Cajun Classic Open Invitational

The Cajun Classic Open Invitational was a golf tournament in Louisiana on the PGA Tour in the late 1950s and 1960s, played at the Oakbourne Country Club in Lafayette, usually in late November.[2] It debuted as the Lafayette Open Invitational in 1958,[3] and in many years was the last tournament on the PGA Tour schedule, which attracted players fighting for position on the money list.

Cajun Classic Open Invitational
Tournament information
LocationLafayette, Louisiana, U.S.
Established1958
Course(s)Oakbourne Country Club
Par72
Length6,555 yards (5,994 m)[1]
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatStroke play - 72 holes
Prize fund$35,000
Month playedNovember
Final year1968
Final champion
Ron Cerrudo
Lafayette
Location in the United States
Lafayette
Location in Louisiana

John Barnum, the only man in the history of the PGA Tour to earn his first win after age 50, won this event in 1962 at age 51.[4][5] Barnum was also the first player to win on Tour using a Ping putter.[6]

The 1963 tournament began on Thursday, November 21, but during the second round the following day, news of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy swept the course. Saturday's play was postponed in deference to the news, with the tournament finishing on Sunday with the final two rounds being played.

It lost the last tournament slot on the 1969 schedule and the resulting smaller field caused monetary problems that resulted in the tournament folding.

Winners
YearDatePlayerScoreTo parWinner's
share ($)		Purse ($)Notes
Cajun Classic Open Invitational
1968Nov 24 Ron Cerrudo270–185,00035,000[1]
1967Dec 3   Marty Fleckman275–135,00035,000[7]
1966Nov 27 Jacky Cupit271–174,85034,500[8]
1965Nov 28 Babe Hiskey275–134,25032,000[9]
1964Nov 22 Miller Barber277–73,30025,000[10]
1963Nov 24 Rex Baxter275–132,80020,000[11]
1962Nov 11 John Barnum270–142,40017,500[4]
1961Nov 19 Doug Sanders270–142,00015,000[12]
1960Nov 20 Lionel Hebert272–122,00015,000[13]
Lafayette Open Invitational
1959Nov 20 Billy Casper273–112,00015,000[14]
1958Apr 27 Jay Hebert275–112,00015,000[3]

References
  1. "Cajun Classic". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. November 25, 1968. p. 3C.
  2. "Oakbourne Country Club to Host LGA State Amateur" (Press release). Archived from the original on September 30, 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  3. "Jay Hebert wins pro tournament". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. April 28, 1958. p. 3B.
  4. "Barnum takes Cajun Classic". Wilmington Morning Star. (North Carolina). UPI. November 12, 1962. p. 9.
  5. "Oldest PGA Tour Winners". Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  6. Dear, Tony. "Keeping it in the Family". Archived from the original on November 1, 2004. Retrieved December 19, 2007.
  7. "Fleckman's 30-footer nets Cajun, PGA mark". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 4, 1968. p. 2B.
  8. "Cupit wins Cajun golf in playoff". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. November 28, 1966. p. 36.
  9. "Hiskey victor in golf play". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. November 29, 1965. p. 15.
  10. "Nicklaus tops money battle; Barber victor". Spokane Daily Chronicle. (Washington). Associated Press. November 23, 1964. p. 11.
  11. "Baxter wins Cajun golf tournament". Wilmington Morning Star. (North Carolina). UPI. November 25, 1963. p. 11.
  12. "Cajun golf annexed by Sanders". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. November 20, 1961. p. 35.
  13. "L. Hebert captures Cajun Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. November 21, 1960. p. 28.
  14. "Casper wins tourney title". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. November 16, 1959. p. 2B.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.