Southern Open

Template:Short description Template:Short description Template:Template other The Southern Open was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1970 to 2002. It was played at the Green Island Country Club in Columbus, Georgia, from 1970 to 1990 and at the Callaway Gardens Resort (Mountain View Course), Pine Mountain, Georgia, from 1991 to 2002. It was founded in 1970 as the Green Island Open Invitational but was known for most of its existence as the Southern Open. The purse for the 2002 tournament was $3,700,000, with $666,000 going to the winner.

Tournament highlights

• 1970: Mason Rudolph wins the inaugural version of the tournament. He finishes two shots ahead of Chris Blocker.
• 1971: Future World Golf Hall of Fame member Johnny Miller wins for the first time on the PGA Tour. He wins by five shots over Deane Beman.
• 1975: Hubert Green shoots a final round 64 to win by three shots over John Schroeder.
• 1978: Jerry Pate becomes the one and only winner of the tournament to successfully defend his title. He beats Phil Hancock by one shot.
• 1981: Mike Sullivan looks poised to win back to back Southern Opens till J. C. Snead defeats him on the second hole of a sudden death playoff.
• 1983: Scottish golfer Sam Torrance who had never made a cut in ten previous PGA Tour appearances, tries tuning up for the Ryder Cup matches by participating in the Southern Open. Torrance nearly wins till Ronnie Black birdies the fourth playoff hole to take home the title.
• 1986: Columbus, Georgia native and Monday qualifier Fred Wadsworth wins by two shots over George Archer, John Cook, Tim Simpson, and Jim Thorpe.
• 1990: Kenny Knox who was born in Columbus, Georgia and had lived there till he was sixteen, makes a birdie on the second playoff hole to defeat Jim Hallet.
• 1993: The tournament has its first ever five-player playoff. John Inman makes a birdie on the second extra hole to defeat Billy Andrade, Bob Estes, Brad Bryant, and Mark Brooks.
• 1996: For the second time in four years, the tournament winner is decided in a five-player playoff. Michael Bradley birdies the first hole of sudden death to beat defending champion Fred Funk, Len Mattiace, Davis Love III, and John Maginnes.
• 2001: Just like in 1981 and 1996, the defending champion loses in a playoff. This time it is David Duval who loses to Chris DiMarco on the first hole of sudden death.
• 2002: Jonathan Byrd shoots a final round 63 to win the final edition of the tournament. He beats David Toms by one shot.

Winners

Year	Winner	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up
Buick Challenge
2002	Template:Flagicon Jonathan Byrd	261	−27	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon David Toms
2001	Template:Flagicon Chris DiMarco	267	−21	Playoff	Template:Flagicon David Duval
2000	Template:Flagicon David Duval	269	−19	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Jeff Maggert Template:Flagicon Nick Price
1999	Template:Flagicon David Toms	271	−17	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon Stuart Appleby
1998	Template:Flagicon Steve Elkington (2)	267	−21	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Fred Funk
1997	Template:Flagicon Davis Love III	270	−18	4 strokes	Template:Flagicon Stewart Cink
1996	Template:Flagicon Michael Bradley	134Template:Efn	−10	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Fred Funk Template:Flagicon Davis Love III Template:Flagicon John Maginnes Template:Flagicon Len Mattiace
1995	Template:Flagicon Fred Funk	272	−16	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon John Morse Template:Flagicon Loren Roberts
Buick Southern Open
1994	Template:Flagicon Steve Elkington	200Template:Efn	−16	5 strokes	Template:Flagicon Steve Rintoul
1993	Template:Flagicon John Inman	278	−10	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Billy Andrade Template:Flagicon Mark Brooks Template:Flagicon Brad Bryant Template:Flagicon Bob Estes
1992	Template:Flagicon Gary Hallberg	206Template:Efn	−10	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Jim Gallagher Jr.
1991	Template:Flagicon David Peoples	276	−12	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Robert Gamez
1990	Template:Flagicon Kenny Knox	265	−15	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Jim Hallet
Southern Open
1989	Template:Flagicon Ted Schulz	266	−14	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Jay Haas Template:Flagicon Tim Simpson
1988	Template:Flagicon David Frost	270	−10	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Bob Tway
1987	Template:Flagicon Ken Brown	266	−14	7 strokes	Template:Flagicon David Frost Template:Flagicon Mike Hulbert Template:Flagicon Larry Mize
1986	Template:Flagicon Fred Wadsworth	269	−11	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon George Archer Template:Flagicon John Cook Template:Flagicon Tim Simpson Template:Flagicon Jim Thorpe
1985	Template:Flagicon Tim Simpson	264	−16	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Clarence Rose
1984	Template:Flagicon Hubert Green (2)	265	−15	6 strokes	Template:Flagicon Rex Caldwell Template:Flagicon Scott Hoch Template:Flagicon Corey Pavin
1983	Template:Flagicon Ronnie Black	271	−9	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Sam Torrance
1982	Template:Flagicon Bobby Clampett	266	−14	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Hale Irwin
1981	Template:Flagicon J. C. Snead	271	−9	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Mike Sullivan
1980	Template:Flagicon Mike Sullivan	269	−11	5 strokes	Template:Flagicon Dave Eichelberger Template:Flagicon Johnny Miller
1979	Template:Flagicon Ed Fiori	274	−6	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Tom Weiskopf
1978	Template:Flagicon Jerry Pate (2)	269	−11	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Phil Hancock
1977	Template:Flagicon Jerry Pate	266	−14	7 strokes	Template:Flagicon Phil Hancock Template:Flagicon Mac McLendon Template:Flagicon Johnny Miller Template:Flagicon Steve Taylor
1976	Template:Flagicon Mac McLendon	274	−6	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Hubert Green
1975	Template:Flagicon Hubert Green	264	−16	3 strokes	Template:Flagicon John Schroeder
1974	Template:Flagicon Forrest Fezler	271	−9	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Bruce Crampton Template:Flagicon J. C. Snead
1973	Template:Flagicon Gary Player	270	−10	1 stroke	Template:Flagicon Forrest Fezler
1972	Template:Flagicon DeWitt Weaver	276	−4	Playoff	Template:Flagicon Chuck Courtney
Southern Open Invitational
1971	Template:Flagicon Johnny Miller	267	−13	5 strokes	Template:Flagicon Deane Beman
Green Island Open Invitational
1970	Template:Flagicon Mason Rudolph	274	−6	2 strokes	Template:Flagicon Chris Blocker

External links

• Tournament results from 1970 to 2002 at GolfObserver.com - Click-on a year for scores and earnings of the particular year.
• 2002 Tournament preview - at GolfToday.co.uk