Northern Trust Open - History

History

Prior to World War II, the event led a nomadic existence in southern California, moving from course to course. The inaugural event in 1926 was played at Los Angeles Country Club in Los Angeles; in 1927 the event moved to El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana for the only time. In 1928 the event moved again to Wilshire Country Club, also in Los Angeles. 1929 and 1930 saw the event's first foray to Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades before returning again to Los Angeles for the next decade. From 1931–33, the event alternated between Wilshire CC and Hillcrest Country Club, before returning to Los Angeles CC from 1934–36. From 1937–39, the event was played at Griffith Park before returning to Los Angeles CC in 1940. Babe Zaharias played in the 1938 event, being the first woman to play in a professional golf tournament for men.

In 1941, the event returned to Riviera CC and in 1942 was played again at Hillcrest CC before World War II intervened.

The event started up again in 1944 at Wilshire CC before spending the next 9 years (1945–53) at Riviera CC. In 1954 the event was played at Fox Hills Country Club on land that is now in Culver City, California and in 1955 moved to Inglewood Country Club in Inglewood, California. From 1956–72, the event returned to Los Angeles, being played at Rancho Park Golf Course, with the exception of 1968 when the event was played at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena, California.

In 1973, the event began its current relationship with Riviera CC, where it has been played every year since except 1983 and 1998. Riviera CC played host to the 1983 PGA Championship, and the 1998 U.S. Senior Open. In an effort to preserve the course, the 1983 event was played at Rancho Park Golf Course, and the 1998 event was contested at Valencia Country Club in Valencia, California.

In 1992, the Nissan Los Angeles Open at Riviera CC was the site of Tiger Woods' first PGA Tour event as an amateur player.

In 2005, the tournament was shortened by 36 holes due to rain. Adam Scott defeated Chad Campbell on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff on a Monday. Due to the event's length, this win is counted as unofficial for Scott.

In 2007, Rich Beem made a hole-in-one at the 14th hole on Saturday to win a new red Altima coupe, which he immediately ascended, embraced, and sat atop of in triumph. The sequence was later made into a Nissan commercial. (video) Beem credited Peter Jacobsen for inspiring his reaction; Jacobsen aced the same hole in 1994 and hopped into the nearby 300ZX convertible and pretended to drive it.

In September 2007, it was originally announced that Bearing Point, a consulting firm based in McLean Virginia, would become the new title sponsor of the tournament. However, on October 15, 2007, Northern Trust became the title sponsor beginning in February 2008.

The five-year agreement, which extends through the 2012 event, was announced October 15, 2007, by PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem and William A. Osborn, Chairman and CEO of Northern Trust Corporation. The tournament is currently known as the Northern Trust Open, and the new partnership marks the beginning of a process of transformation for this high-profile tournament. As part of the initial move to enhance the tournament, the Northern Trust Open increased its purse to $6.2 million in 2008, an increase of $1 million over 2007. Additionally, the tournament pro-am will go from four amateurs to three per group.

In 2009, the Northern Trust Open created an exemption for a player who represents the advancement of diversity in golf; it is named in honor of pioneering black golfer Charlie Sifford and is referred to as the Charlie Sifford Exemption. The first exemption recipient was Vincent Johnson of Portland, Oregon.

Phil Mickelson won the 2008 tournament and successfully defended the title in 2009 with a 1-stroke victory over Steve Stricker. In 2010, Stricker came back to win the Northern Trust Open and secure his ranking of the number two player in the world.