# Southern Open

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.
* 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.
* 1975: Hubert Green shoots a final round 64 to win by three shots over John Schroeder.
* 1978: Jerry Pate becomes the one and only winner of the tournament to successfully defend his title. He beats Phil Hancock by one shot.
* 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.
* 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.
* 1986: Columbus, Georgia native and Monday qualifier Fred Wadsworth wins by two shots over George Archer, John Cook, Tim Simpson, and Jim Thorpe.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 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.
* 2002: Jonathan Byrd shoots a final round 63 to win the final edition of the tournament. He beats David Toms by one shot.

## 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 | −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 | −16 | 5 strokes | Steve Rintoul |
| 1993 | John Inman | 278 | −10 | Playoff | Billy Andrade Mark Brooks Brad Bryant Bob Estes |
| 1992 | Gary Hallberg | 206 | −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 |