North Coast Open

The North Coast Open was a professional golf tournament in Australia from 1951 to 1975.[1]

History edit

It was always held at Coffs Harbour Golf Club in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales.[1][2] It was a PGA Tour of Australia event from 1973 to 1975.[1]

The name "North Coast Open" was not used until the 1953 championship, the first two events being referred to as Coffs Harbour Golf Club £200 Professional Purse.[3] Initially the event was played over 36 holes, increasing to 54 holes in 1959, and 72 holes in 1962.

The 1974 event was the largest with 188 players; 119 professionals and 69 amateurs. It also had its highest hitherto purse at $A8,000.[4]

Winners edit

YearWinnerCountryScoreTo parMargin
of victory
Runner(s)-upRef
North Coast Open
1975Vaughan Somers  Australia279−92 strokes Noel Ratcliffe[5]
1974Allan Cooper  Australia278−105 strokes Rob McNaughton[6]
1973Stewart Ginn  Australia279−95 strokes Tom Linskey[7]
1972Terry Kendall  New Zealand282−61 stroke Bill Dunk[8]
1971Bill Dunk  Australia269−1910 strokes Randall Vines[9]
1970Bill Dunk  Australia212−45 strokes Peter Harvey
Randall Vines
[10]
1969Tony Mangan  Australia291+33 strokes David Graham[11]
1968Vic Bennetts  Australia283−52 strokes Les Wilson[12]
1967Bill Dunk  Australia288E5 strokes Bob Swinbourne[13]
1966Bill Dunk  Australia276−121 stroke Col Johnston[14]
1965Norman Von Nida  Australia284−2Playoff Jack Donald[15]
1964Ron Howell  United States278−101 stroke Bill Dunk[16]
1963Alan Murray  Australia278−104 strokes Col Johnston[17]
1962Frank Phillips  Australia272−168 strokes Stan Peach[18]
1961Len Woodward  Australia211−52 strokes Stan Leonard[19]
North Coast Open Championship and Ampol Purse
1960Frank Phillips  Australia211−51 stroke Peter Thomson[20]
1959John Sullivan  Australia212+21 stroke Frank Phillips
Les Wilson
[21]
1958Bruce Crampton  Australia138−22 strokes Eric Cremin
Frank Phillips
Darrell Welch
[22]
1957Gary Player  South Africa135−51 stroke Eric Cremin[23]
1956Gary Player  South Africa136−4Playoff Norm Berwick[24]
North Coast Open Championship
1955Kel Nagle  Australia1386 strokes Eric Cremin
Jim McInnes
[25]
1954Kel Nagle  Australia1364 strokes Frank Phillips[26][27]
1953Allan Myers  Australia1351 stroke Eric Cremin[3]
Coffs Harbour Professional Purse
1952Kel Nagle  Australia1411 stroke Jim McInnes[28]
1951Kel Nagle  Australia1345 strokes Eric Cremin[29][30]

The 1970 event was reduced to 54 holes by bad weather. In 1956 Player beat Berwick in a playoff for the championship but they were tied when determining the prize money.

Source:[1]

Multiple winners edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d 2006 Media Guide. PGA Tour of Australasia. p. 168.
  2. ^ "North Coast Championship for Coffs Harbour". Coffs Harbour Advocate. 16 January 1953. p. 10 – via Trove.
  3. ^ a b "North Coast Open Golf Championship Won by Young Bexley Professional". Coffs Harbour Advocate. New South Wales, Australia. 22 September 1953. p. 1. Retrieved 11 February 2020 – via Trove.
  4. ^ "Open Field a Record". Bananacoast Opinion. Coffs Harbour, NSW. 3 October 1974. p. 1. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Somers' 69 settles it". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 October 1975. p. 16.
  6. ^ "Golf 'old head' in youth's fling". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 October 1974. p. 22.
  7. ^ "Ginn charges past a 'shaky' Godfrey". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 October 1973. p. 14.
  8. ^ "Kendall's coast golf 66 beats Dunk". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 October 1972. p. 22.
  9. ^ "Dunk 'hot' in 19 under Open win". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 October 1971. p. 16.
  10. ^ "Dunks 51st record". The Age. 23 November 1970. p. 25.
  11. ^ "Mangan pulls off 100-1 Open". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 November 1969. p. 13.
  12. ^ "Bennetts gets golf title but no prize money". The Sydney Morning Herald. 25 November 1968. p. 12.
  13. ^ "Dunk coasts to easy triumph". The Sydney Morning Herald. 20 November 1967. p. 14.
  14. ^ "Dunk pressed but wins by stroke". The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 November 1966. p. 14.
  15. ^ "Open golf win to von Nida". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 November 1965. p. 14.
  16. ^ "N. Coast Open to Howell". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 October 1964. p. 16.
  17. ^ "Murray by 4 strokes". The Sydney Morning Herald. 14 October 1963. p. 19.
  18. ^ "Brilliant Golf by Phillips". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 November 1962. p. 20.
  19. ^ "Woodward by Two Strokes". The Age. 6 November 1961. p. 17.
  20. ^ "Phillips wins golf purse". The Sydney Morning Herald. 7 November 1960. p. 20.
  21. ^ "Sullivan wins golf open and purse". The Sydney Morning Herald. 19 October 1959. p. 12.
  22. ^ "£1,000 purse to Bruce Crampton". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 October 1958. p. 12.
  23. ^ "Close Golf Victory to Player". The Sydney Morning Herald. 14 October 1957. p. 14.
  24. ^ "Player, Berwick Share Purse". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 October 1956. p. 13.
  25. ^ "Six-stroke Win to Kel Nagle". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 September 1955. p. 12.
  26. ^ "Third North Coast Open Title To Nagle". Daily Examiner. New South Wales, Australia. 27 September 1954. p. 7. Retrieved 11 February 2020 – via Trove.
  27. ^ "Purse To Kel Nagle". The Sydney Morning Herald. 27 September 1954. p. 9.
  28. ^ "Kel Nagle Wins At Coffs Harbour". Daily Examiner. New South Wales, Australia. 6 October 1952. p. 3. Retrieved 11 February 2020 – via Trove.
  29. ^ "Jubilee Purse to Kel Nagle". Daily Examiner. New South Wales, Australia. 17 September 1951. p. 5. Retrieved 11 February 2020 – via Trove.
  30. ^ "Nagle Too Strong". The Sydney Morning Herald. 17 September 1951. p. 7.