Greater Vancouver Open

Last updated
Air Canada Championship
Tournament information
Location Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Established1958
Course(s)Northview Golf & Country Club
(Ridge Course)
Par71
Length7,065 yards (6,460 m) [1]
Tour(s) PGA Tour
Format Stroke play
Prize fund US$3,500,000
Month playedAugust/September
Final year2002
Tournament record score
Aggregate265 Mark Calcavecchia (1997)
265 Brandel Chamblee (1998)
265 Joel Edwards (2001)
To par−19 as above
Final champion
Flag of the United States.svg Gene Sauers
Location Map
Canada relief map 2.svg
Icona golf.svg
Northview G&CC
Location in Canada
Canada British Columbia relief location map.jpg
Icona golf.svg
Northview G&CC
Location in British Columbia

The Greater Vancouver Open was a professional golf tournament in Canada on the PGA Tour, held in southwestern British Columbia from 1996 to 2002. It was played after the majors in late summer, at the Northview Golf & Country Club in Surrey, a suburb southeast of Vancouver.

Contents

History

For its first three years, it was an alternate event in late August, concurrent with the NEC World Series of Golf at Firestone in Akron, Ohio. In 1999, the new Reno-Tahoe Open became the alternate event for the WGC-NEC Invitational at Firestone. The Vancouver tournament was promoted to a regular tour event and scheduled a week later, as the Greater Milwaukee Open moved up to July. Renamed the "Air Canada Championship," sponsored by the country's leading airline, it was coupled with the Canadian Open for consecutive tournaments north of the U.S. border in early September.

Mike Weir won that year for the first of his eight tour wins; he became the first Canadian to win a PGA Tour event on home soil in 45 years. [2] [3]

The purses grew substantially during the run of the event, from $1 million to $3.5 million in six years. It was replaced on the schedule in 2003 by the Deutsche Bank Championship in Massachusetts, near Boston.

This was not the first time the PGA Tour included a stop in British Columbia on their schedule. Dow Finsterwald won the unofficial 1955 British Columbia Open Invitational, and Jim Ferree was victorious at the 1958 Vancouver Open Invitational. [4]

Winners

YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upPurse
(US$)
Winner's
share ($)
Ref.
Air Canada Championship
2002 Flag of the United States.svg Gene Sauers 269−151 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Steve Lowery 3,500,000630,000 [1]
2001 Flag of the United States.svg Joel Edwards 265−197 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Steve Lowery 3,400,000612,000 [5]
2000 Flag of South Africa.svg Rory Sabbatini 268−161 stroke Flag of New Zealand.svg Grant Waite 3,000,000540,000 [6] [7]
1999 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mike Weir 266−182 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Fred Funk 2,500,000450,000 [2] [3]
Greater Vancouver Open
1998 Flag of the United States.svg Brandel Chamblee 265−193 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Payne Stewart 2,000,000360,000 [8]
1997 Flag of the United States.svg Mark Calcavecchia 265−191 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Andrew Magee 1,500,000270,000 [9]
1996 Flag of the United States.svg Guy Boros 272−121 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Emlyn Aubrey
Flag of the United States.svg Lee Janzen
Flag of the United States.svg Taylor Smith
1,000,000180,000 [10]
1959–1995: No tournament
Vancouver Open Invitational
1958 Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Jim Ferree 270−181 stroke Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Billy Casper 42,0006,400

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGC Invitational</span> Professional golf tournament

The WGC Invitational was a professional golf tournament that was held in the United States. Established in 1999 as a successor to the World Series of Golf, it was one of three or four annual World Golf Championships (WGC) until 2021, when the number of WGC events was reduced to two.

The World Series of Golf was a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. From its inception in 1962 through 1975, it was an unofficial 36-hole event matching the winners of the four major championships. In 1976 it became an official PGA Tour event; the field expanded to 20 players and the event was lengthened to 72 holes. the victory and $100,000 winner's share went to Nicklaus. The field was increased to over 40 players in 1983, though it never exceeded 50; NEC began sponsoring the event in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Lema</span> American professional golfer

Anthony David Lema was an American professional golfer who rose to fame in the mid-1960s and won a major title, the 1964 Open Championship at the Old Course at St Andrews in Scotland. He died two years later at age 32 in an aircraft accident near Chicago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles Open</span> Golf tournament held in Los Angeles, California, US

The Genesis Invitational is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in southern California, first played 97 years ago in 1926 as the Los Angeles Open. Other previous names include Genesis Open, Northern Trust Open and Nissan Open. Played annually in February at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, it is often the concluding event of the tour's "West Coast Swing" early in the calendar year, before the tour moves east to Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zurich Classic of New Orleans</span> Golf tournament held in New Orleans, Louisiana, US

The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is a professional golf tournament in Louisiana on the PGA Tour, currently held at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, a suburb southwest of New Orleans. Beginning 85 years ago in 1938 and held annually since 1958, it is commonly played in early to mid-spring. Zurich Insurance Group is the main sponsor, and it is organized by the Fore!Kids Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sony Open in Hawaii</span> Golf tournament in Hawaii, United States

The Sony Open in Hawaii is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, and is part of the tour's FedEx Cup Series. It has been contested at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii, since the event's modern-day inception as the Hawaiian Open in November 1965.

The Milwaukee Open was a professional golf tournament in Wisconsin on the PGA Tour, played only in 1940. It was held August 2–4 at North Hills Country Club in Menomenee Falls, northwest of Milwaukee. Three-time major winner Ralph Guldahl shot a final round 67 (−4) to win the event at 268 (−16), two shots ahead of runner-up Ed Oliver. It was his first victory in sixteen months, since the Masters in 1939. The purse was $5,000 with a winner's share of $1,200.

Don Bies is an American professional golfer who has won tournaments on the PGA Tour, the Senior PGA Tour, and in the Pacific Northwest Section of the PGA of America.

The Lucky International Open was a PGA Tour event in the 1960s in San Francisco, California. It was played at Harding Park Golf Club, a public course across Lake Merced from the more glamorous Olympic Club. One of the founders and sponsors of the Lucky International Open was Eugene Selvage, owner of the Lucky Lager Brewing Company.

The Cajun Classic Open Invitational was a golf tournament in Louisiana on the PGA Tour in the late 1950s and 1960s, played at the Oakbourne Country Club in Lafayette, usually in late November. It debuted as the Lafayette Open Invitational in 1958, and in many years was the last tournament on the PGA Tour schedule, which attracted players fighting for position on the money list.

The 1960 PGA Championship was the 42nd PGA Championship, played July 21–24 at the South Course of Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Jay Hebert won his only major championship, one stroke ahead of runner-up Jim Ferrier, the 1947 champion. Only one player broke par in the final round; Wes Ellis shot 69 (−1) and finished in sixth place. Hebert's younger brother Lionel won the title in 1957, the last PGA Championship contested in match play format.

The 1975 PGA Championship was the 57th PGA Championship, played August 7–10 at the South Course of Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Jack Nicklaus, an Ohio native, won the fourth of his five PGA Championships and the fourteenth of his eighteen major titles, two strokes ahead of runner-up Bruce Crampton. He was also the 54-hole leader, four strokes ahead of Crampton.

The Seattle Open Invitational was a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in the northwest United States, in the greater Seattle area. It was played eight times over three decades under five names at three locations.

The Portland Open Invitational was a professional golf tournament in the northwest United States on the PGA Tour, played in Portland, Oregon. Established by Robert A. Hudson with a $10,000 purse in 1944, it was played from 1944 to 1948 and again from 1959 to 1966. The event was hosted eight times at the Portland Golf Club, and four times at the Columbia Edgewater Country Club. First played as the Portland Open, the revived 1959 event played as the Portland Centennial Open Invitational, in honor of Oregon's centennial of statehood.

The 2002 WGC-NEC Invitational was a professional golf tournament, held August 22–25 at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Washington. It was the fourth WGC-NEC Invitational tournament, and the second of four World Golf Championships events held in 2002. It was the only time the event was not held at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Sahalee hosted the PGA Championship four years earlier in 1998.

The TaylorMade Golf Pebble Beach Invitational is a non-tour professional golf tournament. The event debuted in 1972. The 2019 purse was $300,000 with $60,000 going to the individual winner. There is also a team competition. Professionals from the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions, and Korn Ferry Tour all compete against each other. Tee placements vary for each tour, based on average driving distances. The event takes place in November of each year.

The 2006 Players Championship was a golf tournament in Florida on the PGA Tour, held March 23–26 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, southeast of Jacksonville. It was the 33rd Players Championship.

The 2000 Players Championship was a golf tournament in Florida on the PGA Tour, held March 23–27 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, southeast of Jacksonville. It was the 27th Players Championship.

The 1975 Tournament Players Championship was a golf tournament in Texas on the PGA Tour, held August 21–24 at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth. This was the second Tournament Players Championship; Al Geiberger led wire-to-wire and finished three strokes ahead of runner-up Dave Stockton. Defending champion Jack Nicklaus opened with 67 but finished seventeen strokes behind, tied for eighteenth.

The 1977 Tournament Players Championship was a golf tournament in Florida on the PGA Tour, held March 17–20 at Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, southeast of Jacksonville. The fourth Tournament Players Championship, it was the first of five consecutive at Sawgrass, which had agreed a multi-year with the PGA Tour in 1976.

References

  1. 1 2 "Golf: PGA Tour at Surrey, British Columbia". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). September 2, 2002. p. 6E.
  2. 1 2 "Oh Canada! Weir wins". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). wire services. September 6, 1999. p. C2.
  3. 1 2 "Eagle lifts Weir to Air Canada title". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). wire services. September 6, 1999. p. 32.
  4. "Air Canada Championships 2001-Event Preview". Archived from the original on 2014-07-19. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
  5. "Golf: PGA Tour". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). September 3, 2001. p. 4E.
  6. "PGA". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. September 4, 2000. p. C2.
  7. "Air Canada Championship". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. September 4, 2000. p. C7.
  8. "Greater Vancouver Open". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. August 31, 1998. p. C7.
  9. "Golf: Greater Vancouver Open". Wilmington Morning Star. (North Carolina). August 25, 1997. p. 8B.
  10. "Golf: Greater Vancouver Open". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). August 26, 1996. p. 6B.

49°07′30″N122°45′54″W / 49.125°N 122.765°W / 49.125; -122.765