slot machine, which was succeeded by a Waterford crystal bowl.

"We wanted to create something that was more representative of Nevada in general and Las Vegas specifically," Cole said.

The oversized silver dollar replicates coins minted in Carson City during the late 1800s and which were the "coin of the realm" in Nevada for many years, Cole said. The impression of Nevada is engraved with the LVI's trademark "starball" logo, and a star marks the geographic location of Las Vegas.

The LVI trophy is one in a long line of sporting awards Tiffany & Co. has created since the 1840s. The illustrious roster includes the Vince Lombardi Trophy, presented to every Super Bowl champion since 1967, the National Basketball Association's Larry O'Brien championship trophy, and trophies presented to champions of the U.S. Open tennis tournament and thoroughbred racing's Belmont Stakes.

Tiffany also created all the silver medals presented at the 1980 Olympic Games and the back-to-back World Series rings awarded to baseball's Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and 1993.

In addition to the LVI, Tiffany also has created trophies for such PGA Tour events as the Buick Open, the GTE Byron Nelson Classic, the Nissan Los Angeles Open and Shell Houston Open, and trophies for several LPGA and Senior PGA Tour tournaments.

The Tiffany trophy will be presented to the 1997 LVI champion -- along with the $324,000 first-place check -- following the fifth and final round of play on Sunday at the Tournament Players Club at Summerlin.