Southern Open

Not to be confused with Western & Southern Open, Southern (Spring) Open, or Columbus Southern Open.

Buick Challenge

Tournament information
Location	Pine Mountain, Georgia
Established	1970
Course(s)	Callaway Gardens Resort
Par	72
Length	7,057 yards (6,453 m)
Tour(s)	PGA Tour
Format	Stroke play
Prize fund	US$3,700,000
Month played	October
Final year	2002
Tournament record score
Aggregate	261 Jonathan Byrd (2002)
To par	−27 as above
Final champion
Jonathan Byrd
Location map
Callaway Gardens Resort Location in the United States Show map of the United States Callaway Gardens Resort Location in Georgia Show map of Georgia

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.[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 fourth 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 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.[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]

Winners

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

Notes

1. Shortened to 36 holes due to weather.
2. Shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

References

1. Rudolph claims Green Island title
2. Hot Miller Wins in Southern Open
3. Hubert Green wins Southern Open
4. Jerry Pate wins Southern Open
5. Snead wins Southern Open
6. Torrance Falters; Black Captures Southern Open
7. Wadsworth wins Southern Open
8. Knox wins Southern Open in playoff duel with Hallet
9. Inman wins in Southern Open playoff
10. Bradley Wins Buick Challenge
11. DiMarco Beats Duval To Win Buick Challenge
12. Byrd wins Buick Challenge

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