Tucson Open

---

title: "Tucson Open" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["former-pga-tour-events", "golf-tournaments-in-arizona", "sports-competitions-in-tucson,-arizona", "recurring-sporting-events-established-in-1945", "recurring-sporting-events-disestablished-in-2006", "1945-establishments-in-arizona", "2006-disestablishments-in-arizona"] description: "Golf tournament formerly on the PGA Tour" topic_path: "sports" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tucson_Open" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Golf tournament formerly on the PGA Tour ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox golf tournament"]

Field	Value
name	Chrysler Classic of Tucson
image	ChryslerTucson.png
image_size	130
location	Tucson, Arizona
establishment	1945
course	Omni Tucson National Golf Resort
(Catalina Course)
par	72
yardage	7193 yd
tour	PGA Tour
format	Stroke play
purse
month_played	February
aggregate	263 Lloyd Mangrum (1949)
263 Phil Rodgers (1962)
263 Johnny Miller (1975)
to-par	−25 Johnny Miller (1975)
final_year	2006
final_champion	USA Kirk Triplett
map	USA#USA Arizona
map_label	Omni Tucson National Golf Resort
map_caption	Location in the United States##Location in Arizona
map_relief	yes
map_label_position	top
map_size	200
coordinates
::

| name = Chrysler Classic of Tucson | image = ChryslerTucson.png | image_size = 130 | location = Tucson, Arizona | establishment = 1945 | course = Omni Tucson National Golf Resort (Catalina Course) | par = 72 | yardage = 7193 yd | tour = PGA Tour | format = Stroke play | purse = | month_played = February | aggregate = 263 Lloyd Mangrum (1949) 263 Phil Rodgers (1962) 263 Johnny Miller (1975) | to-par = −25 Johnny Miller (1975) | final_year = 2006 | final_champion = USA Kirk Triplett | map = USA#USA Arizona | map_label = Omni Tucson National Golf Resort | map_caption = Location in the United States##Location in Arizona | map_relief = yes | map_label_position = top | map_size = 200 | coordinates = The Tucson Open was a golf tournament in Arizona on the PGA Tour from 1945 to 2006, played annually in the winter in Tucson. It was last held at the Omni Tucson National Golf Resort in late February, with a $3 million purse and a $540,000 winner's share.

History

Since the event's inception in 1945, it had been played at a series of courses in Tucson. The first eighteen editions were at El Rio Golf & Country Club, which was purchased by the city in 1968 and is now El Rio Golf Course. In 1963, the event moved to Forty Niner Country Club in 1963 for two years, then began its lengthy relationship with its last location, known at the time as Tucson National Golf Club, which hosted through 1978. It moved to Randolph Park Golf Course in 1979, returned to Tucson National in 1980, then back to Randolph Park for the next six.

From 1984 to 1986, the Tucson Open was contested at match play and was held concurrently with a Senior PGA Tour match play event, the Seiko-Tucson Senior Match Play Championship The 1986 event was played using a Medal match play format.

In 1987 and 1988 the event was played at the TPC at Starr Pass but was not held in 1989. When the event resumed in 1990, it was played at two courses each year from that year's event until 1996. One used every year was the TPC at Starr Pass (renamed Starr Pass Golf Club before the 1993 event). The TPC at Starr Pass shared time with Randolph Park in 1990; from 1991–96 the Tucson National GC was the other course used.

In 1997, the event changed to the more traditional format of 72 holes played at only one course, and has been played since that year at the renamed Omni Tucson National Golf Resort & Spa.

In later years, it was an alternate event, opposite the WGC Match Play championship, then held at La Costa in Carlsbad, California. Because the top 64 ranked players in the world are invited to the WGC event, it weakened the field considerably for Tucson. The match play tournament moved to Tucson in 2007 as a "merging" of sorts between the two tournaments, and stayed through 2014.

On the PGA Tour Champions, the Tucson Conquistadores Classic made its debut in 2015, and is held at the Omni Tucson National Resort in mid-March.

Tournament highlights

• 1945: Ray Mangrum shoots a final round 64 to win the inaugural version of the tournament.
• 1947: Jimmy Demaret becomes the first Tucson champion to successfully defend a title. A final round 65 allows him to finish three shots ahead of Ben Hogan.
• 1949: Lloyd Mangrum shoots a tournament record 263. He wins by five shots over Al Smith.
• 1955: Tommy Bolt eagles the 72nd hole to successfully defend his Tucson Open title.
• 1959: Gene Littler wins for the second consecutive week on the PGA Tour. He finishes one shot ahead of Joe Campbell and Art Wall Jr.
• 1961: Controversial pro golfer Dave Hill wins for the first time on the PGA Tour. He defeats Tommy Bolt and Bud Sullivan on the third hole of a sudden death playoff.
• 1962: Phil Rodgers holes a wedge shot from 65-feet for eagle on the 72nd hole to edge Bud Sullivan by one shot.
• 1965: Only after deciding to play the tournament five minutes before its deadline for entries, New Zealand born Bob Charles makes Tucson his second win in the United States. He beats Al Geiberger by four shots.
• 1968: George Knudson wins for the second consecutive week on the PGA Tour. He finishes one shot ahead of Frank Beard and Frank Boynton.
• 1970: Lee Trevino successfully defends his Tucson Open title. He birdies the first hole of a sudden death playoff to defeat Bob Murphy.
• 1974: Johnny Miller becomes the first golfer in PGA Tour history to win three consecutive tournaments to start the season. He shoots a first round 62 on his way to a three shot triumph over Ben Crenshaw.
• 1975: Tom Weiskopf misses the 36 hole cut with scores of 70 and 78. Afterwards tournament director Biff Baker made a telephone complaint to PGA Tour Commissioner Deane Beman accusing Weiskopf of backhanding putts and not playing in a professional manner. Weiskopf denied the allegations by saying "All they have to do is ask my playing partners."
• 1976: Johnny Miller wins at Tucson for the third consecutive year. He finishes three shots ahead of Howard Twitty.
• 1977: Bruce Lietzke earns the first of his thirteen career PGA Tour wins by defeating Gene Littler on the fourth hole of a sudden death playoff.
• 1980: Poor weather causes the tournament to finish on a Tuesday. Jim Colbert is the winner by four shots over Dan Halldorson.
• 1981: Johnny Miller wins Tucson for the fourth time. He shoots a final round 65 to finish two shots ahead of Lon Hinkle.
• 1984: For the first of three consecutive years, Tucson is conducted as a match play event. Tom Watson wins by defeating defending champion Gil Morgan in the finals by the score of 2 and 1.
• 1986: Defending champion Jim Thorpe wins the last match play edition of Tucson. He defeats Scott Simpson 67 to 71 in the finals.
• 1990: Robert Gamez wins on the PGA Tour in his first event. He finishes four shots ahead of Mark Calcavecchia and Jay Haas. During the tournament's second round, 1988 Tucson champion David Frost, becomes the first PGA Tour player in 33 years to shoot a 60.
• 1991: Twenty-year-old amateur Phil Mickelson birdies the 72nd hole to win by one shot over Bob Tway and Tom Purtzer. Purtzer made double bogey on the tournament's final hole. Hal Sutton hits a six-iron for his second shot on the 9th hole directly at the green. The ball slammed into the cup without touching the green and embedded itself in the lip of the hole. Since part of the ball remained above the level of the hole, it was ruled that Sutton had not holed out. He had to replace the ball and putt it in for a birdie.
• 1992: Future two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen collects his first PGA Tour title. He edges Bill Britton by one shot.
• 1995: Phil Mickelson wins his second Tucson title by one shot over Jim Gallagher Jr. and Scott Simpson after Gallagher three putts the 72nd hole.
• 1997: Jeff Sluman earns his first PGA Tour title since the 1988 PGA Championship. He wins by one shot over Steve Jones.
• 2000: After playing in 292 PGA Tour events, Jim Carter finally reaches the winner's circle. He finishes two shots ahead of Jean van de Velde, Chris DiMarco, and Tom Scherrer.
• 2001: Like Robert Gamez did at the 1990 Tucson, Garrett Willis wins on the PGA Tour in his first event. He wins by one shot over Kevin Sutherland.
• 2005: Future U.S. Open winner Geoff Ogilvy notches his first PGA Tour win. He defeats Mark Calcavecchia and Kevin Na in a sudden death playoff.

Winners

::data[format=table] | Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up | Winner's share ($) | Chrysler Classic of Tucson | Touchstone Energy Tucson Open | Tucson Chrysler Classic | Nortel Open | Northern Telecom Open | Northern Telecom Tucson Open | Seiko Tucson Open | Seiko-Tucson Match Play Championship | Joe Garagiola-Tucson Open | NBC Tucson Open | Dean Martin Tucson Open | Tucson Open Invitational | Home of the Sun Open | Tucson Open Invitational | Tucson Open | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | 2006 | USA Kirk Triplett | 266 | −22 | 1 stroke | USA Jerry Kelly | 540,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2005 | AUS Geoff Ogilvy | 269 | −19 | Playoff | USA Mark Calcavecchia USA Kevin Na | 540,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2004 | USA Heath Slocum | 266 | −22 | 1 stroke | AUS Aaron Baddeley | 540,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2003 | USA Frank Lickliter | 269 | −19 | 2 strokes | USA Chad Campbell | 540,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2002 | CAN Ian Leggatt | 268 | −20 | 2 strokes | USA David Peoples USA Loren Roberts | 540,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2001 | USA Garrett Willis | 273 | −15 | 1 stroke | USA Kevin Sutherland | 540,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2000 | USA Jim Carter | 269 | −19 | 2 strokes | USA Chris DiMarco USA Tom Scherrer FRA Jean van de Velde | 540,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1999 | SWE Gabriel Hjertstedt | 276 | −12 | Playoff | USA Tommy Armour III | 495,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1998 | USA David Duval | 269 | −19 | 4 strokes | USA Justin Leonard USA David Toms | 360,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1997 | USA Jeff Sluman | 275 | −13 | 1 stroke | USA Steve Jones | 234,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1996 | USA Phil Mickelson (3) | 273 | −14 | 2 strokes | USA Bob Tway | 225,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1995 | USA Phil Mickelson (2) | 269 | −19 | 1 stroke | USA Jim Gallagher Jr. USA Scott Simpson | 225,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1994 | USA Andrew Magee | 270 | −18 | 2 strokes | USA Jay Don Blake USA Loren Roberts FJI Vijay Singh USA Steve Stricker | 198,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1993 | USA Larry Mize | 271 | −17 | 2 strokes | USA Jeff Maggert | 198,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1992 | USA Lee Janzen | 270 | −18 | 1 stroke | USA Bill Britton | 198,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1991 | USA Phil Mickelson (a) | 272 | −16 | 1 stroke | USA Tom Purtzer USA Bob Tway | 180,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1990 | USA Robert Gamez | 270 | −18 | 4 strokes | USA Mark Calcavecchia USA Jay Haas | 162,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1989: No tournament | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1988 | ZAF David Frost | 266 | −22 | 5 strokes | USA Mark Calcavecchia USA Mark O'Meara | 108,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1987 | USA Mike Reid | 268 | −20 | 4 strokes | USA Chip Beck USA Mark Calcavecchia USA Hal Sutton USA Fuzzy Zoeller | 108,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1986 | USA Jim Thorpe (2) | 67 | −5 | 4 strokes | USA Scott Simpson | 150,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1985 | USA Jim Thorpe | 4 and 3 | USA Jack Renner | 150,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1984 | USA Tom Watson (2) | 2 and 1 | USA Gil Morgan | 100,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1983 | USA Gil Morgan | 271 | −9 | Playoff | USA Curtis Strange USA Lanny Wadkins | 54,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1982 | USA Craig Stadler | 266 | −14 | 3 strokes | USA Vance Heafner USA John Mahaffey | 54,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1981 | USA Johnny Miller (4) | 265 | −15 | 2 strokes | USA Lon Hinkle | 54,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1980 | USA Jim Colbert | 270 | −22 | 4 strokes | CAN Dan Halldorson | 54,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1979 | USA Bruce Lietzke (2) | 265 | −15 | 2 strokes | USA Buddy Gardner USA Jim Thorpe USA Tom Watson | 45,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1978 | USA Tom Watson | 274 | −14 | 3 strokes | USA Bobby Wadkins | 40,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1977 | USA Bruce Lietzke | 275 | −13 | Playoff | USA Gene Littler | 40,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1976 | USA Johnny Miller (3) | 274 | −14 | 3 strokes | USA Howard Twitty | 40,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1975 | USA Johnny Miller (2) | 263 | −25 | 9 strokes | USA John Mahaffey | 40,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1974 | USA Johnny Miller | 272 | −16 | 3 strokes | USA Ben Crenshaw | 30,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1973 | AUS Bruce Crampton | 277 | −11 | 5 strokes | USA George Archer USA Gay Brewer USA Labron Harris Jr. USA Bobby Nichols | 30,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1972 | USA Miller Barber | 273 | −15 | Playoff | USA George Archer | 30,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1971 | USA J. C. Snead | 273 | −15 | 1 stroke | USA Dale Douglass | 22,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1970 | USA Lee Trevino (2) | 275 | −13 | Playoff | USA Bob Murphy | 20,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1969 | USA Lee Trevino | 271 | −17 | 7 strokes | USA Miller Barber | 20,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1968 | CAN George Knudson | 273 | −15 | 1 stroke | USA Frank Beard USA Frank Boynton | 20,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1967 | USA Arnold Palmer | 273 | −15 | 1 stroke | USA Chuck Courtney | 12,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1966 | USA Joe Campbell | 278 | −10 | Playoff | USA Gene Littler | 9,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1965 | NZL Bob Charles | 271 | −17 | 4 strokes | USA Al Geiberger | 6,800 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1964 | USA Jacky Cupit | 274 | −14 | 2 strokes | USA Rex Baxter | 4,000 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1963 | USA Don January | 266 | −22 | 11 strokes | USA Gene Littler USA Phil Rodgers | 3,500 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1962 | USA Phil Rodgers | 263 | −17 | 3 strokes | AUS Jim Ferrier | 2,800 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1961 | USA Dave Hill | 269 | −11 | Playoff | USA Tommy Bolt USA Bud Sullivan | 2,800 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1960 | USA Don January | 271 | −9 | 3 strokes | USA Bob Harris | 2,800 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1959 | USA Gene Littler | 266 | −14 | 1 stroke | USA Joe Campbell USA Art Wall Jr. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1958 | USA Lionel Hebert | 265 | −15 | 2 strokes | USA Don January | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1957 | USA Dow Finsterwald | 269 | −11 | Playoff | USA Don Whitt | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1956 | USA Ted Kroll | 264 | −16 | 3 strokes | USA Dow Finsterwald | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1955 | USA Tommy Bolt (2) | 266 | −14 | 3 strokes | USA Bud Holscher USA Art Wall Jr. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1954: No tournament | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1953 | USA Tommy Bolt | 265 | −15 | 1 stroke | USA Chandler Harper | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1952 | USA Henry Williams, Jr. | 274 | −6 | 2 strokes | USA Cary Middlecoff | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1951 | USA Lloyd Mangrum (2) | 269 | −11 | 2 strokes | USA Jack Burke Jr. USA Jim Turnesa USA Lew Worsham | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1950 | USA Chandler Harper | 267 | −13 | 2 strokes | USA Sam Snead | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1949 | USA Lloyd Mangrum | 263 | −17 | 5 strokes | USA Al Smith | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1948 | USA Skip Alexander | 264 | −16 | 1 stroke | USA Johnny Palmer | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1947 | USA Jimmy Demaret (2) | 264 | −16 | 3 strokes | USA Ben Hogan | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1946 | USA Jimmy Demaret | 268 | −12 | 4 strokes | USA Herman Barron | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 1945 | USA Ray Mangrum | 268 | −12 | 1 stroke | USA Byron Nelson | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ::

Multiple winners

Nine men won this tournament more than once.

• 4 wins
  • Johnny Miller: 1974, 1975, 1976, 1981
• 3 wins
  • Phil Mickelson: 1991(a), 1995, 1996
• 2 wins
  • Jim Thorpe: 1985, 1986
  • Bruce Lietzke: 1977, 1979
  • Lee Trevino: 1969, 1970
  • Don January: 1960, 1963
  • Tommy Bolt: 1953, 1955
  • Lloyd Mangrum: 1949, 1951
  • Jimmy Demaret, 1946, 1947

References

References

1. Korte, Tim. (February 27, 2006). "Chrysler surprise". Spokesman-Review.
2. (January 22, 1945). "Mangrum Winner Of Tucson Golf". The Pittsburgh Press.
3. (February 3, 1947). "Tucson Open Won By Jimmy Demaret". Eugene Register-Guard.
4. (February 7, 1949). "Mangrum Breaks Tucson Record". The Pittsburgh Press.
5. (February 14, 1955). "Tommy Bolt Wins Tucson Open Golf". Lodi News-Sentinel.
6. (February 16, 1959). "Gene Littler Wins Tucson Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
7. (February 20, 1961). "Tucson Won By Dave Hill". Middlesboro Daily News.
8. Sinclair, Murray. (February 19, 1962). "Phil Rodgers Wins Tucson". The Gettysburg Times.
9. Eger, Bob. (February 22, 1965). "Charles Tops Field At Tucson". Ellensburg Daily Record.
10. (February 26, 1968). "Knudson In Charge To Tucson Win". Daytona Beach Morning Journal.
11. (February 16, 1970). "Murphy Second In Tucson Open". The News-Dispatch.
12. (January 21, 1974). "Miller Wins At Tucson With Ben Crenshaw Second". The Bonham Daily Favorite.
13. (January 19, 1975). "Tucson golf director unhappy with Weiskopf". The Gadsden Times.
14. (January 20, 1975). "Weiskopf Denies Not Trying Best". The Evening Independent.
15. (January 12, 1976). "Miller Wins Tucson Open For 3rd Time". Ludington Daily News.
16. Sargis, Joe. (January 17, 1977). "First tour win for Bruce Lietzke". Beaver County Times.
17. (February 20, 1980). "Colbert Wins At Tucson". The Times-News.
18. (January 12, 1981). "Johnny Miller Wins Tucson". Waycross Journal-Herald.
19. (January 9, 1984). "In a 'dull match', Watson takestitle". The Register-Guard.
20. (November 3, 1986). "Thorpe Captures Match-Play Event". The New York Times.
21. (January 15, 1990). "Rookie Robert Gamez Tucson Open winner". The Vindicator.
22. (January 14, 1990). "Super 12-under puts Frost on par". New Sunday Times.
23. Green, Bob. (January 14, 1991). "Mickelson wins as amateur in Tucson Open". The Prescott Courier.
24. Zullo, Allan. (2001). "Astonishing but True Golf Facts". Andrew McMeel Publishing.
25. (February 17, 1992). "Janzen stays cool in Tucson". The Milwaukee Journal.
26. (January 22, 1995). "Mickelson captures Tucson Open by one". Manila Standard.
27. (February 24, 1997). "Despite bogey on 18th, Jeff Sluman captures Tucson Open". Kingman Daily Miner.
28. (February 28, 2000). "First-time winner takes Tucson Open". Herald-Journal.
29. (January 16, 2001). "Willis comes of age in Tucson". BBC Sport.
30. Clayton, Michael. (March 1, 2005). "Ogilvy wins US playoff". The Age.

::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::