Fiji Open

The Fiji Open is a professional golf tournament played in Fiji. It was inaugurated in 1970 as a 54-hole stroke play tournament sponsored by Air New Zealand. ^[1] During the first event there were 40 players. ^[2] It has been a 72-hole tournament since the second edition in 1971. ^[1] In 1973, a full-field of 162 players entered the tournament. ^[2] As of 1976, it was the second of five events "South Pacific circuit." ^[3]

Since 2015, the winner and the leading Fijian have been rewarded with entry into the Fiji International. ^{[4] [5]}

Winners

• 1970 Bruce Rafferty
• 1971 Frank Molloy
• 1972 Simon Owen
• 1973 Paul Shadlock ^[6]
• 1974 Bob Tuohy ^[7]
• 1975 Frank Phillips ^{[8] [9]}
• 1976 Barry Vivian
• 1977 George Serhan ^[10]
• 1978 Bill Brask ^[11]
• 1979 Peter Creighton (a) ^[12]
• 1980 Stuart Reese
• 1981 Alex Bonnington ^[13]
• 1982 Richard Coombes
• 1983 Stuart Reese ^[14]
• 1984 Mike Harwood ^[15]
• 1985 Greg Turner ^[16]
• 1986 Ian Stanley ^{[17] [15]}
• 1987 Brett Officer ^{[18] [19]}
• 1988 Jeff Woodland ^[20]
• 1989 Max Stevens
• 1990 Jason Deep ^[21]
• 1991 Rob Willis ^[22]
• 1992 Darren Barnes ^[23]
• 1993 Jeff Wagner ^[24]
• 1994 Neil Kerry ^{[24] [25]}
• 1995 Steven Alker
• 1996 Elliot Boult
• 1997 Tony Christie
• 1998 Mukesh Chand
• 1999 Neil Kerry ^[25]
• 2000 No tournament
• 2001 Neil Kerry ^[25]
• 2002 Salesh Chand
• 2003 Tony Christie
• 2004 Ryan Haywood
• 2005 Marika Batibasaga (a)
• 2006 Marika Batibasaga (a)
• 2007 Tony Christie ^[26]
• 2008 Brad Shilton ^[26]
• 2009 Matthew Griffin ^[27]
• 2010 Michael Hendry ^[27]
• 2011 Nick Gillespie ^[28]
• 2012 Ryan Fox ^[29]
• 2013 Ryan Fox ^[30]
• 2014 Matt Ballard ^[31]
• 2015 Ed Steadman ^[32]
• 2016 Gareth Paddison ^[33]
• 2017 Kieran Muir ^[4]
• 2018 Sam Lee ^[34]
• 2019 Sam Lee ^[35]

Source (1970–2008): ^[1]

References

1. "Vodafone Fiji Open 2009" – via Yumpu.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
2. "Down the Fairways". Sydney Morning Herald. 29 July 1973. p. 60. Retrieved 14 February 2021– via Google News Archive.
3. "New Zealand report". The Honolulu Advertiser. 30 December 1976. p. 27. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
4. "Muir and Lee book Fiji International starts". Fiji International. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
5. "Fiji Open Championship serves as golfer's first qualifying round". The Fiji Times. 25 April 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
6. "Sports corner | Golf". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 7 August 1973. p. 16. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Google News Archive.
7. "Fiji Open to Tuohy". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 6 August 1974. p. 13. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Google News Archive.
8. "Last hole open win for Frank Phillips". The Age. 5 August 1975. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
9. "AIR NZ OPEN". The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 August 1975. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
10. "World sport briefs". Papua New Guinea Post-Courier. AAP. 2 August 1977. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Trove.
11. "Sporting details | Golf". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 8 August 1978. p. 33. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Google News Archive.
12. "Amateur wins the Fiji Open" . The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 7 August 1979. p. 30. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Newspapers.com.
13. Grant, Trevor (19 October 1981). "Kiwi beats McCully charge to win PGA" . The Age. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. p. 30. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Newspapers.com.
14. "Sport summary | Golf". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 2 August 1983. p. 27. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Google News Archive.
15. "The main contenders" . The Age. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 12 February 1990. p. 2. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Newspapers.com.
16. "Golf". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 7 August 1985. p. 52. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Google News Archive.
17. "Stanley takes Fiji Open after playoff". The Age. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 4 August 1986. p. 37. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Google News Archive.
18. "Fiji Open to Officer" . The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 4 August 1987. p. 44. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Newspapers.com.
19. "Fiji Open to Officer". The Sydney Morning Herald. 4 August 1987. p. 45. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
20. "Sport summary | Golf". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 2 August 1988. p. 39. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Google News Archive.
21. "Australian Jason Deep..." . The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 7 August 1990. p. 48. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Newspapers.com.
22. "Willis unlikely Fiji hero" . The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 11 August 1991. p. 44. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Newspapers.com.
23. "Willis unlikely Fiji hero" . The Age. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 27 July 1992. p. 32. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Newspapers.com.
24. "Taking on the world" . The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 1 October 1995. p. 42. Retrieved 25 June 2020– via Newspapers.com.
25. Ratuva, Anasilini (6 June 2013). "Fiji Open Tourney Tees Off Today". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
26. "Shilton Wins Fiji Open". Fiji Sun. 16 June 2008. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
27. "Hotshot Hend looks fabulous for Fiji". Racing Post. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
28. "Maiden win for rookie golf pro Nick Gillespie". Stuff. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
29. "Golf: Ryan Fox claims Fiji Open". New Zealand Herald. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
30. "Fox Defends Fiji Open". Fiji Sun. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
31. "Ballard Delighted". Fiji Sun. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
32. "Steadman, Tuivuna In". Fiji Sun. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
33. "Paddison Wins Fiji Open". Fiji Sun. 19 June 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
34. "A First! Lee Wins Fiji Open". Fiji Sun. 11 June 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
35. "Fiji Open: Sam Lee Retains Title". Fiji Sun. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2020.