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 $500.
Winners
- this list is incomplete
West Palm Beach Open
- 1972 Wilf Homenuik[4]
- 1963 Jim McCoy
| Year | Player | Country | Score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up | Winner's share ($) |
Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Palm Beach Open Invitational | ||||||||
| 1962 | Dave Ragan |  United States |
277 | −11 | Playoff |  Doug Sanders |
2,800 | [5] |
| 1961 | Gay Brewer | United States |
274 | −14 | 4 strokes | Arnold Palmer |
2,800 | [6] |
| 1960 | Johnny Pott | United States |
278 | −10 | 3 strokes | Sam Snead |
2,000 | [7] |
| 1959 | Arnold Palmer | United States |
281 | −7 | Playoff | Gay Brewer Pete Cooper |
2,000 | [8] |
| 1958 | Pete Cooper | United States |
269 | −19 | Playoff | Wes Ellis |
2,000 | [9] |
| 1957 | Al Balding |  Canada |
209 | −7 | 1 stroke | Dow Finsterwald Bert Weaver |
1,200 | [10] |
West Palm Beach Open
- 1956 Gardner Dickinson
- 1955 Al Besselink
- 1954 Lloyd Wadkins
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.
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