[2] The tournament's predecessor, the National Airlines Open Invitational, ran for three seasons from 1969 through 1971), all in late March at the Country Club of Miami in Hialeah.

The Gleason tournament replaced it on the schedule a month earlier in 1972 at the Inverrary Country Club (East course) in Lauderhill and was among the richest events on tour with an inaugural purse of $260,000 and a $52,000 winner's share.

[3] Gleason hosted a popular TV variety show with many friends in the entertainment industry as well as well known on the PGA Tour in Doral stop, and eager to put his name on the new tournament.

Gleason's nine-year affiliation ended after 1980 when PGA Tour officials removed him from Tournament Players Championship promotions and focused on commercialization to provide more revenue.

In 2003, the event moved to Palm Beach Gardens, first at the Country Club at Mirasol through 2006,[10] then to the Champion Course at PGA National Resort and Spa in 2007.

[12] The event grew in attendance and charitable contributions under IMG, but the player field suffered primarily because of the schedule that was set by the PGA Tour.