North Coast Open

The North Coast Open was a professional golf tournament in Australia from 1951 to 1975.^[1]

History

It was always held at Coffs Harbour Golf Club in Coffs Harbour, New South Wales.^[1][2] It was a PGA Tour of Australia event from 1973 to 1975.^[1]

The name "North Coast Open" was not used until the 1953 championship, the first two events being referred to as Coffs Harbour Golf Club £200 Professional Purse.^[3] Initially the event was played over 36 holes, increasing to 54 holes in 1959, and 72 holes in 1962.

The 1974 event was the largest with 188 players; 119 professionals and 69 amateurs. It also had its highest hitherto purse at $A8,000.^[4]

Winners

Year	Winner	Country	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Ref
North Coast Open
1975	Vaughan Somers	Australia	279	−9	2 strokes	Noel Ratcliffe	[5]
1974	Allan Cooper	Australia	278	−10	5 strokes	Rob McNaughton	[6]
1973	Stewart Ginn	Australia	279	−9	5 strokes	Tom Linskey	[7]
1972	Terry Kendall	New Zealand	282	−6	1 stroke	Bill Dunk	[8]
1971	Bill Dunk (4)	Australia	269	−19	10 strokes	Randall Vines	[9]
1970	Bill Dunk (3)	Australia	212	−4	5 strokes	Peter Harvey Randall Vines	[10]
1969	Tony Mangan	Australia	291	+3	3 strokes	David Graham	[11]
1968	Vic Bennetts	Australia	283	−5	2 strokes	Les Wilson	[12]
1967	Bill Dunk (2)	Australia	288	E	5 strokes	Bob Swinbourne	[13]
1966	Bill Dunk	Australia	276	−12	1 stroke	Col Johnston	[14]
1965	Norman Von Nida	Australia	284	−2	Playoff	Jack Donald	[15]
1964	Ron Howell	United States	278	−10	1 stroke	Bill Dunk	[16]
1963	Alan Murray	Australia	278	−10	4 strokes	Col Johnston	[17]
1962	Frank Phillips (2)	Australia	272	−16	8 strokes	Stan Peach	[18]
1961	Len Woodward	Australia	211	−5	2 strokes	Stan Leonard	[19]
North Coast Open Championship and Ampol Purse
1960	Frank Phillips	Australia	211	−5	1 stroke	Peter Thomson	[20]
1959	John Sullivan	Australia	212	+2	1 stroke	Frank Phillips Les Wilson	[21]
1958	Bruce Crampton	Australia	138	−2	2 strokes	Eric Cremin Frank Phillips Darrell Welch	[22]
1957	Gary Player (2)	South Africa	135	−5	1 stroke	Eric Cremin	[23]
1956	Gary Player	South Africa	136	−4	Playoff	Norm Berwick	[24]
North Coast Open Championship
1955	Kel Nagle (4)	Australia	138		6 strokes	Eric Cremin Jim McInnes	[25]
1954	Kel Nagle (3)	Australia	136		4 strokes	Frank Phillips	[26][27]
1953	Allan Myers	Australia	135		1 stroke	Eric Cremin	[3]
Coffs Harbour Professional Purse
1952	Kel Nagle (2)	Australia	141		1 stroke	Jim McInnes	[28]
1951	Kel Nagle	Australia	134		5 strokes	Eric Cremin	[29][30]

The 1970 event was reduced to 54 holes by bad weather. In 1956 Player beat Berwick in a playoff for the championship but they were tied when determining the prize money.

Source:^[1]