St. Petersburg Open Invitational

The St. Petersburg Open Invitational, first played as the St. Petersburg Open, was a PGA Tour event that was held at three St. Petersburg, Florida area clubs for 29 years from 1930 until 1964.[1] The clubs that hosted the event were: Lakewood Country Club (now known as St. Petersburg Country Club),[2] Pasadena Country Club (now known as Pasadena Yacht and Country Club), and Sunset Golf Club of the Vinoy Park Hotel (now known as the Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club).[1]

Bob Goalby won[3] the 1961 event after making eight consecutive birdies in the final round, a PGA Tour record at the time. Other golfers tied Goalby's mark but nobody surpassed it till 2009.[4] In 1963, Raymond Floyd won the event at 20 years 6 months of age becoming the youngest player to win a PGA Tour event since 1928.[1][5]

Bruce Devlin, an Australian golfer who had recently moved to the United States, won the first of his eight PGA Tour titles at the last one in 1964. The tournament succumbed to financial pressure when the St. Petersburg City Council voted to postpone a decision on sponsorship of the 1965 event, and then Jacksonville announced the resumption of the Jacksonville Open during week the tournament was to be held.[1]

Tournament hosts
CourseYears
Lakewood Country Club1930 (co-host), 1933 (co-host), 1936 (co-host), 1938, 1940, 1942, 1948, 1952, 1955–56, 1959–60, 1962–64
Jungle Country Club1930 (co-host)
Pasadena Country Club1932, 1933 (co-host), 1934, 1936 (co-host), 1937, 1939, 1941, 1947, 1949–51, 1953, 1957–58, 1961
Sunset Golf Club at Vinoy Park1946

Winners
YearPlayerCountryScoreTo parMargin
of victory		Runner(s)-upWinner's
share ($)
St. Petersburg Open Invitational
1964Bruce Devlin Australia272−164 strokes Dan Sikes3,300
1963Raymond Floyd United States274−141 stroke Dave Marr3,500
1962Bobby Nichols United States272−162 strokes Frank Boynton2,800
1961Bob Goalby United States261−233 strokes Ted Kroll2,800
1960George Bayer United States282−6Playoff Jack Fleck2,000
1959Cary Middlecoff United States275−133 strokes Pete Cooper2,000
St. Petersburg Open
1958Arnold Palmer United States276−81 stroke Dow Finsterwald
Fred Hawkins		2,000
1957Pete Cooper United States269−154 strokes Jack Burke Jr.1,700
1956Mike Fetchick United States275−13Playoff Lionel Hebert2,200
1955Cary Middlecoff United States274−142 strokes Jay Hebert2,200
1954No tournament
1953Dutch Harrison United States266−181 stroke Chick Harbert
Dick Mayer		2,000
1952Jack Burke Jr. United States266−228 strokes Al Besselink2,000
1951Jim Ferrier Australia268−166 strokes Al Brosch2,000
1950Jack Burke Jr. United States272−121 stroke Chick Harbert2,000
1949Pete Cooper United States275−91 stroke Cary Middlecoff2,000
1948Lawson Little United States272−163 strokes Bobby Locke2,000
1947Jimmy Demaret United States280−43 strokes Jim Ferrier2,000
1946Ben Hogan United States269−155 strokes Sam Snead2,000
1943–45 No tournament due to World War II
1942Sam Snead United States286−23 strokes Sam Byrd
Chick Harbert
Byron Nelson		1,000
1941Sam Snead United States279−52 strokes Herman Barron
Chick Harbert
Ben Hogan
Jug McSpaden		1,200
1940Jimmy Demaret United States211−21 stroke Byron Nelson700
1939Sam Snead United States207−9Playoff Henry Picard700
1938Johnny Revolta United States282−2Playoff Chandler Harper700
1937Harry Cooper United States284−4Playoff Ralph Guldahl
Horton Smith		700
1936Leonard Dodson United States283−3Playoff Harry Cooper500
1935No tournament – area hosted Florida West Coast Open that season (winner: Willie Macfarlane)
1934Paul Runyan United States141−33 strokes Bill Mehlhorn200
1933Bob Stupple United States144+11 stroke Denny Shute
Al Watrous		275
1932Willie Macfarlane United States209−71 stroke Dave Hackney500
1931No tournament
1930Jock Collins United States141+11 stroke Horton Smith
Frank Walsh		1,000

References
  1. "St. Petersburg Open left legacy". St. Petersburg Times. October 15, 2000. Retrieved 2007-11-05.
  2. "St. Petersburg Country Club Our Golf Course". St. Petersburg Country Club. Retrieved 2014-09-23.
  3. Goalby cards 8 consecutive birdies to win at St. Pete
  4. Most Consecutive Birdies in a PGA Tour Tournament
  5. "USGA History:1951–1970". Archived from the original on 2007-12-20. Retrieved 2007-11-05.
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