The Chicago Open was a golf tournament played in the Chicago area. A Chicago District Open was first held in 1914. From 1926 to 1928 it became a national event. It was held again from 1937 to 1941, although there was no event in 1939. The Hale America National Open Golf Tournament was held in Chicago in 1942 and the Chicago Victory Open was played from 1943 to 1948. It was revived again as the Gleneagles-Chicago Open Invitational in 1958 and 1959.

LaSalle Bank Chicago Open
Tournament information
LocationChicago, Illinois
Established1914
Course(s)Gleneagles Country Club
Par70
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fundUS$57,000
Month playedJune
Final year2001
Tournament record score
Aggregate266 Bobby Locke (1948)
To par−18 as above
Final champion
United States Don Berry
Location map
Gleneagles CC is located in the United States
Gleneagles CC
Gleneagles CC
Location in the United States
Gleneagles CC is located in Illinois
Gleneagles CC
Gleneagles CC
Location in Illinois

History

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The 1937 event was played at Medinah Country Club, Medinah, Illinois from July 23 to 25 and was won by Gene Sarazen with a score of 290.[1] Two courses, numbers 1 and 2, were used for the opening two rounds with the final 36 holes played on the number 3 course.

The 1938 event was played at Olympia Fields Country Club, Olympia Fields, Illinois from July 22 to 24 and was won by Sam Snead with a score of 207, a stroke ahead of Ralph Guldahl.[2] Two courses, numbers 1 and 4, were used for the opening two rounds. Heavy rain affected play on the opening day and the scores were canceled, reducing the event to 54 holes with a cut after 18 holes. The final 36 holes were played on the number 4 course.

The 1940 event was played at Tam O'Shanter Country Club, Niles, Illinois from July 19 to 21 and was won by Dick Metz with a score of 278.[3] Amateur Jim Ferrier led after the first round with a 66, while Johnny Revolta led after two rounds on 136. Revolta had round 74 and 69 on the final day while Metz scored 69 and 70. Ben Hogan had a final round 66 to tie Revolta for second place.

The 1941 events was played at Elmhurst Country Club, Addison, Illinois from July 18 to 20. Ben Hogan led by three strokes form Dick Metz at the half-way stage after rounds of 66 and 70. Hogan scored two rounds of 69 on the final day and won by two strokes from Craig Wood, who had two rounds of 67. Metz finished in third place.[4]

The event was revived as Gleneagles-Chicago Open Invitational after the World Championship of Golf was canceled. It was played at Gleneagles Country Club in Lemont, Illinois in 1958 and 1959. The top prize money was $9,000. Ken Venturi won both events.[5]

Winners

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Year Tour[a] Winner Score To par Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-up Winner's
share ($)
Ref.
LaSalle Bank Chicago Open
2001   Don Berry  
2000   Luke Donald (a) 205 −8 6 strokes  
1999   Bob Ackerman  
1998   Scott Hebert  
1960–1997: No tournament
Gleneagles-Chicago Open Invitational
1959 PGAT   Ken Venturi (2) 273 −7 1 stroke   Johnny Pott 9,000 [6]
1958 PGAT   Ken Venturi 272 −8 1 stroke   Julius Boros
  Jack Burke Jr.
9,000 [7]
1949–1957: No tournament
Chicago Victory National Open
1948 PGAT   Bobby Locke 266 −18 16 strokes   Ellsworth Vines 2,000 [8]
1947 PGAT   Ben Hogan (2) 270 −14 4 strokes   Sam Snead 2,000 [9]
1946 PGAT   Byron Nelson (2) 279 −5 2 strokes   Jug McSpaden 2,000 [10]
1945 PGAT   Byron Nelson 275 −13 7 strokes   Ky Laffoon
  Jug McSpaden
2,000 [11]
1944 PGAT   Jug McSpaden 273 −11 Playoff   Ben Hogan 3,000 [12][13]
1943 PGAT   Sam Byrd 277 −7 5 strokes   Craig Wood 1,000 [14]
1942: No tournament
Chicago Open
1941 PGAT   Ben Hogan 274 −10 2 strokes   Craig Wood 1,200 [4]
1940 PGAT   Dick Metz 278 −10 1 stroke   Ben Hogan
  Johnny Revolta
1,500 [3]
1939: No tournament
1938 PGAT   Sam Snead 207 −3 1 stroke   Ralph Guldahl 1,500 [2]
1937 PGAT   Gene Sarazen 290 +7 1 stroke   Harry Cooper
  Ky Laffoon
  Horton Smith
3,000 [1]
1929–1936: No tournament
Chicago Open Championship
1928 PGAT   Abe Espinosa 283 −5 1 stroke   Frank Walsh 500 [15]
1927 PGAT   Johnny Farrell 285 +1 2 strokes   Al Espinosa 1,000 [16]
1926 PGAT   Macdonald Smith 277 −3 1 stroke   Eddie Loos 1,000 [17]

A Chicago District Open Championship was held in some years between 1914 and 1925. Winners include:

Notes

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  1. ^ PGAT − PGA Tour.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Gene Sarazen Winner in Chicago Open Golf". The Montreal Gazette. July 26, 1937. p. 16.
  2. ^ a b "Sam Snead is Victor At Chicago With 207". The Montreal Gazette. July 25, 1938. p. 13.
  3. ^ a b "Dick Metz Wins Chicago's Open". The Spokesman Review. July 22, 1940. p. 9.
  4. ^ a b "Hogan Beats Wood For Chicago Open". The Montreal Gazette. July 21, 1941. p. 13.
  5. ^ "Gleneagles Country Club history". Archived from the original on 2012-07-13. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
  6. ^ "Venturi's 66 claims Open". The Spokesman Review. June 29, 1959. p. 10.
  7. ^ "Venturi Captures Open With Blade". The Spokesman Review. August 5, 1958. p. 15.
  8. ^ "Sub-Par Golf Wins for Locke". The Spokesman Review. June 21, 1948. p. 8.
  9. ^ "14-Under Par Wins For Hogan". The Spokesman Review. June 30, 1947. p. 9.
  10. ^ "By Nelson Rockets to Win Victory Golf; Mangrum Blows". The Spokesman Review. July 22, 1946. p. 7.
  11. ^ "Lord Byron Wins War Bond Swag". The Spokesman Review. July 2, 1945. p. 3.
  12. ^ "McSpaden Shoots Way Into Sensational Tie". The Spokesman Review. July 3, 1944. p. 3.
  13. ^ "Jug McSpaden Beats Ben Hogan in Play-off". The Spokesman Review. July 4, 1944. p. 9.
  14. ^ "Byrd Wins Victory Golf". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. August 22, 1943. p. 16.
  15. ^ "Wins Golf Title on Last Green". The Spokesman Review. August 2, 1928. p. 17.
  16. ^ "Farrell Wins Another Title". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 15, 1927. p. 17.
  17. ^ "Macdonald Smith Wins Chicago Open With 277". Star Tribune. September 2, 1926. p. 18.
  18. ^ "Espinosa Golf Winner". Herald & Review. September 19, 1925. p. 13.
  19. ^ "Chicago Open is revived again, this time at Cantigny – Len Ziehm on Golf". October 2013.