The North Dakota Open is the North Dakota state open golf tournament, open to both amateur and professional golfers.
The inaugural event was in 1964. The event was one-round long and had a purse of $2,000.[1] Eddie Langert of St. Paul, Minnesota shot a par-72 to win the tournament by three strokes over Corky Dahl, Herb Marcussen, and Paul O'Leary.[2] The following year the tournament increased to two rounds long. In addition, prize money increased to $3,500 and the winner's cheque was now $600.[3] George Shortridge shot an opening round 73 (+1) to take a one-stroke lead. He led by one over Langert and Byron Comstock. A further shot behind were a number of players including Corky Dahl and Fargo's "host pro" Jack Webb.[3] Langert and Webb outplayed all competitors during the final round and were "deadlocked" down the stretch. However, Webb holed a 40-yard approach shot for a birdie at the par-4 18th hole to assure the win. His 70 (−2) was the only under-par round of the tournament. At 145 (+1), Webb defeated Langert by two strokes.[4]
In 1968, the total prize money increased to $10,000.[5] In 1969, at least 42 professionals entered the event, the most ever.[6] As of 1970, the event remained at Fargo Country Club.[7] Before the 1970 tournament it was announced that, "Most of the leading pros in the Dakotas, Minnesota and Canada have indicated they will enter," including Mike Morley, PGA Tour professional.[8] In 1972, Bill Schwenneker, former assistant professional at Fargo Country Club, won the event.[9][10] In 1973, the winner's prize increased to $1,600. Morley, the PGA Tour pro, won the event.[11] In 1974, Dave Comstock broke Fargo Country Club's course record during the tournament. He shot an opening round 65 breaking Mike Morley's course record.[12] In the early summer of 1975 there were extensive floods in the Fargo region. The tournament, which was scheduled to be played in September, was cancelled by July 18.[13] In mid-1970s, the tournament started to alternate between Fargo Country Club and Oxbow Country Club with the final round at Fargo CC.[14] By the late 1970s, the tournament alternated between Fargo CC and Moorhead Country Club.[15]
In 1980, there was a significant increase in prize money making it the "richest" North Dakota Open ever. The overall purse expanded from $32,000 to $40,000 and the winner's cheque increased from $4,000 to $5,000.[16] In 1981, the winner's prize money had increased to $6,000.[17] In 1984, the tournament started to be sponsored by the Melroe Division Clark Equipment Company.[18] In 1985, Skip Holten broke the tournament record with a 203 total.[19]
Year | Champion | Score | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Bobcat North Dakota Open | |||
2023 | Andre Metzger | 205 | |
2022 | Michael Mattiace | 197 | |
2021 | Andre Metzger | 203 | |
2020 | Andre Metzger | 200 | |
2019 | Tim Ailes | 203 | |
2018 | Kevin Stanek | 131 | |
2017 | Tom Hoge | 196 | |
2016 | Hudson Carpenter | 206 | |
2015 | Matt Miller | 203 | |
2014 | Ricky Hearden III | 200 | |
2013 | Andre Metzger | 207 | |
2012 | Ryan Lenahan | 205 | |
2011 | Tim Ailes | 198 | |
2010 | Tim Ailes | 202 | |
2009 | Patrick Stolpe | 204 | |
2008 | Brady Schnell | 202 | |
2007 | Kane Hanson | 204 | |
2006 | David Schultz | 202 | |
2005 | Chad Fribley | 203 | |
2004 | Dean North | 198 | |
2003 | Mike Podolak (a) | 206 | |
2002 | Paul Wackerly | 200 | |
2001 | Douglas Ferris | 209 | |
2000 | Dustin Wigington | 204 | |
1999 | Jeff Schmid | 135 | |
1998 | Aaron Barber | 205 | |
1997 | Jeff Schmid | 206 | |
1996 | Steve Shriver | 206 | |
1995 | Greg Ladehoff | 205 | |
1994 | Chuck Moran | 208 | |
Melroe-North Dakota Open | |||
1993 | Doug Dunakey | 207 | |
1992 | Bill Israelson | 207 | |
1991 | Jim Ahern | 202 | |
1990 | Bart Bryant | 200 | |
1989 | Jeff Coston | 206 | |
1988 | Joel Edwards | 211 | [20][21] |
1987 | John Snyder | 203 | [22] |
1986 | James Blair | 209 | |
1985 | Skip Holton | 203 | [19] |
1984 | Tony Grimes | 205 | |
North Dakota Open | |||
1983 | Barney Thompson | 209 | [23] |
1982 | Jim Ahern | 213 | |
1981 | Billy Pierot | 207 | [24][25] |
1980 | Bill Israelson | 206 | [26][27] |
1979 | Doug Higgins | 207 | [28] |
1978 | Mike Morley1 | 209 | [29] |
1977 | Dennis Sullivan2 | 213 | [30] |
1976 | Jim Shade | 207 | [31] |
1975 | Tournament cancelled due to flood | [13] | |
1974 | Ron Benson | 210 | [32][33] |
1973 | Mike Morley | 217 | [34][35] |
1972 | Bill Schwenneker | 213 | [36] |
1971 | John Cook | 215 | [37] |
1970 | Jim Doyle (a) | 146 | [38] |
1969 | John Cook | 138 | [39][40] |
1968 | George Shortridge | 143 | [41] |
1967 | Dave Gumlia | 144 | |
1966 | Dave Gumlia | 142 | [42] |
1965 | Jack Webb | 145 | [4] |
1964 | Ed Langert | 72 | [2][43] |
Source:[10]
(a) denotes amateur
1 Morley's birdie on first sudden-death playoff hole defeated Dan Halldorson
2 Sullivan won on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff