West Palm Beach Open Invitational
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]
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 $500.
Winners[]
- this list is incomplete
West Palm Beach Open
- 1972 Wilf Homenuik[4]
- 1963
Year | Player | Country | Score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up | Winner's share ($) |
Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
West Palm Beach Open Invitational | ||||||||
1962 | Dave Ragan | ![]() |
277 | −11 | Playoff | ![]() |
2,800 | [5] |
1961 | Gay Brewer | ![]() |
274 | −14 | 4 strokes | ![]() |
2,800 | [6] |
1960 | Johnny Pott | ![]() |
278 | −10 | 3 strokes | ![]() |
2,000 | [7] |
1959 | Arnold Palmer | ![]() |
281 | −7 | Playoff | ![]() ![]() |
2,000 | [8] |
1958 | Pete Cooper | ![]() |
269 | −19 | Playoff | ![]() |
2,000 | [9] |
1957 | Al Balding | ![]() |
209 | −7 | 1 stroke | ![]() ![]() |
1,200 | [10] |
West Palm Beach Open
- 1956 Gardner Dickinson
- 1955 Al Besselink
- 1954
References[]
- ^ "Tournament history from Arnold Palmer's official site". Retrieved 2007-11-22.
- ^ "West Palm Beach Golf Course". Retrieved May 12, 2020.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Golf Canada Hall of Fame: Wilf Homenuik". Retrieved May 12, 2020.
- ^ "Ragan Wins In Playoff Against Doug Sanders". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Sarasota, Florida. AP. December 3, 1962. p. 19.
- ^ "Gay Brewer in Tourney Win on 274". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. AP. December 4, 1961. p. 9.
- ^ "Pott Takes Pot As Sam Blows Up". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Daytona Beach, Florida. AP. December 5, 1960. p. 12.
- ^ "Palmer Wins Palm Beach on Play-Off". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. AP. November 30, 1959. p. 12.
- ^ "Cooper Wins At WPB In Playoff". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Daytona Beach, Florida. AP. November 24, 1958. p. 10.
- ^ "Balding Gets Win At WPB With 209". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Daytona Beach, Florida. AP. November 25, 1957. p. 6.
- Former PGA Tour events
- Golf in Florida
- Sports in Palm Beach County, Florida
- West Palm Beach, Florida
- American golf tournament stubs
- Florida sport stubs