Blue Ribbon Open
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Menomenee Falls, Wisconsin, U.S. | 
| Established | 1951 | 
| Course(s) | North Hills Country Club | 
| Par | 71 | 
| Length | 6,257 yards (5,721 m)[1] | 
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour | 
| Format | Stroke play | 
| Prize fund | $20,000 [1] | 
| Month played | July | 
| Final year | 1951 | 
| Final champion | |
| .svg.png) Joe Kirkwood Jr., 271 (–13) | |




The Blue Ribbon Open was a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, played only in 1951. It was held in Wisconsin at the North Hills Country Club in Menomenee Falls, northwest of Milwaukee.
Part-time Hollywood actor Joe Kirkwood Jr. won the event at 271 (–13), two shots over runners-up Sam Snead and Jim Ferrier, the 54-hole leader.[2] The purse was $20,000 with a winner's share of $2,750.[1] Kirkwood equaled the course record in the final round with a seven-under 64.[3] He had won on tour three years earlier at the Philadelphia Inquirer Open. Following the win, Kirkwood left to go fishing in northern Wisconsin.[4]
North Hills was the site of the Milwaukee Open in 1940 and later hosted the Milwaukee Open Invitational in 1960 and 1961.
Leaderboard
Sunday, July 22, 1951
| Place | Player | Country | Score | To par | Money ($) | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe Kirkwood Jr. | .svg.png) Australia | 72-66-69-64=271 | −13 | 2,750 | 
| 2 | Sam Snead | .svg.png) United States | 67-70-70-65=273 | −11 | 1,900 | 
| T3 | Jim Ferrier | .svg.png) Australia | 70-68-68-68=274 | −10 | 1,475 | 
| Lloyd Mangrum | .svg.png) United States | 71-67-70-66=274 | |||
| 5 | Skee Riegel | .svg.png) United States | 73-66-68-68=275 | −9 | 1,150 | 
| 6 | Jimmy Demaret | .svg.png) United States | 68-69-70-72=279 | −5 | 1,000 | 
| T7 | Julius Boros | .svg.png) United States | 69-68-72-71=280 | −4 | 762 | 
| Jack Burke Jr. | .svg.png) United States | 73-68-68-71=280 | |||
| George Fazio | .svg.png) United States | 68-70-72-70=280 | |||
| Glenn Teal | .svg.png) United States | 67-67-74-72=280 | 
Source:[3]
See also
Other former PGA Tour events in Milwaukee
- Milwaukee Open, 1940
- Milwaukee Open Invitational, 1955–61
- Greater Milwaukee Open, 1968–2009
References
- ^ a b c "Joe Kirkwood cards final round 64 to win Blue Ribbon golf tourney". St. Petersburg Times. (Florida). Associated Press. July 23, 1951. p. 11.
- ^ "Ferrier leads in Milwaukee Open". Chicago Sunday Tribune. Associated Press. July 22, 1951. p. 6, sec. 2.
- ^ a b "Kirkwood's 271 wins golf meet at Milwaukee". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. July 23, 1951. p. 2, sec. 3.
- ^ "Kirkwood edges Snead for first". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. July 23, 1961. p. 10.