Page 66 - 2018 Western Amateur Commemerative Program—Skokie Ridge Country Club

WGA_Program_2018_V5__ 6/28/2018 3:43 PM Page 64

1972 WESTERN OPEN AT SUNSET RIDGE

PGA TOUR’s first visit to North Shore in 44 years

By SRCC Members Wally Patterson as the 5th Major and one of the premier noted stars who would go on to claim
and Paul Kissane golf tournaments in the United States. Wetsern Open titles include Tiger
Until 1961, the tournament rotated Woods (’97, ’99, ’03, ’07, ’09), Tom
Sunset Ridge Country Club was the
through mostly Midwest courses in Watson (’74, ’77, ’84,) Nick Price (’93,
proud host of the 1972 Western Open,
Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, ’94), Tom Kite (’86), Hale Irwin (’75)
held from June 22–25.
Minnesota and Indiana. and Ben Crenshaw (’92).
The Western Open was one of the PGA
In 1961, the WGA established the
TOUR’s original tournaments and was THE AWARDING OF THE
Chicagoland area as the permanent
first played in 1899 at neighboring WESTERN OPEN TO
destination of future Western Opens.
Glen View Club. It is the third oldest SUNSET RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB
The tournament alternated between
tournament on the professional tour Prior to 1972, Chicago and its south
the area’s most prestigious clubs and
proceeded only by the British Open and western suburbs were the main
courses such as Olympia Fields (’68,
(1860) and U.S. Open (1895). Since its destination for local stops on the
’71), Beverly (’63, ’67, ’70) and
inception, the Western Open (renamed PGA TOUR. The North Shore area of
Medinah (’62,’66).
the BMW Championship in 2007) has Chicago, steeped in golf heritage and
been organized and administered by Western Open winners included golf tradition, had not hosted a PGA TOUR
the Western Golf Association (WGA) legends Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, event since the 1928 Western Open was
headquartered in nearby Golf, Illinois. Billy Casper, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Sam played at neighboring North Shore
Sneed, Ben Hogan, Tommy Armour, Country Club in Glenview.
In the early decades of the PGA TOUR,
Walter Hagen and Chick Evans. Other
the Western Open was widely regarded
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64 History of Sunset Ridge Country Club SUNSET RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB