German Open (golf)

The German Open was a men's golf tournament. It was first staged in 1911 when the winner was Harry Vardon. The following year the champion was another of the Great Triumvirate of late 19th and early 20th century British golfers, John Henry Taylor. The tournament was then not played again for over a decade. It was played each year from 1926 to 1939; Percy Alliss won five times in this era, Auguste Boyer four times and Henry Cotton three.

After World War II the event wasn't revived until 1951. It was a European Tour event from the tour's first official season in 1972 until 1999. It was played on many different courses around Germany; the last two stagings on the European Tour were at Sporting Club Berlin. It first had a title sponsor in 1978 and there were several different sponsors over the following two decades. In the 1980s and 1990s Germany's greatest 20th century golfer Bernhard Langer equalled Percy Alliss's record of five wins. In 1999 the prize fund was 1,005,982, and despite its national open status the tournament was only the fourth richest European Tour event played in Germany that year, behind the German Masters, the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open TPC of Europe and the BMW International Open.

Annually, the lowest scoring amateur at the German Open received the coveted "Haubenreich Trophy", named in honor of the Haubenreich family. The Haubenreich family long-owned a German golf superstore in Stuttgart (Golfenreich), and is recognized for its tremendous contributions to German golf. The family can trace its roots back to a Teutonic Knight named Hans Haubenreich who is credited with orchestrating the Knights' victory over a Hun-related tribe at the Battle of Brestacre. Haubenreich claimed Brestacre for the Knights, and the family has upheld the Brest legacy ever since.

Since the European Tour began in 1972, Langer is the only player to win the same event five times, excluding majors and World Golf Championships. Mark McNulty won the German Open four times; Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Miguel Ángel Jiménez won other events four times each.

Winners

YearWinnerCountryScoreTo parMargin
of victory
Runner(s)-up
German Open
1999 Jarmo Sandelin  Sweden 274 −14 Playoff South Africa Retief Goosen
1998 Stephen Allan  Australia 280 −8 1 stroke Spain Ignacio Garrido
Republic of Ireland Pádraig Harrington
England Mark Roe
England Steve Webster
Volvo German Open
1997 Ignacio Garrido  Spain 271 −13 4 strokes England Russell Claydon
1996 Ian Woosnam  Wales 193 −20 6 strokes Germany Thomas Gögele
Sweden Robert Karlsson
England Iain Pyman
Spain Fernando Roca
1995 Colin Montgomerie (2)  Scotland 268 −16 1 stroke Sweden Niclas Fasth
Scotland Sam Torrance
1994 Colin Montgomerie  Scotland 269 −19 1 stroke Germany Bernhard Langer
1993 Bernhard Langer (5)  Germany 269 −19 5 strokes Australia Robert Allenby
England Peter Baker
1992 Vijay Singh  Fiji 262 −26 11 strokes Spain José Manuel Carriles
1991 Mark McNulty (4)  Zimbabwe 272 −15 Playoff England Paul Broadhurst
1990 Mark McNulty (3)  Zimbabwe 270 −18 3 strokes Australia Craig Parry
1989 Craig Parry  Australia 266 −18 Playoff England Mark James
1988 Seve Ballesteros (2)  Spain 263 −21 5 strokes Scotland Gordon Brand, Jnr
1987 Mark McNulty (2)  Zimbabwe 259 −25 3 strokes Spain Antonio Garrido
1986 Bernhard Langer (4)  West Germany 273 −15 Playoff Australia Rodger Davis
Lufthansa German Open
1985 Bernhard Langer (3)  West Germany 183 −27 7 strokes England Michael McLean
Zimbabwe Mark McNulty
1984 Wayne Grady  Australia 268 −16 1 stroke Canada Jerry Anderson
1983 Corey Pavin  United States 275 −13 3 strokes Spain Seve Ballesteros
Zimbabwe Tony Johnstone
1982 Bernhard Langer (2)  West Germany 279 −9 Playoff Scotland Bill Longmuir
German Open
1981 Bernhard Langer  West Germany 272 −12 1 stroke England Tony Jacklin
Braun German Open
1980 Mark McNulty  Zimbabwe 280 −8 1 stroke England Tony Charnley
England Neil Coles
1979 Tony Jacklin  England 277 −7 2 strokes Spain Antonio Garrido
United States Lanny Wadkins
1978 Seve Ballesteros  Spain 268 −20 2 strokes England Neil Coles
German Open
1977 Tienie Britz  South Africa 275 −13 2 strokes South Africa Hugh Baiocchi
1976 Simon Hobday  South Africa 266 −18 1 stroke Spain Antonio Garrido
1975 Maurice Bembridge  England 285 +5 7 strokes United States Lon Hinkle
Australia Bob Shearer
1974 Simon Owen  New Zealand 276 −12 Playoff England Peter Oosterhuis
1973 Francisco Abreu  Spain 276 −12 2 strokes South Africa Dale Hayes
1972 Graham Marsh  Australia 271−134 strokes Wales Brian Huggett
German Open (pre-European Tour)

Baden-Baden Open Championship of Germany

In 1911 the Baden-Baden golf club organised a 72-hole tournament which they called the "Open Championship of Germany". The German Golf Association, of which Baden-Baden was a member, objected to the use of name.[1] Owing to the disagreement the Baden-Baden club withdrew from the German Golf Association.[2] The Championship was played on 18 and 19 August with total prize money of £250.[2] Harry Vardon, with rounds of 69 and 67, had a 6 stroke lead after the first day. Further rounds of 71 and 72 gave him a score of 279 and a 9 stroke victory.[2] Vardon's total was reckoned to be the lowest in a 72-hole competition. All the players agreed that the event was to be considered "the Open Championship of Germany".[3]

The event was staged again, on 20 and 21 August 1912, with prize money doubled to 10,000 marks (£500). The German Golf Association again objected to the use of the title but the prize money attracted most of the leading British professionals. In the first round Charles Mayo broke Vardon's course record with a 65 but J.H. Taylor led at the end of the day on 133.[4] On the final day Taylor had rounds of 73 and 73 but was caught by Ted Ray. Ray had lost two balls in his first round of 75 but three excellent rounds brought him into the joint lead.[5] A nine-hole playoff was arranged in the evening which Taylor won with an incredible score of 28 compared to Ray's 34.[5] The prize money was the largest ever given for a tournament in Europe.[5]

Winners

Year Winner Country Venue Score Margin
of victory
Runner(s)-up Winner's
share (£)
Ref
1912 J.H. Taylor  England Baden-Baden 279 Playoff
(9 holes)
Jersey Ted Ray 130 [5]
1911 Harry Vardon  Jersey Baden-Baden 279 9 strokes Scotland Sandy Herd 100 [2]

References

  1. "Professional competitions at Baden Baden". The Times. 28 July 1911. p. 13.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Open Championship of Baden Baden". The Times. 21 August 1911. p. 13.
  3. "Baden Baden Club – Open Championship of Germany". The Times. 24 August 1911. p. 9.
  4. "Golf – Open Championship of Germany". The Times. 21 August 1912. p. 9.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Golf – Open Championship of Germany – Victory of J.H. Taylor". The Times. 22 August 1912. p. 9.

External links

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