The Greater Milwaukee Open was a regular
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various Golf club, clubs to hit a Golf ball, ball into a series of holes on a golf course, course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standa ...
tournament in
Wisconsin
Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
on the
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour (stylized as PGA TOUR by its officials) is the organizer of professional golf tours in North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship annual series of tournaments also known as the PGA Tour, the PGA Tour Champion ...
. For 42 years, it was played annually in the
Milwaukee
Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...
area, the final sixteen editions in the north suburb of
Brown Deer at the
Brown Deer Park Golf Course.
U.S. Bancorp was the main sponsor of the tournament in its final years and the last purse in
2009
2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
was
$4 million, with a winner's share of $720,000. The event was run by Milwaukee Golf Charities, Inc., with proceeds going to a variety of Wisconsin charities.
History
The tournament debuted in
1968
Events January–February
* January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously.
* January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...
as the Greater Milwaukee Open (or GMO),
competing against the
British Open by offering a $200,000 purse (second highest on the Tour) with a $40,000 first prize.
Lee Trevino
Lee Buck Trevino (born December 1, 1939) is an American retired professional golfer who is regarded as one of the greatest players in golf history. He was inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1981. Trevino won six major championships and ...
, the recent
U.S. Open winner, chose to play in the more lucrative GMO instead of the
1968 British Open.
Art Wall Jr.
Arthur Jonathan Wall Jr. (November 25, 1923 – October 31, 2001) was an American professional golfer, best known for winning the Masters Tournament in 1959.
Early life and amateur career
Wall was born and raised in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. He ...
, the champion, won in
1975
It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe.
Events
January
* January 1 – Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...
at age 51 for his first tour win in
nine years,
his fourteenth and final win on the tour. Wall was one stroke ahead of 27-year-old runner-up
Gary McCord, later a noted golf commentator, but winless in his career on the PGA Tour.
In 2004,
U.S. Bank
U.S. Bancorp (stylized as us bancorp) is an American multinational financial services firm headquartered in Minneapolis, Minneapolis, Minnesota and incorporated in Delaware. It is the List of largest banks in the United States, 5th-largest ban ...
signed on as title sponsor. In July 2006, U.S. Bank and Milwaukee Golf Charities Inc. announced that U.S. Bank will remain the sponsor for at least three more years.
The tournament was played at four courses in the Milwaukee area:
It was nationally televised beginning in 1989, and
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer. He is tied for first in List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins, PGA Tour wins, ranks second in List of men's major championships winning golfers, men's m ...
made his professional debut in
1996
1996 was designated as:
* International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
Events January
* January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
at Brown Deer with a 67 on August 29,
four days after winning his third consecutive
U.S. Amateur
The United States Amateur Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Amateur, is the leading annual golf tournament in the United States for amateur golfers. It is organized by the United States Golf Association and is currently held each August ov ...
title in Oregon.
At age 20, he made the cut and tied for 60th place, earning a modest $2,544.
The event ended when U.S. Bank announced that it would not renew its sponsorship after the 2009 event. Secondary sponsor
Aurora Health Care also announced that it would substantially cut back on its financial involvement. Before U.S. Bank's sponsorship, the tournament survived thanks to the help of late philanthropist Jane Pettit. Its slot on the PGA Tour schedule against the
British Open, along with low attendance and TV ratings, were reasons cited by U.S. Bank for pulling out of the event. The Greater Milwaukee Charities organization has closed its offices and has shut down.
Tournament highlights
* 1968:
Dave Stockton
David Knapp Stockton (born November 2, 1941) is an American retired professional golfer who has won tournaments on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.
Stockton was born in San Bernardino, California. He attended the University of Souther ...
wins the first Greater Milwaukee Open despite twice striking spectators with his drives in the final round. He beats
Sam Snead
Samuel Jackson Snead (; May 27, 1912 – May 23, 2002) was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for the better part of four decades (having won PGA of America and Senior PGA Tour events over six decades) an ...
by four shots.
* 1969:
Ken Still shoots a final round 65 to beat
Gary Player
Gary James Player (born 1 November 1935) is a South African retired professional golfer who is widely considered to be one of the greatest golfers of all time. During his career, Player won nine major championships on the regular tour and nine ...
by two strokes. The win all but clinches Still a spot on the
Ryder Cup team.
* 1970:
Deane Beman makes the most of his withdrawal from the
Open Championship
The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later th ...
to play in Milwaukee instead. He beats
Don Massengale,
Ted Hayes, and
Richard Crawford by three shots.
* 1974:
Ed Sneed is the tournament's first wire-to-wire winner. He beats
Grier Jones by 4 shots.
* 1975: 51-year-old
Art Wall Jr.
Arthur Jonathan Wall Jr. (November 25, 1923 – October 31, 2001) was an American professional golfer, best known for winning the Masters Tournament in 1959.
Early life and amateur career
Wall was born and raised in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. He ...
beats
Gary McCord by one shot.
* 1978:
Lee Elder
Robert Lee Elder (July 14, 1934 – November 28, 2021) was an American professional golfer. In 1975, he became the first black golfer to play in the Masters Tournament, where he missed the cut. Elder was invited to the tournament after he won th ...
defeats
Lee Trevino
Lee Buck Trevino (born December 1, 1939) is an American retired professional golfer who is regarded as one of the greatest players in golf history. He was inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1981. Trevino won six major championships and ...
on the 8th hole of a sudden death playoff.
* 1979: Black golfer
Calvin Peete, who did not take up golf until he was 23 years old, wins for the first time on the PGA Tour. He shoots a final round 65 to beat
Jim Simons, Lee Trevino, and
Victor Regalado by five shots.
* 1982: Calvin Peete wins at Milwaukee and on the PGA Tour for the second time and in almost carbon copy fashion from his 1979 win. He finishes two strokes ahead of Victor Regalado who was also runner-up in 1979.
* 1985:
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus (; born January 21, 1940), nicknamed "the Golden Bear", is an American retired professional golfer and List of golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus, golf course designer. He is widely considered to be one of the greate ...
competes in Milwaukee for the first time as a professional. He finishes second, three strokes behind winner
Jim Thorpe
James Francis Thorpe (; May 22 or 28, 1887March 28, 1953) was an American athlete who won Olympic gold medals and played professional American football, football, baseball, and basketball. A citizen of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe was ...
.
* 1986:
Corey Pavin wins in Milwaukee for the first time. He birdies the 4th hole of a sudden death playoff to defeat
Dave Barr.
* 1989:
Greg Norman
Gregory John Norman (born 10 February 1955) is an Australian former professional golfer who spent 331 weeks as List of World Number One male golfers, world number one in the 1980s and 1990s. He won 88 professional tournaments, including 20 PGA ...
competes in Milwaukee for the first time. He beats
Andy Bean by 3 shots.
* 1993:
Billy Mayfair
William Fred Mayfair (born August 6, 1966) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour Champions. He was previously a member of the PGA Tour, where he won five times, including at the 1995 Tour Championship.
Early years and am ...
holes a 20-foot
chip shot on the fourth hole of a three-way sudden death playoff to defeat
Mark Calcavecchia and earn his first PGA Tour title.
Ted Schulz had dropped out on the first playoff hole after making bogey.
* 1996:
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods (born December 30, 1975) is an American professional golfer. He is tied for first in List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins, PGA Tour wins, ranks second in List of men's major championships winning golfers, men's m ...
makes his professional debut at the age of 20 four days after winning his third consecutive
U.S. Amateur
The United States Amateur Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Amateur, is the leading annual golf tournament in the United States for amateur golfers. It is organized by the United States Golf Association and is currently held each August ov ...
title.
He shoots -7 for the tournament (67-69-73-68), including his first-ever hole-in-one as a professional on the 14th hole during his final round, to finish tied for 60th and earn $2,544.
* 1997:
Loren Roberts attempt to become the first Greater Milwaukee Open champion to defend his title is foiled when
Scott Hoch
Scott Mabon Hoch ( ; born November 24, 1955) is an American professional golfer, who represented his country in the Ryder Cup in 1997 and 2002.
Early life
Hoch was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. While attending Needham B. Broughton High Scho ...
sinks a 60-foot chip shot for eagle on the 72nd hole to beat Roberts and
David Sutherland by one shot.
* 1999:
Carlos Franco wins for the second time in his rookie season on the PGA Tour. He beats
Tom Lehman by two shots.
* 2003:
Kenny Perry
James Kenneth Perry (born August 10, 1960) is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions. He won 14 PGA Tour events and has won nine PGA Tour Champions events including four senior major championships: the 2 ...
birdies the 72nd hole to win by one shot over
Stephen Allan and
Heath Slocum.
* 2006: Corey Pavin sets a 9-hole PGA Tour scoring record, 26, on his way to a first round 61. Pavin, who had first won in Milwaukee in 1986, goes on to win the tournament for a second time, beating
Jerry Kelly by two shots.
* 2009:
Bo Van Pelt wins the final edition of the tournament. He defeats
John Mallinger
John Charles Mallinger (born September 25, 1979) is an American professional golfer.
Early life
Mallinger was born in Escondido, California, and is the youngest of four children. He graduated from Escondido High School.
Amateur career
Mal ...
on the second hole of a sudden death playoff.
Bo Van Pelt wins PGA Milwaukee title playoff
/ref>
Winners
''Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.''
See also
* Other former PGA Tour events in Milwaukee
** Milwaukee Open, 1940
** Blue Ribbon Open, 1951
** Milwaukee Open Invitational, 1955–61
References
External links
Official website
PGATOUR.com Tournament website
{{coord, 43.155, N, 87.953, W, display=title
Former PGA Tour events
Golf tournaments in Wisconsin
Sports in Milwaukee
Defunct sports competitions in the United States
Recurring sporting events established in 1968
Recurring sporting events disestablished in 2009
1968 establishments in Wisconsin
2009 disestablishments in Wisconsin