Northern Open

The Northern Open is a golf tournament played annually in Scotland since 1931. It was one of only two 72-hole tournaments on the "Tartan Tour", the PGA Tour in Scotland's schedule, the other being the Scottish PGA Championship. Since 2019 the event has been played over 36 holes.

Northern Open

Tournament information
Location	Scotland
Established	1931
Format	Stroke play
Current champion
Ross Cameron (2020)

The Scottish PGA Championship was originally called the Scottish Professional Championship and was only open to professionals while the Northern Open was also opened to amateurs.

History

The tournaments were originally played over 2 days with 2 rounds played each day. In 1947 the event was extended to a third day with one round played on the first two days. The leading 50 players and those tied for 50th place played two rounds on the third day. Originally called the "Northern Open Amateur and Professional Golf Tournament", the name was changed "Northern Open Championship" for 1948. The 1948 event was reduced to two days again with play in groups of three on the first day and a cut reducing the field to 80 for the final day. With a large number of entries the 1949 event was again played over three days. The playoff between Ballingall and Thomson was played at Murcar, the day after the Championship finished. The day had been allocated for Scottish qualifying for the Daily Mail Tournament. Thomson practised in the morning while Ballingall played a competitive round. The two played together in the afternoon, Ballingale scoring 72 to Thomson's 74.

Winners

[1]

Year	Winner	Country	Venue	Score	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Winner's share (£)	Ref
2020	Ross Cameron	Scotland	Spey Valley	67 +++	1 stroke	Gavin Hay Scott Henderson David Rudd (a) Calum Scott (a)	2,560
2019	Alastair Forsyth (2)	Scotland	Newmachar	133	3 strokes	Graham Fox	1,000
2018	Gareth Wright	Wales	Nairn Dunbar	276	1 stroke	Gavin Hay	1,100
2017	Paul O'Hara	Scotland	Moray	277	7 strokes	Gavin Hay Greg McBain Paul McKechnie	1,400
2016	Greig Hutcheon (2)	Scotland	Royal Dornoch	267	6 strokes	Chris Kelly	3,900
2015	Chris Kelly	Scotland	Cruden Bay	267	5 strokes	Gareth Wright	4,250
2014	David Law (2)	Scotland	Murcar Links	207 +	3 strokes	Greig Hutcheon	6,000
2013	James Byrne (2)	Scotland	Meldrum House	261	1 stroke	David Law	4,000
2012	James Byrne	Scotland	Meldrum House	268	5 strokes	David Law David Orr	4,000
2011	David Law (a)	Scotland	Meldrum House	266	2 strokes	Stephen Gray	(4,000)
2010	Greig Hutcheon	Scotland	Meldrum House	132 ++	1 stroke	Scott Larkin (a)	3,800
2009	Craig Lee	Scotland	Spey Valley	281	5 strokes	Martyn Hamer	2,500
2008	Chris Doak	Scotland	Spey Valley	274	3 strokes	Lee Harper	8,000
2007	Murray Urquhart	Scotland	Skibo Castle	282	1 stroke	David Patrick
2006	Jason McCreadie (2)	Scotland	Skibo Castle	276	Playoff	Chris Doak	8,000
2005	Chris Doak	Scotland
2004	Jason McCreadie	Scotland
2003	Gordon Law	Scotland
2002	Fraser Mann	Scotland
2001	Graham Rankin	Scotland
2000	Jim Payne	England	Forres	266	1 stroke	Ralf Geilenberg	3,600	[2]
1999	Alastair Forsyth	Scotland
1998	Lee James	England
1997	David Thomson	Scotland
1996	Scott Henderson	Scotland
1995	Joe Higgins	Scotland
1994	Kevin Stables (2)	Scotland
1993	Kevin Stables	Scotland
1992	Peter Smith	Scotland
1991	Craig Cassells	England
1990	Colin Brooks (2)	Scotland
1989	Colin Brooks	Scotland	Cruden Bay	274	2 strokes	Ian Spencer	3,300	[3]
1988	David Huish (4)	Scotland	Moray	281	1 stroke	Mike Miller	3,300	[4]
1987	Adam Hunter	Scotland	Royal Aberdeen	287	Playoff	Kevin Stables Donald Stirling	3,300	[5]
1986	Russell Weir	Scotland	Nairn	283	1 stroke	Ross Drummond	3,300	[6]
1985	Brian Barnes (2)	Scotland	Elgin	274	1 stroke	Ewen Murray	2,500	[7]
1984	David Huish (3)	Scotland	Murcar Links	281	2 strokes	Brian Barnes	2,500	[8]
1983	Derrick Cooper	England	Royal Dornoch	287	3 strokes	Garry Harvey Russell Weir	1,750	[9]
1982	Tony Minshall	England	Cruden Bay	288	1 stroke	Bill Lockie	1,750	[10]
1981	Alistair Thomson	Scotland	Moray	285	2 strokes	Jim Farmer Tony Minshall	1,400	[11]
1980	David Huish (2)	Scotland	Royal Aberdeen	293	1 stroke	Jim Farmer	1,400	[12]
1979	Jim Farmer	Scotland	Nairn	285	5 strokes	Ross Drummond Willie Milne	1,400	[13]
1978	Brian Barnes	Scotland	Elgin	282	2 strokes	Bob Jamieson		[14]
1977	Ewen Murray	Scotland	Royal Dornoch	292	5 strokes	David Huish Bill Lockie Hugh Stuart (a)	1,000	[15]
1976	David Chillas	Scotland	Royal Aberdeen	289	4 strokes	David Ingram	1,000	[16]
1975	Willie Milne (2)	Scotland	Nairn	289	5 strokes	David Webster	1,000	[17]
1974	Willie Milne	Scotland	Murcar Links	277	6 strokes	Harry Bannerman	1,000	[18]
1973	David Huish	Scotland	Royal Dornoch	289	3 strokes	Bernard Gallacher John Garner	500	[19]
1972	Harry Bannerman (3)	Scotland	Royal Aberdeen	286	2 strokes	Brian Barnes	400	[20]
1971	Frank Rennie	Scotland	Nairn	281	6 strokes	Derek Small
1970	Sandy Pirie (a)	Scotland	Cruden Bay	215 +	1 stroke	Harry Bannerman	(300)	[21]
1969	Harry Bannerman (2)	Scotland	Moray	295	2 strokes	John Panton	300	[22]
1968	David Webster	Scotland	Murcar Links	278	7 strokes	Harry Bannerman Lionel Platts	300	[23]
1967	Harry Bannerman	Scotland	Royal Dornoch	285	6 strokes	Iain Clark	300	[24]
1966	Robin Liddle	Scotland	Elgin	294	2 strokes	Marshall Douglas	300	[25]
1965	Jock Brown	Scotland	Royal Aberdeen	139 ++	1 stroke	Stuart Murray John Panton		[26]
1964	Lew Taylor	Scotland	Nairn	285	Playoff	George Will		[27]
1963	George Will (2)	Scotland	Cruden Bay	287	Playoff	Lew Taylor		[28]
1962	John Panton (7)	Scotland	Moray	300	1 stroke	Bob Tuohy		[29]
1961	Harry Weetman	England	Murcar Links	282	2 strokes	Harold Henning		[30]
1960	John Panton (6)	Scotland	Royal Dornoch	301	2 strokes	Eric Brown	125	[31]
1959	John Panton (5)	Scotland	Peterhead	284	2 strokes	Ian Smith		[32]
1958	George Will	Scotland	Cruden Bay	291	Playoff	Willie Macdonald Harry Weetman		[33][34]
1957	Eric Brown (5)	Scotland	Nairn	290	6 strokes	John Panton		[35]
1956	John Panton (4)	Scotland	Moray	290	Playoff	Eric Brown		[36][37]
1955	Eric Brown (4)	Scotland	Murcar Links	283	Playoff	John Panton		[38][39]
1954	Eric Brown (3)	Scotland	Royal Dornoch	307	2 strokes	Gregor McIntosh		[40]
1953	Eric Brown (2)	Scotland	Cruden Bay	281	1 stroke	John Panton		[41]
1952	John Panton (3)	Scotland	Royal Aberdeen	289	5 strokes	John Campbell	90
1951	John Panton (2)	Scotland	Nairn	285	5 strokes	Hector Thomson		[42]
1950	Eric Brown	Scotland	Moray	294	1 stroke	John Panton		[43]
1949	Hamish Ballingall (2)	Scotland	Royal Aberdeen (and Murcar Links)	296	Playoff	Hector Thomson		[44][45]
1948	John Panton	Scotland	Inverness	288	3 strokes	Hamish Ballingall Sandy Sinclair (a)	65	[46]
1947	Hamish Ballingall	Scotland	Peterhead	300	6 strokes	Hugh Watt	60	[47]
1946	Willie Forrester	Scotland	Murcar Links	305	2 strokes	Ian Macpherson	35	[48]
1940–45: No tournament due to World War II
1939	Jack McLean (3)	Scotland	Nairn	285	Playoff	Hector Thomson (a)	30	[49][50]
1938	Tom Haliburton	Scotland	Peterhead	294	1 stroke	Wilie Don	28	[51]
1937	Jack McLean (2)	Scotland	Moray	294	Playoff	Gordon Durward	25	[52][53]
1936	Dick Walker (a) (2)	Scotland	Deeside	290	10 strokes	Tom Dobson Willie Don	(25)	[54]
1935	Dick Walker (a)	Scotland	Royal Dornoch	298	Playoff	Willie Spark	(25)	[55][56]
1934	Jim Forrester	Scotland	Inverness	287	6 strokes	Ken Forbes (a)	25	[57]
1933	Jack McLean (a)	Scotland	Murcar Links	294	1 stroke	Jack McMillan	(20)	[58]
1932	James Henderson	Scotland	Nairn	292	Playoff	Jimmy McDowall	20	[59][60]
1931	Jimmy McDowall	Scotland	Royal Aberdeen	289	7 strokes	Julian Jaffray	20	[61]

In 1932 Henderson beat McDowall 77 to 79 in the 18-hole playoff. In 1935 Walker beat Spark 75 to 76 in the 18-hole playoff. In 1937 McLean beat Durward 73 to 79 in the 18-hole playoff. In 1939 McLean and Thomson tied on 74 after an 18-hole playoff but McLean won 73 to 75 in a second 18-hole playoff in the afternoon. In 1949 Ballingale scored 72 to Thomson's 74. In 1955 Brown scored 71 to Panton's 77. In 1956 Panton scored 73 to Brown's 74. In 1958 Will scored 75, Macdonald scored 77 and Weetman 79. In 1963 Will won at the first extra hole with a birdie 3. In 1964 Taylor won at the second extra hole with a 4. In 1987 Hunter won with a par 4 at the first extra hole.

• + reduced to 54 holes.
• ++ reduced to 36 holes.
• +++ reduced to 18 holes.

References

1. https://pgagbi.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgagbi20/event/pgagbi20793/champions.htm
2. HighBeam
3. "Brooks breaks northern hoodoo with a closing 66". The Glasgow Herald. 20 May 1989. p. 17.
4. "Pillar to post triumph for Huish in Northern Open". The Glasgow Herald. 21 May 1988. p. 23.
5. "Hunter's gale-lashed 69 fires sudden-death win". The Glasgow Herald. 16 May 1987. p. 23.
6. "Weir survives birdie blitz". The Glasgow Herald. 3 May 1986. p. 18.
7. "Barnes beats own doubts". The Glasgow Herald. 4 May 1985. p. 18.
8. "Huish beats Barnes and the bookmaker". The Glasgow Herald. 21 April 1984. p. 14.
9. "Cooper banks £1750 after final round 70". The Glasgow Herald. 6 May 1983. p. 25.
10. "Marshall raids the North". The Glasgow Herald. 7 May 1982. p. 26.
11. "Right way round as Thomson wins Northern". The Glasgow Herald. 8 May 1981. p. 21.
12. "Huish wins his second North open". The Glasgow Herald. 2 May 1980. p. 24.
13. "Farmer reaps first major championship". The Glasgow Herald. 27 April 1979. p. 30.
14. "Brian lands another big catch". The Glasgow Herald. 29 April 1978. p. 18.
15. "Murray comes of age with third-round 69". The Glasgow Herald. 29 April 1977. p. 29.
16. "A rewarding return for Chillas". The Glasgow Herald. 30 April 1976. p. 29.
17. "Runaway win for Willie Milne". The Glasgow Herald. 2 May 1975. p. 25.
18. "Milne's record win in Northern Open". The Glasgow Herald. 3 May 1974. p. 4.
19. "Northern Open won by David Huish". The Glasgow Herald. 4 May 1973. p. 4.
20. "Bannerman joins elite in Northern". The Glasgow Herald. 5 May 1972. p. 2.
21. "Pirie achieves his greatest success". The Glasgow Herald. 10 April 1970. p. 6.
22. "Bannerman holds on for title in nervous finish". The Glasgow Herald. 11 April 1969. p. 6.
23. "Webster's Northern victory". The Glasgow Herald. 12 April 1968. p. 6.
24. "Bannerman wins by six strokes in Northern Open". The Glasgow Herald. 14 April 1967. p. 6.
25. "Liddle's unexpected Northern success". The Glasgow Herald. 15 April 1966. p. 6.
26. "Northern Open win by J. T. Brown". The Glasgow Herald. 10 April 1965. p. 6.
27. "Same pair play off for Northern Open". The Glasgow Herald. 11 April 1964. p. 5.
28. "Northern Open won again by Will". The Glasgow Herald. 19 April 1963. p. 6.
29. "Panton wins seventh Northern Open". The Glasgow Herald. 13 April 1962. p. 6.
30. "Northern Open title for Weetman". The Glasgow Herald. 14 April 1961. p. 14.
31. "Sixth Northern title win for Panton". The Glasgow Herald. 15 April 1960. p. 11.
32. "Fifth Northern Open title for Panton". The Glasgow Herald. 17 April 1959. p. 11.
33. "Triple tie for North Open Championship". The Glasgow Herald. 18 April 1958. p. 4.
34. "Early success for G. Will". The Glasgow Herald. 19 April 1958. p. 9.
35. "Brown's fifth victory in Northern "Open"". The Glasgow Herald. 20 April 1957. p. 8.
36. "Panton and Brown again tie for Northern Open golf". The Glasgow Herald. 13 April 1956. p. 4.
37. "Panton beats Brown in Northern golf title play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 15 April 1956. p. 9.
38. "Panton and Brown tie for Northern title". The Glasgow Herald. 15 April 1955. p. 4.
39. "Brown's easy victory in Murcar play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 16 April 1955. p. 9.
40. "E. C. Brown's fine victory in Northern "Open"". The Glasgow Herald. 16 April 1954. p. 4.
41. "Northern Open golf title for Anglo-Scot". The Glasgow Herald. 24 April 1953. p. 9.
42. "Panton's comfortable win in Nairn golf". The Glasgow Herald. 27 April 1951. p. 9.
43. "Eric Brown wins "Northern"". The Glasgow Herald. 14 April 1950. p. 7.
44. "Tie for Northern Open golf championship". The Glasgow Herald. 29 April 1949. p. 2.
45. "Ballingall's day at Murcar". The Glasgow Herald. 30 April 1949. p. 2.
46. "Panton wins at Inverness". The Glasgow Herald. 22 April 1948. p. 6.
47. "Northern Open golf title". The Glasgow Herald. 18 April 1947. p. 6.
48. "Forrester wins at Murcar". The Glasgow Herald. 18 April 1946. p. 6.
49. "Young Scots renew golf revalry". The Glasgow Herald. 28 April 1939. p. 4.
50. "M'Lean's revenge on old golf rival". The Glasgow Herald. 29 April 1939. p. 2.
51. "T B Haliburton's fighting finish". The Glasgow Herald. 14 April 1938. p. 2.
52. "M'Lean and Durward in Northern golf tie". The Glasgow Herald. 16 April 1937. p. 6.
53. "Two holes decide golf tie for M'Lean". The Glasgow Herald. 17 April 1937. p. 3.
54. "Second Northern "Open" win". The Glasgow Herald. 16 April 1936. p. 3.
55. "Tie in Northern "Open"". The Glasgow Herald. 26 April 1935. p. 6.
56. "Amateur wns North "Open"". The Glasgow Herald. 27 April 1935. p. 3.
57. "New Northern "Open" record". The Glasgow Herald. 26 April 1934. p. 3.
58. "Victory for Jack M'Lean". The Glasgow Herald. 21 April 1933. p. 4.
59. "Thrilling tie at Nairn". The Glasgow Herald. 22 April 1932. p. 18.
60. "Troon assistant wins Nairn play-off". The Glasgow Herald. 23 April 1932. p. 16.
61. "Northern Open tournament". The Glasgow Herald. 1 May 1931. p. 4.