The Ampol Tournament was the richest golf event of its time in Australia. From 1952 the sponsor, Ampol, offered great prize money to attract the leading American and European players to compete.
Total prize money was initially A£1,000, rising to A£1,300 in 1951. In 1952 and 1954, two tournaments were arranged a few weeks apart. Prize money was A£3,500 for each of the 1952 events while each of the 1954 events had prize money of A£1,500. The A£10,000 in 1956 was the biggest purse outside the United States. Prize money was A£2,500 in 1953 and 1955 and A£3,000 in 1957 and 1959. Prize money often exceeded the advertised figures since part of the proceeds from gate receipts was sometimes added.
The 1959 tournament was played the week before the 1959 Canada Cup.
Winners Year Winner Country Venue Score Marginof victory Runner(s)-up Winner'sshare (A£) Ref 1947 Ossie Pickworth The Australian Golf Club 294 1 stroke Billy Bolger 300 1948 (Apr) Ossie Pickworth (2) Huntingdale Golf Club 300 2 strokes Reg Want 250 1948 (Nov) Ossie Pickworth (3) The Lakes Golf Club 293 5 strokes Kel Nagle 250 1949 Ossie Pickworth (4) Woodlands Golf Club 277 10 strokes Eric Cremin 250 1950 Alex Murray Glenelg Golf Club 283 3 strokes Eric Cremin 250 1951 Ossie Pickworth (5) The Brisbane Golf Club 276 8 strokes Eric Cremin 350 1952 (Oct) Norman Von Nida The Lakes Golf Club 288 Playoff Ed Oliver 625 1952 (Nov) Lloyd Mangrum Yarra Yarra Golf Club 281 1 stroke Peter Thomson 625 1953 Ossie Pickworth (6) The Lakes Golf Club 288 3 strokes Len Woodward 600 1954 (Oct) Dutch Harrison The Lakes Golf Club 292 1 stroke Ossie Pickworth 375 1954 (Nov) Peter Thomson Yarra Yarra Golf Club 282 6 strokes Kel Nagle Ossie Pickworth 375 1955 Eric Cremin The Lakes Golf Club 285 7 strokes Ossie Pickworth 1,000 1956 Gary Player Yarra Yarra Golf Club 280 6 strokes Bo Wininger 5,000 1957 Gary Player (2) The Australian Golf Club 281 2 strokes Dave Thomas 800 1958 No tournament 1959 Kel NagleGary Player (3) The Australian Golf Club 212 Tie Shared title Shared 800and 400
In October 1952 Von Nida beat Oliver 72 to 77 in the 18-hole playoff. In November 1954 the first round was played at Huntingdale Golf Club. The 1959 event was over 54 holes. Ampol sponsored a 36-hole tournament in 1958 with total prize money of A£500. This event was won by an amateur, Bob Stevens.
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