Western Amateur Bids Adieu to Point O’ Woods By Kelly Hill Benton Harbor. Managing Editor Tom Weiskopf won the first ENTON HARBOR - Tom Western Amateur played at Point Weiskopf, Andy North, Ben O’ Woods, in 1963. Andy North s won the Western Am at Point O’ e Crenshaw, Curtis Strange, v i h c r Andy Bean, Hal Sutton, Scott Woods in 1971, the year that began A n o a string of 38 consecutive years in i Verplank, Phil Michelson, Justin t a i B c o Leonard and Tiger Woods. which the tournament was played s s A f at Point O’ Woods. l o G What a lineup! Between them, n r e t s those 10 golfers have won at least That string ends this year. e W f o 196 PGA Tour events and 27 major y s e After hosting 38 straight t championships. r u o c Western Amateur Championships o t o Before that however, when they and 40 in the last 46 years, Point h P were amateur golfers, they com - O’ Woods Golf and Country Club Tom Weiskopf, Western Amateur bined to win 12 Western Amateur is hosting its final Western Champion, 1963 Championships. Amateur Championship, for at least another five years. And all of them won at Point O’ Woods Golf and Country Club in “The club had a contract with the Western Golf Association and s that contract has run out this year,” e v i h said Dennis Mitchell, a Point O’ c r A n Woods member for 21 years who o i t a i c served as Chairman of the Western s o e s v s i h A Am in 2002, ‘03 and ‘04. “The c f l r o A G n tournament has had a great run and o n i r t e a i t c it is a great championship, but it s o e s W s f has had its run.” A o f l y o s G e t r n r u e o t Significant drops in attendance c s e o t W is one reason the tournament will o f h o P y s be played at a different venue each e t r u n i o year, and possibly return to Point c m r o o Andy North, Western Amateur t O’ Woods once every five years. S o h e P c Champion, 1971 n e r a l “There was a time when we C Photo opposite page: Ryan Moore y b Curtis Strange, Western Amateur would easily get 10,000 people for o on his way to winning 2004 Western t the entire week, but that’s when o Champion, 1974 h Amateur at Point O’Woods P M I C H I G A N G O L F E R M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 0 8 9 guys like Phil (Michelson) and summer and the tournament was thought it was a good time to make Tiger (Woods) were playing,” the fifth week. It has been one a change.” Mitchell said. “Amateur golf is not thing after another, and in the past a major event for spectators and not all of this was a factor. We While future sites of the there are not names out there in have seen a weakening of the Western Am are yet to be deter - amateur golf like there used to be. attendance.” mined, the club and WGA have agreed that the championship will “There are also a lot more activ - According to Mitchell, the 2007 return to Point O’ Woods once ities in Benton Harbor than there Western Am at Point O’ Woods every five years, but the club does used to be,” Mitchell said. “In drew fewer than 2,000 spectators, not know where it will fit into the recent years there have been five the entire week. “That had a lot to rotation of the event to various weeks with something to do in the do with this,” Mitchell said. “We venues. “Maybe now more people will come out for it,” Mitchell said. s s e e “Playing at a different venue every v v i i h h c c r r year doesn’t hurt, and this way it A A n n o o i i t could be played at other Michigan t a a i i c c o o courses, too.” s s s s A A f f l l o o G G n n Crenshaw won the 1973 r r e e t t s s e e Western Am at Point O’ Woods, W W f f o o Strange won in ‘74 and Bean won y y s s e e t t in ‘75. Sutton won in 1979 and r r u u o o c c 1980, while Verplank won in ‘85. o o t t o o h Michelson won in 1991 while h P P Leonard won in 1992 and ‘93. Woods won at Point O’ Woods in Hal Sutton, Western Amateur Justin Leonard, Western Amateur MG 1994. Champion in 1979 and 1980 and Champion, 1992 & 1993 David Ogrin, 1980 Runner-up. and Runner-up 1991 s s e e v v i i h h c c r r A A n n o o i i t t a a i i c c o o s s s s A A f f l l o o G G n i n n r r m e e r t t o s s e S e W e W c f f n o o e y r y s a s l e e t t C r r u u y o o b c c o t o o t t o o o h h h P P P Camillo Villegaas, Western Amateur Phil Mickelson, Western Amateur Tiger Woods, Western Amateur Co-Medalist with Kevin Stadler, 2002 Champion, 1991 Champion, 1994 10 F A L L 2 0 0 8 • M I C H I G A N G O L F E R M A G A Z I N E.