Miller Open: PGA Tour Event in Milwaukee

The Miller Open, also called during its short run the Miller High Life Open and Milwaukee Open Invitational, was a PGA Tour tournament in Wisconsin in the 1950s and 1960s. All but one of its winners was also (or would become) a major championship winner.

First played: 1955

Last played: 1961

The tournament was played under the name "Miller High Life Open" in its first three years. In 1958-59, it was called the "Miller Open." In its final two years, the name was "Milwaukee Open Invitational." The event is unrelated to the later, and much-longer running, Greater Milwaukee Open.

Winners of the Miller Open/Milwaukee Open Invitational

1955 — Cary Middlecoff, 265
1956 — Ed Furgol, 265
1957 — Ken Venturi, 267
1958 — Cary Middlecoff, 264
1959 — Gene Littler, 265
1960 — Ken Venturi, 271
1961 — Bruce Crampton, 272

The only winner of this tournament who was never a major championship winner was Bruce Crampton in the last year, 1961. But Crampton did finish runner-up in four majors, all four times second to Jack Nicklaus. Speaking of second-place finishes, all seven times this tournament was played there was also a major winner (or someone who would later win a major) in second place. Those major-champion runners-up included Julius Boros (1955), Gene Littler (1956), Sam Snead (1957), Bob Rosburg in 1958 and 1959, Billy Casper (1960), and, in 1961, Bob Goalby and Gay Brewer.

Cary Middlecoff (1955, 1958) and Ken Venturi (1957, 1960) were the two golfers who won this title multiple times.

Middlecoff's 264 in 1958 was the tournament's 72-hole scoring record. Venturi's win in 1957 was by five strokes over runners-up Snead and Al Balding, the tournament's record for margin of victory.

Middlecoff's second win, in 1959, was the 37th of his 39 career wins on the PGA Tour. Venturi's first win, in 1957, was the second of his 15 career PGA Tour victories. And Crampton's triumph in 1961 was the very first of his 14 career wins on the tour.

Another tournament called the Milwaukee Open was part of the PGA Tour in 1940, won by Ralph Guldahl. But like the Greater Milwaukee Open that came later, that Milwaukee Open was unrelated to this one.

Golf courses: Blue Mound Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wisc., was the first site in 1955. Tripoli Country Club in Milwaukee was the site for four years, 1956-59. And golfers played North Hills Country Club in Menomonee Falls, Wisc., the final two years.