The 1969 PGA Tour was the 54th season of the PGA Tour, the main professional golf tour in the United States. It was also the first season since separating from the PGA of America.
PGA of America separation The 1969 season is generally regarded as the first season of an independent PGA Tour. The tour began to break off from the PGA of America in August 1968. The players formed a Tournament Players Division within the PGA of America, "a freestanding corporation run by a 10-member tournament policy board of four players, three PGA executives and three consulting businessmen."
Schedule The following table lists official events during the 1969 season.
DateTournamentLocationPurse(US$)WinnerNotes Jan 12 Los Angeles Open California 100,000 Charlie Sifford (2) Jan 12 Alameda County Open California 50,000 Dick Lotz (1) New tournamentAlternate event Jan 20 Kaiser International Open Invitational California 67,500 Miller Barber (4) Jan 27 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am California 125,000 George Archer (6) Pro-Am Feb 2 Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational California 150,000 Jack Nicklaus (28) Feb 9 Bob Hope Desert Classic California 100,000 Billy Casper (41) Pro-Am Feb 16 Phoenix Open Invitational Arizona 100,000 Gene Littler (21) Feb 23 Tucson Open Invitational Arizona 100,000 Lee Trevino (3) Mar 2 Doral Open Invitational Florida 150,000 Tom Shaw (1) Mar 9 Florida Citrus Open Invitational Florida 115,000 Ken Still (1) Mar 18 Monsanto Open Invitational Florida 100,000 Jim Colbert (1) Mar 23 Greater Jacksonville Open Florida 100,000 Raymond Floyd (3) Mar 30 National Airlines Open Invitational Florida 200,000 Bunky Henry (1) New tournament Apr 6 Greater Greensboro Open North Carolina 160,000 Gene Littler (22) Apr 13 Masters Tournament Georgia 100,000 George Archer (7) Major championship Apr 14 Magnolia Classic Mississippi 20,000 Larry Mowry (n/a) Second Tour Apr 20 Tournament of Champions California 150,000 Gary Player (12) Winners-only event Apr 20 Azalea Open Invitational North Carolina 25,000 Dale Douglass (1) Alternate event Apr 20 Tallahassee Open Invitational Florida 25,000 Chuck Courtney (2) New tournamentAlternate event Apr 27 Byron Nelson Golf Classic Texas 100,000 Bruce Devlin (4) May 4 Greater New Orleans Open Invitational Louisiana 100,000 Larry Hinson (1) May 11 Texas Open Invitational Texas 100,000 Deane Beman (1) May 18 Colonial National Invitation Texas 125,000 Gardner Dickinson (6) Invitational May 25 Atlanta Classic Georgia 115,000 Bert Yancey (5) Jun 1 Memphis Open Invitational Tennessee 150,000 Dave Hill (5) Jun 8 Western Open Illinois 130,000 Billy Casper (42) Jun 15 U.S. Open Texas 205,000 Orville Moody (1) Major championship Jun 22 Kemper Open North Carolina 150,000 Dale Douglass (2) Jun 29 Cleveland Open Invitational Ohio 110,000 Charles Coody (2) Jul 6 Buick Open Invitational Michigan 125,000 Dave Hill (6) Jul 12 The Open Championship England £30,000 Tony Jacklin (2) Major championship Jul 13 Minnesota Golf Classic Minnesota 100,000 Frank Beard (7) Alternate event Jul 20 IVB-Philadelphia Golf Classic Pennsylvania 150,000 Dave Hill (7) Jul 27 American Golf Classic Ohio 125,000 Raymond Floyd (4) Aug 3 Westchester Classic New York 250,000 Frank Beard (8) Aug 10 Greater Milwaukee Open Wisconsin 100,000 Ken Still (2) Aug 17 PGA Championship Ohio 175,000 Raymond Floyd (5) Major championship Aug 17 Indian Ridge Hospital Open Invitational Massachusetts 37,000 Monty Kaser (1) New tournamentAlternate event Aug 24 AVCO Golf Classic Massachusetts 150,000 Tom Shaw (2) New tournament Sep 2 Greater Hartford Open Invitational Connecticut 100,000 Bob Lunn (3) Sep 7 Michigan Golf Classic Michigan 100,000 Larry Ziegler (1) New tournament Sep 28 Alcan Open Oregon 275,000 Billy Casper (43) New to PGA Tour Sep 28 Robinson Open Golf Classic Illinois 75,000 Bob Goalby (9) Alternate event Oct 19 Sahara Invitational Nevada 100,000 Jack Nicklaus (29) Oct 26 San Francisco Open Invitational California 100,000 Steve Spray (1) Nov 3 Kaiser International Open Invitational California 140,000 Jack Nicklaus (30) Nov 9 Hawaiian Open Hawaii 125,000 Bruce Crampton (7) Nov 30 Heritage Golf Classic South Carolina 100,000 Arnold Palmer (55) New tournamentInvitational Dec 7 Danny Thomas-Diplomat Classic Florida 125,000 Arnold Palmer (56) New tournament Dec 7 West End Classic Bahamas 25,000 Jim Wiechers (1) Alternate event
Unofficial events The following events were sanctioned by the PGA Tour, but did not carry official money, nor were wins official.
DateTournamentLocationPurse($)Winner(s)NotesSep 20Ryder CupEnglandn/aTie ( Team USA retain)Team eventOct 5World CupSingapore6,300 Orville Moody and Lee TrevinoTeam eventWorld Cup Individual Trophy Lee Trevino
Money list The money list was based on prize money won during the season, calculated in U.S. dollars.
Position Player Prize money ($)1 Frank Beard 175,2232 Dave Hill 156,4323 Jack Nicklaus 140,1674 Gary Player 123,8975 Bruce Crampton 118,9556 Gene Littler 112,7377 Lee Trevino 112,4178 Raymond Floyd 109,9569 Arnold Palmer 105,12810 Billy Casper 104,689
Awards AwardWinner PGA Player of the Year Orville Moody Scoring leader (Vardon Trophy) Dave Hill
Notes
References
External links