By Letty Stapp Watt
"Oklahoma Professional Golf Association Championship" began in 1924. I located this record of players in The Story of Golf in Oklahoma by Del Lemon. I thought it important enough to research the winners since the beginnings of this tournament were hosted by the Rockdale Country club and the Miami Country Club.
Sand Greens in Chickasha Ok. 1931 |
1924 Ed Dudley location unknown
1925 William Creavy location unknown
1926 Jack Guild, pro from Tulsa MUSKOGEE COUNTRY CLUB
1927 Jimmy Gullane location unknown
1928 Jimmy Gullane ROCKDALE COUNTRY CLUB, Miami
(Gullane became pro at Hillcrest in Bartlesville when he won the Oklahoma Open in 1932-33. Gullane went on to win the South Central PGA section championship three times.)
1929 Clarence Clark ROCKDALE COUNTRY CLUB, Miami
Runner-up Jack Guild
1930 Clarence Clark ROCKDALE COUNTRY CLUB, Miami
Runner-up Jack Guild
(Clark was the winner of seven PGA events plus the 1930 Oklahoma Open. This pro from Tulsa's old McFarlin Golf club won the 193 Texas Open and had a top-ten finish in the 1936 US Open at Baltusrol. Clark won back-to-back South Central PGA Championships in 1929-30.)
1931 Bob Higgins, local pro OKMULGEE COUNTRY CLUB
(Bob HIggins of Okmulgee CC, also won the South Central PGA Championship in 1931-32)
1932 Howard Frank, pro Rockcliffe CC in Ponca City, or Bob Higgins (info not clear)
CONOCO COUNTRY CLUB
1933 Jimmy Gullane (33.8.6) location unknown
1934 George Whitehead, pro Indian Hills CC location unknown
1935 Francis Scheider OKLAHOMA CITY GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB
(Scheider won the South Central PGA in 1935.)
1936 George Whitehead, pro Indian Hills CC location unknown
(George Whitehead, long hitting pro at Tulsa's Indian Hills CC won the 1942 Oklahoma Open at Oakhurst CC in Tulsa. At that time he was the reigning Tulsa PGA District Champion,the State PGA match play champion, and won four South Central PGA Championships between 1934-1945) *The Story of Golf in Oklahoma, p.346
1937 Floyd Farley location unknown
1938 Eddy Standard, Okc Country Club pro, MUSKOGEE GOLF COURSE
(Standard won the South Central PGA Championship in 1938.)
1939 Buddy Poteet MIAMI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
Buddy Poteet professional golfer from Tulsa's Northridge golf course (1941.5.18 Miami Daily News Record) |
(Poteet won the 1941 Oklahoma Open and the South Central PGA Championship in 1939.)
Floyd Farley, PGA of Oklahoma |
1940 Floyd Farley MIAMI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
(Farley became the most prolific golf course architect in Oklahoma history. He won the South Central PGA Championship in 1937 and 1942.) or Frank Higgins (D.Lemon)
1941 Charley Weisner, Muskogee MIAMI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Runner-up Jimmy Gullane of Bartlesville
or George Whitehead (Del Lemon)
1942 Floyd Farley MIAMI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
1943 No tournament
1944 William Oliver
1945 Tex Consolver, Wichita pro MIAMI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
1946 Jimmy Gauntt, Okc MIAMI GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
(Gauntt was one of only two five-time winners of the South Central PGA Championship, Rob Ralston of Arkansas was the other. Guantt is the only person to have won the Oklahoma Open five times, including three years straight 1954,55,56. A native of Ardmore, a former caddie at Dornick Hills, and long time pro at Twin Hills, Gauntt also won three consecutive Texas PGA Championships (1942,43,44).)
1947 Jimmy Gauntt, Okc unknown
1948 Morrie Gravatt, Tulsa pro ? PONCA CITY COUNTRY CLUB
(Gravatt won the South Central PGA Championship in 1948.)
1949 Jimmy Gauntt, Okc PONCA CITY COUNTRY CLUB
1950 Jimmy Gauntt
1951 Ted Gwin
1952 Dick Mertz
1953 E.J. "Dutch" Harrison
1954 Labron Harris, Sr. PONCA CITY COUNTRY CLUB
1955 Jimmie Gauntt TULSA INDIAN HILLS
1956 Jimmie Gauntt
Headlines Read: 33RD ANNUAL OKLAHOMA SECTION PGA TOURNAMENT to be held at PONCA CITY COUNTRY CLUB
1957 Buster Cupit
1958 Ted Gwin
1959 Buster Cupid
1960 Buster Cupid
1961 Pete Fleming
1962 Francis "Bo" Wininger
1963 Francis "Bo" Wininger
1964 Chris Gers
1965 Charles Rotar
1966 Ernie Vossler
1967 Larry Fryer
1968 George McKeown
1969 Richard Crawford
1970 Jerry Abbott
1971 Richard Crawford
1972 David Lee
1973 Art Proctor (from Kickingbird GC)
1974 Dick Goetz
1975 Labron Harris, Jr. (Stillwater)
1976 Jimmie Bullard
1977 Jerry Jones
1978 Doug Tewell
1979 Bob Ralston
1980 Chris Cole
1981 Dick Goetz
1982 Bob Ralston
1983 Art Proctor (Kickingbird GC)
1984 Don Maddox
1985 Bob Ralston
1986 Steve Ball
1987 Jim Woodward
1988 Andy Schaben (Earlywine GC)
1989 Bob Ralston
1990 Art Romero
1991 Dave Bryon
1992 Jeff Combe
1993 Glen Day
1994 Tim Fleming
1995 Rod Nuckolls
1996 Bob Ralston
1997 Jim Woodward
1998 Craig Walker
1999 Tim Fleming
I will continue to update this list as I read connections to the Miami Golf and Country club.
*Please refer to the Oklahoma PGA for more information.
**The Story of Golf in Oklahoma by Del Lemon is my source for the golf titles from 1949 to the present. All other information came from the articles I found in the Miami Daily News Record, or the Miami News Record.
**This is the link to the Chickasha Golf course in 1931 article. Sand Greens