The Thunderbird Invitational was a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played from 1952 to 1959 in Rancho Mirage, California.

[2][3][4] Held in late January at Thunderbird Country Club, the tournament's purse was a modest $15,000; it was the direct predecessor of the Desert Classic, which began in 1960.

[5][6] Arnold Palmer, 29, was the event's final champion in 1959;[1][4] he won the next year at the first edition of the "Palm Springs Desert Classic," which had a $100,000 purse and a winner's share of 12,000, his largest tour check to date.

[7] Ken Venturi, 26, won the 1958 event and was awarded a $1,500 check and a $4,500 automobile.

Dutch Harrison won the best-ball while Jim Ferrier and Cary Middlecoff had the best professional scores.