Michigan Open Winners

The Michigan Open was first played in 1916 and over the years has garnered an impressive list of Champions.

The inaugural Michigan Open was won by Leo Diegel at age 17. Diegel, who was born in Wayne County, Michigan, went on to win two PGA Championships. He also played in the inaugural Ryder Cup and Masters Tournaments.

The great Walter Hagen won the title in 1921. Hagen had served as the head professional at Oakland Hills from 1918 – 1919, but by 1921 was the sport’s only full-time, unaffiliated professional. Hagen won one of his five PGA Championships the same year. Eventually, Hagen retired to Traverse City, Michigan, where he died in 1969.

Noted amateur George Von Elm was the champion in 1928. Von Elm won the US Amateur in 1926 when it was considered a Major, famously battling Bobby Jones in a year when Jones had won both the US and British Opens.

Al Watrous, who had eight PGA Tour victories in the 1920s and 1930s was a six time winner of the Michigan Open. Watrous, too, had a connection to Bobby Jones. During the 1926 Open Championship, Watrous was tied with Jones in the final round until the 17th hole, eventually finishing second. Watrous won the PGA Senior Championship three times.

Horton Smith, winner of the 1954 Michigan Open won the first and third Masters. (Which along with Leo Diegel provides yet another Bobby Jones connection).

Chuck Kocsis, winner of three Michigan Opens, was voted by the Golf Association of Michigan as the state’s “Amateur Golfer of the Century.” Kocsis won six Michigan Amateurs, was a member of three Walker Cup Teams and two NCAA Championship teams at the University of Michigan. He also was low Amateur in two Masters and two US Opens.

Professional golfer Dave Hill, a native of Jackson, Michigan, won the Michigan Open in 1959. Hill would go on to win thirteen times on the PGA TOUR, and was a member of the 1969, 1973 and 1977 Ryder Cup Teams.

Mike Souchak won the Michigan Open in 1967.  He won eleven times on the PGA Tour.

In recent years, the Michigan Open has been dominated by Scott Hebert, professional at the Traverse City Golf and Country Club, who has six wins. In the late 1970s and 1980s, the Michigan Open saw five wins by Randy Erskine, who played on the PGA TOUR from 1974 to 1979.

The complete list of Michigan Open winners follows:

Michigan Open Winners

Year	Player
2016	Jeff Bronkema
2015	Jeff Cuzzort
2014	Ryan Brehm [3]
2013	Tom Werkmeister (amateur)
2012	Barrett Kelpin
2011	Randy Hutchison
2010	Ryan Brehm [2]
2009	Ryan Brehm [1]
2008	Tom Gillis
2007	Andrew Ruthkoski
2006	Scott Hebert [6]
2005	Michael Harris
2004	Jeff Roth
2003	Bob Ackerman [2]
2002	Scott Hebert [5]
2001	Scott Hebert [4]
2000	Scott Hebert [3]
1999	Scott Hebert [2]
1998	Jeff Roth
1997	Scott Hebert [1]
1996	Steve Brady
1995	Dave Smith
1994	Tom Gillis
1993	Brent Veenstra
1992	Steve Brady [2]
1991	Steve Brady [1]
1990	Robert Proben
1989	Barry Redmond
1988	Ed Humenik
1987	Jack Seltzer
1986	Tim Matthews
1985	Randy Erskine [5]
1984	Randy Erskine [4]
1983	Buddy Whitten [2]
1982	Buddy Whitten [1]
1981	Fred Muller
1980	Lynn Janson
1979	Randy Erskine [3]
1978	Randy Erskine [2]
1977	Tom Deaton
1976	Randy Erskine [1]
1975	Bob Ackerman(amateur) [1]
1974	Lynn Janson
1973	George Bayer
1972	Ron Fox
1971	Ted Kondratko
1970	Walter Burkemo [4]
1969	Charles Knowles
1968	John Molenda
1967	Mike Souchak
1966	Gene Bone [2]
1965	Gene Bone [1]
1964	Thom Rosely
1963	Phil Wiechman
1962	Pete Brown
1961	John Barnum [2]
1960	John Barnum [1]
1959	Dave Hill
1958	John Barnum
1957	Walter Burkemo [3]
1956	Pete Cooper
1955	Walter Burkemo [2]
1954	Horton Smith
1953	Chick Harbert
1952	Mike Dietz
1951	Walter Burkemo [1]
1950	John Barnum
1949	Al Watrous [6]
1948	Chick Harbert
1947	Buck White
1946	Chuck Kocsis (amateur) [3]
1945	Chuck Kocsis (amateur) [2]
1944	Sam Byrd
1943	Al Watrous [5]
1942	Chick Harbert
1941	Gib Sellers
1940	Emerick Kocsis
1939	Marvin Stahl [3]
1938	Marvin Stahl [2]
1937	Chick Harbert (amateur)
1936	Marvin Stahl [1]
1935	Jake Fassezke [2]
1934	Jake Fassezke [1]
1933	Mortie Dutra
1932	Clarence Gamber
1931	Chuck Kocsis (amateur) [1]
1930	Al Watrous [4]
1929	Al Watrous [3]
1928	George Von Elm (amateur)
1927	Al Watrous [2]
1926	Al Watrous [1]
1925	Davey Robertson
1924	No record
1923	Harry Hampton
1922	No record
1921	Walter Hagen
1920	Mike Brady
1919	Leo Diegel [2]
1917-18	No tournament
1916	Leo Diegel [1]

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