One hundred years provides more than several lifetimes full of highlights, some lowlights, and many memories. Here’s a look at 100 years of the Western Golf Association and the Western Open.
The first champion: Willie Smith, the head professional at Midlothian Country Club, won the first Western in 1899. For his victory he won the first prize of $50. The total purse was $150.
The first controversy: Alex Smith, Willie’s brother, led a boycott of the first Western, protesting that the $150 purse was too small. He called it “too trifling.” Alex eventually did play in the Western, winning the title in 1903.
The first dominator: Willie Anderson won the Western four times during the first decade of the century. Reportedly a heavy drinker, he died in 1910 at the age of 30.
Dueling cousins: Chandler and Walter Egan, two caddies at Onwentsia, took turns winning in the early years of the Western Amateur. Chandler won in 1902, 1904, 1905 and 1907. Walter won in 1903.
True story: In 1914, a young girl named Dorothy Ellis, having fun, raced with Chick Evans across the grounds of Midlothian Country Club. Evans sprained his ankle, which may have cost him a shot at the 1914 U.S. Open. Ellis never forgot the race. When she died in 1961, she left $65,000 to the Evans Scholars, the largest gift ever up until that time.
Ouimet triumphs: In 1916, the United States Golf Association ruled that Francis Ouimet, who captured the country’s imagination in winning the 1913 U.S. Open, was no longer an amateur because he opened a sporting goods store. The feeling was that since Ouimet would be taking money for selling golf equipment, he was a professional. Seeing no logic in that ruling, the WGA kept Ouimet classified as an amateur. He was invited to play in and won the 1917 Western Amateur.
The Western Haig: Walter Hagen not only was the most colorful player ever to play in the Western, he also was the most successful. He won the tournament a record five times and placed second four times. Notorious for high living, his one lowlight came in 1920, when he missed his tee time by hours and had to be disqualified.
Stymied: During the early part of the century, if a player’s ball was in front of you on the green, it couldn’t be marked. You either had to chip over it with a niblick or putt around it. That’s why it was called the “stymie.” The WGA saw that it was a ridiculous rule, and ordered in 1920 that balls could be lifted and marked on the green. However, the old rule was reinstated in 1922, before the WGA finally booted the stymie for good in 1936. It wasn’t until the early 1950s that the USGA finally came around and took the stymie out of the rule book.
A real shooter: In 1933 a golfer named Vincent Gebhardi entered the 1933 Western at Olympic Field. He also was known by another name, “Jack “Machine Gun” McGurn, who was one of Al Capone’s shooters during the St. Valentine’s Day massacre. The police knew Gebhardi’s real identity and arranged to arrest him on the seventh hole during the second round. He asked if he could finish his round, which he did, shall we say, firing an 86.
Three-bagger: Ralph Guldahl had a short, but highly successful hot streak. Starting in 1936 Guldahl won a record three straight Westerns. In 1938 Guldahl defeated Sam Snead to win the title. However at 28, Guldahl faded, never to regain his dominance.
Major league: “one reason why the Western was called a major,” said 1939 winner Byron Nelson, “was that we got a bonus (from equipment sponsors) for winnig the U.S. Open, the PGA and for the Western.”
Starring roles: Evans had a close relationship with notable golfers Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. Evans was among the big-name stars who appeared in 1 1949 movie short called, “Honor Caddie,” starring Crosby.
Stylish amateur: There have been few amateurs as colorful as Frank Stranahan. A workout freak with movie-star good looks, Stranahan won four Western Amateurs from 1946 to 1952. Despite winning four professional tournaments as an amateur, he didn’t turn pro until after the 1954 U.S. Amateur in Detroit.
Thrilling playoff: Imagine the 1999 Western Open if Tiger Woods and David Duval wound up in a playoff. The Western enjoyed the equivalent in 1963 when Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus were tied after 18 holes at Beverly Country Club. They also were joined by another pretty fair player, Julius Boros. Palmer prevailed, shooting a 71 in the last 18-hole playoff in the Western’s history.
Bear tracks: Nicklaus won everywhere, so it figures that he would make his mark on the Western. He won back-to-back titles in 1967 and 1968. He played his last Western in 1985.
West and farther west: The Western Open hasn’t always stayed in the Midwest. For much of its early years, it moved around the country. It was played in Houston, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Los Angeles, Portland, Ore., and San Francisco. Thanks to executive director Marshall Dann, the Western found a permanent home in the Chicago area, beginning in 1961.
Not ghostly: Billy Casper’s career often gets lost in the shadows cast by Palmer and Nicklaus. But he also was a dominant player in his day. He enjoyed the Western, winning four times.
Lightening strikes: On June 27, 1975, tragedy almost hit the Western. A bolt of lightening hit a lake, indirectly striking golfers Lee Trevino, Jerry Heard and Bobby Nichols. All three were hospitalized with burns. Heard actually returned to the tournament to finish tied for fourth.
Go away rain: The Western was plagued by floods during the 1980s. The worst occurred in 1987 when floods forced the Western to use nine holes from Oak Brook Golf Club, adjacent to Butler National. D.A. Weibring won in a tournament that was shortened to 54 holes.
Impressive debuts: The Western became the launch pad for Jim Benepe. Playing in his first tournament as a pro, he won the 1988 Western. In 1985 Scott Verplank, an amateur, outlasted Jim Thorpe to win the the title.
Foreshadowing: The Western Amateur has given golf fans a sneak peak at the future. Among its champions since 1960 were Jack Nicklaus (1961), Tom Weiskopf (1963), Lanny Wadkins (1970), Andy North (1971), Ben Crenshaw (1973), Curtis Strange (1974), Andy Bean (1975), Hal Sutton (1979-80), Phil Mickelson (1991), Justin Leonard (1992-93) and Tiger Woods (1994). Past Western Junior winners have included Gary Hallberg (1976), Jim Benepe (1982), and a kid with a funky swing, Jim Furyk (1987). There’s no way Furyk could earn any money with that swing.
Grounded: The Western Amateur also revealed that as a golfer, Michael Jordan was a good basketball player. He received an invitation to play in the 1991 Western Amateur. Jordan should have turned it down as he shot 85-81 and missed the cut by 15 strokes.
Mr. Runner-up: Greg Norman topped Hagen with five second-place finishes. However, unlike Hagen, Norman never has won the tournament. His biggest collapse came in 1991. Owning a five-shot lead on the 11th hole Sunday, Norman completely fell apart, opening the door for eventual champion Russ Cochran.
Price right: For two years, there was no beating Nick Price. In 1993 he went wire to wire to win, and then in 1994, he rallied from three shots down with five holes to play to beat Greg Kraft.
