Ampol Tournament

The Ampol Tournament was the richest golf event of its time in Australia. From 1952 the sponsor, Ampol, offered great prize money to attract the leading American and European players to compete.

Ampol Tournament
Tournament information
LocationAustralia
Established1947
Final year1959
Final champion
Kel Nagle and Gary Player

Total prize money was initially A£1,000, rising to A£1,300 in 1951. In 1952 and 1954, two tournaments were arranged a few weeks apart. Prize money was A£3,500 for each of the 1952 events while each of the 1954 events had prize money of A£1,500. The A£10,000 in 1956 was the biggest purse outside the United States.[1] Prize money was A£2,500 in 1953 and 1955 and A£3,000 in 1957 and 1959. Prize money often exceeded the advertised figures since part of the proceeds from gate receipts was sometimes added.[2]

The 1959 tournament was played the week before the 1959 Canada Cup.

Winners
YearWinnerCountryVenueScoreMargin
of victory		Runner(s)-upWinner's
share (A£)		Ref
1947Ossie Pickworth AustraliaThe Australian Golf Club2941 stroke Billy Bolger300[3]
1948 (Apr)Ossie Pickworth (2) AustraliaHuntingdale Golf Club3002 strokes Reg Want250[4]
1948 (Nov)Ossie Pickworth (3) AustraliaThe Lakes Golf Club2935 strokes Kel Nagle250[5]
1949Ossie Pickworth (4) AustraliaWoodlands Golf Club27710 strokes Eric Cremin250[6]
1950Alex Murray New ZealandGlenelg Golf Club2833 strokes Eric Cremin250[7]
1951Ossie Pickworth (5) AustraliaThe Brisbane Golf Club2768 strokes Eric Cremin350[8]
1952 (Oct)Norman Von Nida AustraliaThe Lakes Golf Club288Playoff Ed Oliver625[9][10]
1952 (Nov)Lloyd Mangrum United StatesYarra Yarra Golf Club2811 stroke Peter Thomson625[11]
1953Ossie Pickworth (6) AustraliaThe Lakes Golf Club2883 strokes Len Woodward600[12]
1954 (Oct)Dutch Harrison United StatesThe Lakes Golf Club2921 stroke Ossie Pickworth375[13]
1954 (Nov)Peter Thomson AustraliaYarra Yarra Golf Club2826 strokes Kel Nagle
Ossie Pickworth		375[14]
1955Eric Cremin AustraliaThe Lakes Golf Club2857 strokes Ossie Pickworth1,000[15]
1956Gary Player South AfricaYarra Yarra Golf Club2806 strokes Bo Wininger5,000[16]
1957Gary Player (2) South AfricaThe Australian Golf Club2812 strokes Dave Thomas800[17]
1958No tournament
1959Kel Nagle
Gary Player (3)		 Australia
 South Africa		The Australian Golf Club212TieShared titleShared 800
and 400		[18]

In October 1952 Von Nida beat Oliver 72 to 77 in the 18-hole playoff. In November 1954 the first round was played at Huntingdale Golf Club. The 1959 event was over 54 holes. Ampol sponsored a 36-hole tournament in 1958 with total prize money of A£500. This event was won by an amateur, Bob Stevens.[19]

References
  1. "Ampol golf final on cup day". The Beverley Times. 9 February 1956.
  2. "Ampol golf prize will total £3,000 this year". The Manning River Times And Advocate for the Northern Coast Districts Of New South Wales. 87. New South Wales, Australia. 13 October 1954. p. 12. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Pickworth was confident of rich golf win". The Sun (2297). Sydney. 20 April 1947. p. 10 (Sunday Sun Sports Section). Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Pickworth Wins £1,000 Golf Tournament". The Argus (31, 709). Melbourne. 19 April 1948. p. 12. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Pickworth likely to tour U.K. after great Ampol win". The Sun (2381). Sydney. 28 November 1948. p. 20. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Memorable Golf". The Age (29, 512). Victoria. 28 November 1949. p. 12. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Cremin Fails To Overtake". The Advertiser. 93 (28, 662). Adelaide. 21 August 1950. p. 6. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Pickworth takes fifth Ampol". The Sun (2527). Sydney. 23 September 1951. p. 23. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "Ampol golf". Sporting Globe (3170). Victoria. 25 October 1952. p. 9. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. "Von Nida wins play-off". The Age (30, 419). Victoria. 27 October 1952. p. 14. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. "Mangrum's lucky break for Ampol golf victory". The Sun (2586). Sydney. 16 November 1952. p. 30. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. "Par 288 Best Field By Three Strokes Pickworth Wins Ampol Tournament For Six Time". The Sun-Herald (247). New South Wales. 18 October 1953. p. 36. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. "One up ample in Ampol win". Truth (3378). Sydney. 24 October 1954. p. 36. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. "6-stroke Ampol win by Thomson". The Age (31, 056). Victoria. 15 November 1954. p. 20. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. "He waited years for this victory". The Argus. Melbourne. 14 November 1955. p. 18. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. "Stars made it so easy for Gary". The Argus. Melbourne. 19 November 1956. p. 15. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. "Gary Player Wins Ampol". The Canberra Times. 31 (9, 317). 4 November 1957. p. 11. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. "Nagle, Player in Ampol Golf Tie". The Canberra Times. 34 (9, 448). 16 November 1959. p. 16. Retrieved 20 April 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. "Stevens by six strokes". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 August 1958. p. 66.
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