Milwaukee Open Invitational

Milwaukee Open Invitational

Tournament information
Location	Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Established	1955
Course(s)	North Hills Country Club
Par	70
Length	6,410 yards (5,860 m)[1]
Tour(s)	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 Show map of the United States North Hills CC Location in Wisconsin Show map of Wisconsin

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.

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 / 43.068; -88.041
Tripoli Country Club	Milwaukee	4	1956–1959	43.153°N 87.967°W / 43.153; -87.967
North Hills Country Club	Menomonee Falls	2	1960–1961	43.151°N 88.077°W / 43.151; -88.077

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

References

1. "Massengale, Hawkins knotted". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. July 21, 1961. p. 2B.
2. "Aussie wins Milwaukee with 272". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. (Florida). Associated Press. July 24, 1961. p. 9.
3. "Palmer bypasses Milwaukee event". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. (Florida). Associated Press. July 19, 1961. p. 7.
4. "Nicklaus-Nicklaus set to compete in Milwaukee Open". Ocala Star-Banner. (Florida). Associated Press. September 11, 1985. p. 4C.
5. "Miller to quit Open golf meet". Milwaukee Sentinel. September 23, 1959. p. 2 part 2.
6. "Miller Open golf tourney dropped by brewery". Milwaukee Journal. September 23, 1959. p. 17, part 2.

External links

• North Hills Country Club – 1960–61 host
• Tripoli Country Club – 1956–59 host
• Blue Mound Golf and Country Club – 1955 host

43.151°N 88.077°W / 43.151; -88.077