West Palm Beach Open Invitational

Last updated
West Palm Beach Open
Tournament information
Location West Palm Beach, Florida
Established1954
Course(s)West Palm Beach Country Club
Par71
Tour(s) PGA Tour
Format Stroke play
Prize fund US$20,000
Month playedNovember/December
Final year1972
Tournament record score
Aggregate269 Pete Cooper (1958)
To par−19 as above
Final champion
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Wilf Homenuik
Location Map
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Icona golf.svg
West Palm Beach CC
Location in the United States
USA Florida relief location map.jpg
Icona golf.svg
West Palm Beach CC
Location in Florida

The West Palm Beach Open Invitational, first played as The West Palm Beach Open, was a PGA Tour event in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was held at the West Palm Beach Country Club, [1] now known as the West Palm Beach Golf Course, an 18-hole, par-72 championship course established in 1921 and in its present location in the southwestern corner of West Palm Beach, Florida since 1947. [2]

Contents

The West Palm Beach Open was founded in 1954 as a 54-hole event with prize money of $2,000. Prize money increased to $5,000 in 1955 and $10,000 in 1956 and 1957. The 1957 event was run by the PGA. [3] From 1958 to 1962 the tournament was a 72-hole PGA Tour event with prize money of $15,000 from 1958 to 1960 and $20,000 in 1961 and 1962. From 1963 the event returned to being a local event. The 1963 tournament was over 54 holes with a first prize of $500.

Winners

YearTour [lower-alpha 1] WinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upWinner's
share ($)
Ref.
West Palm Beach Open
1972 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Wilf Homenuik Flag placeholder.svg [4]
1964–1971: No tournament
1963 Flag of the United States.svg Jim McCoy Flag placeholder.svg
West Palm Beach Open Invitational
1962 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Dave Ragan 277−11Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Doug Sanders 2,800 [5]
1961 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Gay Brewer 274−144 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Arnold Palmer 2,800 [6]
1960 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Pott 278−103 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Sam Snead 2,000 [7]
1959 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Arnold Palmer 281−7Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Gay Brewer
Flag of the United States.svg Pete Cooper
2,000 [8]
1958 PGAT Flag of the United States.svg Pete Cooper 269−19Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Wes Ellis 2,000 [9]
1957PGAT Canadian Red Ensign (1957-1965).svg Al Balding 209−71 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Dow Finsterwald
Flag of the United States.svg Bert Weaver
1,200 [10]
West Palm Beach Open
1956 Flag of the United States.svg Gardner Dickinson Flag placeholder.svg
1955 Flag of the United States.svg Al Besselink Flag placeholder.svg
1954 Flag of the United States.svg Lloyd Wadkins Flag placeholder.svg

Notes

  1. PGAT − PGA Tour.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am</span> Golf tournament in Pebble Beach, California, United States

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held annually at Pebble Beach, California, near Carmel. The tournament is usually held during the month of February on two different courses, currently Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course and previously, Monterey Peninsula Country Club.

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.

The Cognizant Classic is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in south Florida. It was founded in 1972 as Jackie Gleason's Inverrary Classic, and prior to a schedule change in 2021 was frequently the first of the Florida events in late winter following the "West Coast Swing."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valero Texas Open</span> American golf tournament

The Texas Open, known as the Valero Texas Open for sponsorship reasons, is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played near San Antonio, Texas. It dates back 102 years to 1922, when it was first called the Texas Open; San Antonio-based Valero Energy Corporation took over naming rights in 2002. It is played at The Oaks Course at the TPC San Antonio, northeast of the city. The Valero Energy Foundation is the host organization for the Valero Texas Open.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Ford (golfer)</span> American professional golfer

Douglas Michael Ford Sr. was an American professional golfer and two-time major golf champion. Ford turned professional in 1949, later going on to win the 1955 PGA Championship and the 1957 Masters Tournament. He was also a member of four Ryder Cup teams and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011.

<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 98 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 86 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">Sanderson Farms Championship</span> Golf tournament

The Sanderson Farms Championship is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played annually in Mississippi. It moved to the Country Club of Jackson in Jackson in autumn 2014, early in the 2015 season.

The Wyndham Championship is a professional golf tournament in North Carolina on the PGA Tour. It is played annually in Greensboro and was originally the Greater Greensboro Open.

Edward Joseph Furgol was an American professional golfer, the winner of the U.S. Open in 1954.

Richard Bernice "Pete" Cooper was an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1940s and 1950s; he was best known for winning the 1976 PGA Seniors' Championship.

The Cleveland Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It was played from 1963 to 1972 at a various courses in the greater Cleveland, Ohio area.

The Azalea Open Invitational was a golf tournament in North Carolina on the PGA Tour, held at Cape Fear Country Club in Wilmington. Last played in November 1971 as an unofficial event; it was an official PGA Tour event in 1945 and from 1949 through 1970. The Heritage in South Carolina debuted in 1969 and soon displaced it on the schedule.

The 500 Festival Open Invitation was a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played during the 1960s in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was sponsored by The 500 Festival, a not-for-profit volunteer organization created in 1957 to organize civic events to promote the Indianapolis 500.

The Goodall Palm Beach Robin Robin was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1938 to 1957. It was also known as the Goodall Robin Robin and the Palm Beach Robin Robin. The sponsors were the Goodall Company and its subsidiary, the Palm Beach Clothing Co. The purse for the tournament was $5,000, with $1,000 going to the winner, from 1938 to 1941, increased to $10,000/$2,000 in 1946, and increased again to $15,000/$3,000 in 1949. Sam Snead won the event five times including both the first and last events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puerto Rico Open</span> Golf tournament

The Puerto Rico Open is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour that was first played in 2008. It is the only PGA Tour event ever held in Puerto Rico. The tournament is played at the Coco Beach Golf Course which was designed by Tom Kite. From its inception through 2015, it was played in early March as an alternate event to the WGC-Cadillac Championship, but in 2016 it moved to late March, opposite the WGC-Dell Match Play. All four rounds are broadcast on the Golf Channel.

The Panama Open was a golf tournament played from 1938 to 1982, during which time it was won by some of the biggest names in professional golf, including Sam Snead and Arnold Palmer. It was an event on the PGA-sponsored Caribbean Tour between 1958 and 1974. Following the demise of the Caribbean Tour the tournament was not played for several years, until there was a brief revival between 1979 and 1982.

The Triangle Round Robin was a golf tournament on the LPGA Tour from 1953 to 1962. It was played at several different courses on the East Coast of the United States.

The Maracaibo Open Invitational was a golf tournament in Venezuela played from 1960 to 1974. It was part of the Caribbean Tour. The event was played at Maracaibo Country Club in Maracaibo, Venezuela. In the 1970s the event was sponsored by Ford.

References

  1. "Tournament history from Arnold Palmer's official site" . Retrieved 2007-11-22.
  2. "West Palm Beach Golf Course" . Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  3. Husky, Bob (15 September 1957). "Off the fairway". The Palm Beach Post. West Palm Beach, Florida. p. 26. Retrieved 11 May 2020 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "Golf Canada Hall of Fame: Wilf Homenuik" . Retrieved May 12, 2020.
  5. "Ragan Wins In Playoff Against Doug Sanders". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Sarasota, Florida. AP. December 3, 1962. p. 19.
  6. "Gay Brewer in Tourney Win on 274". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. AP. December 4, 1961. p. 9.
  7. "Pott Takes Pot As Sam Blows Up". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Daytona Beach, Florida. AP. December 5, 1960. p. 12.
  8. "Palmer Wins Palm Beach on Play-Off". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. AP. November 30, 1959. p. 12.
  9. "Cooper Wins At WPB In Playoff". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Daytona Beach, Florida. AP. November 24, 1958. p. 10.
  10. "Balding Gets Win At WPB With 209". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Daytona Beach, Florida. AP. November 25, 1957. p. 6.