The Greater Milwaukee Open was a regular golf tournament in Wisconsin on the PGA Tour. For 42 years, it was played annually in the Milwaukee 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 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 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, the recent U.S. Open winner, chose to play in the more lucrative GMO instead of the 1968 British Open.
Art Wall Jr., the champion, won in 1975 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 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.U.S. Bank will remain title sponsor for three more years
The tournament was played at four courses in the Milwaukee area: VenueCityEventsYearsCoordinatesNorth Shore Country Club Mequon 3 1968–1970 Tripoli Country Club Milwaukee 2 1971–1972 Tuckaway Country Club Franklin 21 1973–1993 Brown Deer Park Golf Course Brown Deer 16 1994–2009 It was nationally televised beginning in 1989, and Tiger Woods made his professional debut in 1996 at Brown Deer with a 67 on August 29, four days after winning his third consecutive U.S. Amateur 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.U.S. Bank pulls its support as golf tournament's title sponsor The Greater Milwaukee Charities organization has closed its offices and has shut down.
Tournament highlights 1968: Dave Stockton wins the first Greater Milwaukee Open despite twice striking spectators with his drives in the final round. He beats Sam Snead by four shots.Ricochet Golf Wins For Dave Stockton 1969: Ken Still shoots a final round 65 to beat Gary Player by two strokes. The win all but clinches Still a spot on the Ryder Cup team.Non-winner Ken Still wins at Milwaukee 1970: Deane Beman makes the most of his withdrawal from the Open Championship to play in Milwaukee instead. He beats Don Massengale, Ted Hayes, and Richard Crawford by three shots.Deane Beman Wins At Milwaukee Open 1974: Ed Sneed is the tournament's first wire-to-wire winner. He beats Grier Jones by 4 shots.Ed Sneed Wins At Milwaukee Open 1975: 51-year-old Art Wall Jr. beats Gary McCord by one shot.51-Year-Old Art Wall Wins Milwaukee Open 1978: Lee Elder defeats Lee Trevino on the 8th hole of a sudden death playoff.Elder beats Trevino in playoff to win Milwaukee Open 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.Calvin Peete breezes to Milwaukee Open victory 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.Calvin Peete victor at Milwaukee Open 1985: Jack Nicklaus competes in Milwaukee for the first time as a professional.Nicklaus-Nicklaus Set To Compete In Milwaukee Open He finishes second, three strokes behind winner Jim Thorpe.Thorpe bests Nicklaus 1986: Corey Pavin wins in Milwaukee for the first time. He birdies the 4th hole of a sudden death playoff to defeat Dave Barr.Pavin defeats Barr on 4th playoff hole 1989: Greg Norman competes in Milwaukee for the first time. He beats Andy Bean by 3 shots.Norman claims Milwaukee title, with late spurt 1993: Billy Mayfair 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.Mayfair avoids Milwaukee Slip Up 1996: Tiger Woods makes his professional debut at the age of 20 four days after winning his third consecutive U.S. Amateur 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 $2,544.1996 Greater Milwaukee Open Leaderboard The Golf Channel on NBC 1997: Loren Roberts attempt to become the first Greater Milwaukee Open champion to defend his title is foiled when Scott Hoch sinks a 60-foot chip shot for eagle on the 72nd hole to beat Roberts and David Sutherland by one shot.Hoch wins Milwaukee 1999: Carlos Franco wins for the second time in his rookie season on the PGA Tour. He beats Tom Lehman by two shots.Franco wins 2nd tournament in 9 weeks 2003: Kenny Perry birdies the 72nd hole to win by one shot over Stephen Allan and Heath Slocum.Perry wins Greater Milwaukee Open 2006: Corey Pavin sets a 9-hole PGA Tour scoring record, 26, on his way to a first round 61.Pavin Shoots 26 to Set PGA Tour’s 9-Hole Mark Pavin, who had first won in Milwaukee in 1986, goes on to win the tournament for a second time, beating Jerry Kelly by two shots.Pavin ends 10-year title drought in Milwaukee 2009: Bo Van Pelt wins the final edition of the tournament. He defeats John Mallinger on the second hole of a sudden death playoff.Bo Van Pelt wins PGA Milwaukee title playoff
Winners YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-upWinner'sshare ($)U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee 2009 Bo Van Pelt 267 −13 Playoff John Mallinger 720,000 2008 Richard S. Johnson 264 −16 1 stroke Ken Duke 720,000 2007 Joe Ogilvie 266 −14 4 strokes Tim Clark Tim Herron Charlie Wi 720,000 2006 Corey Pavin (2) 260 −20 2 strokes Jerry Kelly 720,000 2005 Ben Crane 260 −20 4 strokes Scott Verplank 684,000 2004 Carlos Franco (2) 267 −13 2 strokes Fred Funk Brett Quigley 630,000Greater Milwaukee Open 2003 Kenny Perry 268 −12 1 stroke Stephen Allan Heath Slocum 630,000 2002 Jeff Sluman (2) 261 −23 4 strokes Tim Herron Steve Lowery 558,000 2001 Shigeki Maruyama 266 −18 Playoff Charles Howell III 558,000 2000 Loren Roberts (2) 260 −24 8 strokes Franklin Langham 450,000 1999 Carlos Franco 264 −20 2 strokes Tom Lehman 414,000 1998 Jeff Sluman 265 −19 1 stroke Steve Stricker 324,000 1997 Scott Hoch (2) 268 −16 1 stroke Loren Roberts David Sutherland 234,000 1996 Loren Roberts 265 −19 Playoff Jerry Kelly 216,000 1995 Scott Hoch 269 −15 3 strokes Marco Dawson 180,000 1994 Mike Springer 268 −16 1 stroke Loren Roberts 180,000 1993 Billy Mayfair 270 −18 Playoff Mark Calcavecchia Ted Schulz 180,000 1992 Richard Zokol 269 −19 2 strokes Dick Mast 180,000 1991 Mark Brooks 270 −18 1 stroke Robert Gamez 180,000 1990 Jim Gallagher Jr. 271 −17 Playoff Ed Dougherty Billy Mayfair 162,000 1989 Greg Norman 269 −19 3 strokes Andy Bean 144,000 1988 Ken Green 268 −20 6 strokes Mark Calcavecchia Jim Gallagher Jr. Donnie Hammond Dan Pohl 126,000 1987 Gary Hallberg 269 −19 2 strokes Wayne Levi Robert Wrenn 108,000 1986 Corey Pavin 272 −16 Playoff Dave Barr 72,000 1985 Jim Thorpe 274 −14 3 strokes Jack Nicklaus 54,000 1984 Mark O'Meara 272 −16 5 strokes Tom Watson 54,000 1983 Morris Hatalsky 275 −13 Playoff George Cadle 45,000 1982 Calvin Peete (2) 274 −14 2 strokes Victor Regalado 45,000 1981 Jay Haas 274 −14 3 strokes Chi-Chi Rodríguez 45,000 1980 Billy Kratzert 266 −22 4 strokes Howard Twitty 36,000 1979 Calvin Peete 269 −19 5 strokes Victor Regalado Jim Simons Lee Trevino 36,000 1978 Lee Elder 275 −13 Playoff Lee Trevino 30,000 1977 Dave Eichelberger (2) 278 −10 2 strokes Morris Hatalsky Gary McCord Mike Morley 26,000 1976 Dave Hill 270 −18 3 strokes John Jacobs 26,000 1975 Art Wall Jr. 271 −17 1 stroke Gary McCord 26,000 1974 Ed Sneed 276 −12 4 strokes Grier Jones 26,000 1973 Dave Stockton (2) 276 −12 1 stroke Homero Blancas Hubert Green 26,000 1972 Jim Colbert 271 −13 1 stroke Buddy Allin Chuck Courtney George Johnson Grier Jones 25,000 1971 Dave Eichelberger 270 −14 1 stroke Ralph Johnston Bob Shaw 25,000 1970 Deane Beman 276 −12 3 strokes Richard Crawford Ted Hayes Jr. Don Massengale 22,000 1969 Ken Still 277 −11 2 strokes Gary Player 20,000 1968 Dave Stockton 275 −13 4 strokes Sam Snead 40,000 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