Lucky International Open

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Lucky International Open
Tournament information
LocationSan Francisco, California
Established1961
Course(s)Harding Park Golf Club
Par71
Length6,677 yards (6,105 m)[1]
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatStroke play – 72 holes
Month playedOctober (1969)
November (1968)
January (1961–66)
Final year1969
Tournament record score
Aggregate269 Billy Casper (1968)[2]
269 Steve Spray (1969)
To par−15 as above
Final champion
United States Steve Spray
San Francisco is located in the United States
San Francisco
San Francisco
Location in the United States
San Francisco is located in California
San Francisco
San Francisco
Location in California

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.

Following surgery on his hands the previous summer, San Francisco native Ken Venturi won his 14th and final PGA Tour event here in January 1966, taking the first prize of $8,500 with his parents in the gallery.[3][4][5] The deteriorating conditions and antiquated facilities at Harding Park caused the PGA Tour to leave at the end of the decade.

The final edition in 1969 was played in late October without the Lucky name and had a winner's share of $20,000. Steve Spray gained his only tour victory, one stroke ahead of runner-up Chi-Chi Rodríguez,[6][7] the playoff winner in January 1964.[8]

For its first six years, it was played in late January, the week after the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach. Not played in 1967, it was held in mid-autumn in 1968 and 1969.

Of the eight winners, six were major champions; five already and George Archer (1965) won his at the 1969 Masters.

Winners[]

Year Player Country Score To par Margin
of victory		 Runner(s)-up Winner's
share ($)		 Ref
San Francisco Open Invitational
1969 Steve Spray  United States 269 −15 1 stroke United States Chi-Chi Rodríguez 20,000 [6][7]
Lucky International Open
1968 Billy Casper  United States 269 −15 4 strokes United States Raymond Floyd
United States Don Massengale		 20,000 [2]
1967 No tournament
1966 Ken Venturi  United States 273 −11 1 stroke United States Frank Beard 8,500 [3][4]
1965 George Archer  United States 278 −6 Playoff New Zealand Bob Charles 8,500 [9]
1964 Chi-Chi Rodríguez  United States 272 −12 Playoff United States Don January 7,500 [8]
1963 Jack Burke Jr.  United States 276 −8 3 strokes United States Don January 9,000 [10]
1962 Gene Littler  United States 274 −10 2 strokes Canada George Knudson 9,000 [11]
1961 Gary Player  South Africa 272 −12 2 strokes United States George Bayer
United States Don Whitt		 9,000 [12]

References[]

  1. ^ "George Archer shoots 67 to expand S.F. Open lead". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. October 25, 1969. p. 12.
  2. ^ a b "Casper strikes it Lucky with 66". St. Petersburg Times. Florida. Associated Press. November 4, 1968. p. 5C.
  3. ^ a b "Venturi fires 5 under 66 to capture 'Lucky' by one". Milwaukee Sentinel. UPI. February 1, 1966. p. 2, part 2.
  4. ^ a b "Venturi's 273 wins Lucky golf title". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. February 1, 1966. p. 1, section 3.
  5. ^ Kroichick, Ron (October 3, 2005). "The Amex at Harding Park". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-11-07.
  6. ^ a b "Persevering Spray finally lands purse". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. October 27, 1969. p. 35.
  7. ^ a b "Steve Spray's only birdie delivers SF Open victory". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. October 27, 1969. p. 13.
  8. ^ a b "Rodriguez wins Lucky golf playoff". Pittsburgh Press. UPI. January 28, 1964. p. 28.
  9. ^ "Archer captures Lucky tourney". Wilmington Morning Star. (North Carolina). UPI. February 1, 1965. p. 9.
  10. ^ "Burke's San Francisco win his first since July 1961". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (Associated Press). January 28, 1963. p. 3B.
  11. ^ "Rally by Littler brings title". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (Associated Press). January 29, 1962. p. 2B.
  12. ^ "Player captures Bay Area tourney". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). (Associated Press). January 30, 1961. p. 3B.

Coordinates: 37°43′26″N 122°29′35″W / 37.724°N 122.493°W / 37.724; -122.493

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