Rahul Sharma (Editor)

Milwaukee Open Invitational

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Established
  
1955

Length
  
6,410 yards (5,861 m)

Par
  
70

Tour(s)
  
PGA Tour

Milwaukee Open Invitational

Location
  
Milwaukee metro area, Wisconsin, U.S.

Course(s)
  
North Hills Country Club (1960–1961) Tripoli Country Club (1956–1959) Blue Mound Country Club (1955)

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, which he won. The field at North Hills Country Club in Menomonee Falls did include 21-year-old Jack Nicklaus of Ohio State, already a veteran of eight majors and the reigning NCAA champion, he won his second U.S. Amateur a month later. The purse was $30,000 and Bruce Crampton won by a stroke; his winner's share was $4,300. 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).

The tournament was played at three courses in the Milwaukee area:

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

Milwaukee Open Invitational

  • 1961 Bruce Crampton
  • 1960 Ken Venturi (2)
  • Miller Open Invitational

  • 1959 Gene Littler
  • 1958 Cary Middlecoff (2)
  • Miller High Life Open

  • 1957 Ken Venturi
  • 1956 Ed Furgol
  • 1955 Cary Middlecoff
  • References

    Milwaukee Open Invitational Wikipedia