Golf Genius ::

The Los Angeles Open at Rancho Park Golf Club 1956-1983

In 1983, the 57th Glen Campbell Los Angeles Open returned to the 6638-yard Rancho Park Golf Course for one year, while Riviera Country Club hosted the PGA Championship.

The L.A. Open was played at Rancho from 1956 to 1972 (minus 1968 at Brookside Park), and most recently in 1983. The Rancho golf course has been home to three permanent golf clubs, and more than 100,000 local and visiting golfers, every year, since 1949. The excitement level of having the professionals at Rancho was always high, with so many of the spectators knowing the course from first hand experience, and the tournament having the full support of the community, and the city of Los Angeles, it isn’t hard to imagine that L.A. Open’s at Rancho were a big success!

In 1983, the pro-amateur featured former U.S. President Gerald Ford, Jack Lemmon, Fred MacMurray, Mike Douglas, Robert Stack, Monty Hall, Dick Martin, Johnny Mathis, Foster Brooks, Scatman Crothers, Wayne Rodgers, Tommy Lasorda, and Steve Garvey, who all entertained the fans.

The professional competition included, Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer, Johnny Miller, Craig Stadler, Dave Stockton, Jim Dent, Lee Trevino, Payne Stewart, Roger Dunn, Charlie Sifford, Jim Thorpe, Bobby Clampett, Roger Maltbie, Larry Mize, Bobbie Wadkins, Fuzzy Zoeller, Mac O’Grady, and others.

53-year old Arnold Palmer opened with a 66, and even led for five holes during the final round! Nowhere on tour has Arnie had more love and support than from his fans at Rancho! And he always deserved it!

Gil Morgan won the title, his second LA Open, scoring 270 over 72 holes.

Previous LA Open winner at Rancho, George Archer, scored a record 61 in the third round, making back to back eagles on No. 8 and 9 (#17 & #18).

Lloyd Mangrum won the first Los Angeles Open at Rancho in 1956. Other legends followed, including; Ken Venturi, Billy Casper, Ray Floyd, and Charlie Sifford, but it was the personal challenge of historic proportions that forever secured Rancho's place in golfing lore, when in 1961, Arnold Palmer arrived at the L.A. Open at the height of his powers.

The previous season Palmer had won the Masters, and followed that up with a breathtaking come-from-behind victory at the 1960 U.S. Open. But Arnold would meet his match at Rancho's par-five 9th (#18) hole, where he attempted to reach the green in 2 strokes, in the first round of the 1961 Open. After a nice drive to the middle of the fairway, Palmer knocked four 3-wood shots out of bounds, on his way to scoring a 12!

As a monument to his feat, the L.A. junior Chamber of Commerce dedicated a plaque in 1963, at Rancho's 18th tee.

Despite the perpetual reminder of the infamous twelve, Arnold Palmer returned to thrill local fans in 1963, by winning the L.A. Open, and he would go on to win back-to-back victories in 1966 and 1967.

Rancho Park also played a signifcant role in 1962 to a young golfer named Jack Nicklaus. Rancho is where the Bear earned his very first pay check of $33.33 as a professional golfer. A two-time U.S. Amateur champion, Nicklaus received a lot of pre-tournament attention from the press, but his scores of 74-70-72-73 for a 289 total fell 21 shots shy of the winner, another rookie named Phil Rodgers, who fired a closing 62. In his first pro-am as a professional, Jack managed to knock two balls out of bounds and score a 9 on Arnie's 9th hole! (plaque coming soon...)

Five months later Jack went to Oakmont Country Club to win the 1962 U.S. Open and earned the "Rookie of the Year" award coming third on the money list.

One of the many milestones of the L.A. Open at Rancho, was the historic win of hometown favorite Charlie Sifford in 1969.

The following is a list of LA Open Champions, with respective winning scores, during the many star-studded years that Rancho hosted the tournament.

The L.A. Open Winners at Rancho:

Year	Champion	4-Day Score
1956	Lloyd Mangrum	272
1957	Doug Ford	280
1958	Frank Stranahan	275
1959	Ken Venturi	278
1960	Dow Finsterwald	280
1961	Bob Goalby	275
1962	Phil Rodgers	268
1963	Arnold Palmer	274
1964	Paul Harney	280
1965	Paul Harney	276
1966	Arnold Palmer	273
1967	Arnold Palmer	269
1969	Charles Sifford	276
1970	Billy Casper	276
1971	Bob Lunn	274
1972	George Archer	270
1983	Gil Morgan	278

Los Angeles Senior Open Winners at Rancho Park Golf Club

Year	Champion	3-Day Score
1990	Mike Hill	201
1991	John Brodie	200
1992	Ray Floyd	195
1993	Dale Douglass	196
1994	Jack Kiefer	197

Arnold Palmer on the range at Rancho during the 1963 L.A. Open.