Milwaukee Open Invitational
Golf tournament formerly on the PGA Tour
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Milwaukee Open Invitational was a professional golf tournament in Wisconsin on the PGA Tour. It was played seven times from 1955 through 1961 at different courses in the Milwaukee area.
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Established | 1955 |
| Course | North Hills Country Club |
| Par | 70 |
| Length | 6,410 yards (5,860 m)[1] |
| Tour | PGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | US$30,000[2] |
| Month played | July |
| Final year | 1961 |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 264 Cary Middlecoff (1958) |
| To par | –16 as above |
| Final champion | |
 Bruce Crampton | |
| Location map | |
  North Hills CC Location in the United States  North Hills CC Location in Wisconsin | |
During its final year, Arnold Palmer skipped the tournament to prepare for the British Open,[3] which he won. The field at North Hills Country Club in Menomonee Falls did include 21-year-old Jack Nicklaus of Ohio State,[1] already a veteran of eight majors and the reigning NCAA champion, he won his second U.S. Amateur a month later.[4] The purse was $30,000 and Bruce Crampton won by a stroke; his winner's share was $4,300.[2] Nicklaus was three strokes back at 275 (−5), tied for sixth.
Two won the event twice, both at different courses: Cary Middlecoff (1955, 1958) and Ken Venturi (1957, 1960).
Miller Brewing Company was the title sponsor for the first five editions; the tournament was initiated in 1955 with a five-year agreement, part of the company's centennial celebration.[5][6]
Venues
The tournament was played at three courses in the Milwaukee area:
| Venue | City | Events | Years | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Mound Country Club | Wauwatosa | 1 | 1955 | 43.068°N 88.041°W |
| Tripoli Country Club | Milwaukee | 4 | 1956–1959 | 43.153°N 87.967°W |
| North Hills Country Club | Menomonee Falls | 2 | 1960–1961 | 43.151°N 88.077°W |
Blue Mound hosted the PGA Championship in 1933. The PGA Tour returned in 1968 with the Greater Milwaukee Open, which was played for 42 years, through 2009; it was played twice at Tripoli (1971, 1972).
Winners
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Open Invitational | |||||
| 1961 | Bruce Crampton | 272 | −8 | 1 stroke |  Gay Brewer Bob Goalby |
| 1960 | Ken Venturi (2) | 271 | −9 | 2 strokes | Billy Casper |
| Miller Open Invitational | |||||
| 1959 | Gene Littler | 265 | −15 | 1 stroke | Bob Rosburg Bo Wininger |
| 1958 | Cary Middlecoff (2) | 264 | −16 | 2 strokes | Bob Rosburg |
| Miller High Life Open | |||||
| 1957 | Ken Venturi | 267 | −13 | 5 strokes |  Al Balding Sam Snead |
| 1956 | Ed Furgol | 265 | −15 | 4 strokes | Gene Littler |
| 1955 | Cary Middlecoff | 265 | −15 | 4 strokes | Julius Boros Ted Kroll Mike Souchak |
See also
Other former PGA Tour events in Milwaukee
- Greater Milwaukee Open, 1968–2009
- Blue Ribbon Open, 1951
- Milwaukee Open, 1940