Buick Challenge

The Buick Challenge was a golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1970 to 2002. It was played at the Callaway Gardens Resort (Mountain View Course), Pine Mountain, Georgia from 1991 to 2002 and at the Green Island Country Club in Columbus, Georgia from 1970 to 1990. 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.

Winners

Buick Challenge

• 2002 Jonathan Byrd
• 2001 Chris DiMarco
• 2000 David Duval
• 1999 David Toms
• 1998 Steve Elkington
• 1997 Davis Love III
• 1996 Michael Bradley
• 1995 Fred Funk

Buick Southern Open

• 1994 Steve Elkington
• 1993 John Inman
• 1992 Gary Hallberg
• 1991 David Peoples
• 1990 Kenny Knox

Southern Open

• 1989 Ted Schulz
• 1988 David Frost
• 1987 Ken Brown
• 1986 Fred Wadsworth
• 1985 Tim Simpson
• 1984 Hubert Green
• 1983 Ronnie Black
• 1982 Bobby Clampett
• 1981 J. C. Snead
• 1980 Mike Sullivan
• 1979 Ed Fiori
• 1978 Jerry Pate
• 1977 Jerry Pate
• 1976 Mac McLendon
• 1975 Hubert Green
• 1974 Forrest Fezler
• 1973 Gary Player
• 1972 DeWitt Weaver

Southern Open Invitational

• 1971 Johnny Miller

Green Island Open Invitational

• 1970 Mason Rudolph

Tournament highlights

• 1970: Mason Rudolph wins the inaugural version of the tournament. He finishes two shots ahead of Chris Blocker.^[1]
• 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.^[2]
• 1975: Hubert Green shoots a final round 64 to win by three shots over John Schroeder.^[3]
• 1978: Jerry Pate becomes the one and only winner of the tournament to successfully defend his title. He beats Phil Hancock by one shot.^[4]
• 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.^[5]
• 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 forth playoff hole to take home the title.^[6]
• 1986: Columbus, Georgia native and Monday qualifier Fred Wadsworth wins by two shots over George Archer, John Cook, Tim Simpson, and Jim Thorpe.^[7]
• 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.^[8]
• 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.^[9]
• 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.^[10]
• 2001: Just like in 1981 and 1995, 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.^[11]
• 2002: Jonathan Byrd shoots a final round 63 to win the final edition of the tournament. He beats David Toms by one shot.^[12]

References

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