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Buick Open to celebrate 50 years

Posted Thursday, June 19, 2008

By Michael Selecky
VIEW Sports Writer

GRAND BLANC TWP. — The 2008 Buick Open, which will be hosted by Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club June 23-29, is going all out in celebration of the event’s 50th anniversary as organizers look to cement themselves as the tournament’s home for years to come.
Currently, Warwick Hills has signed on to host The Buick Open through 2010. Buick’s oldest PGA Tour event began in 1958 and all but one of its 41 tournaments has been held at Warwick Hills. The Flint Elks Club hosted the Open in 1977 and from 1970-76 the event was on hiatus.
Some of the Open’s former winners who’ll be playing in the 2008 proceedings include Tiger Woods, who is presently first on the PGA money list, winning $5,775,000 over the course of six tournaments, and last year’s champ, Brian Bateman.
At the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, CA, June 9-15, Woods came in first by tying at 283 with Rocco Mediate to force a day-five, 18-hole playoff. Woods went on to par the 19th hole in a sudden-death scenario to take the event by a stroke. The pair was tied at one under after the 18th. Although Woods has committed to play in the Buick, 91 holes of golf took its toll on his left knee and he will likely continue with the commitments surrounding the tournament, but may not play. Woods has until June 21 to officially commit or withdraw.
Woods won the Buick Open in both 2002 and 2006 but did not play in last year’s event, as his daughter, Sam Alexis, was born within days of the tournament.
Mediate, who won the 2000 Buick Open by a single stroke at 268 over Chris Perry, is presently 43rd on the PGA 2008 money list at $1,127,090. The Florida Southern University graduate has competed in 18 events this year, including his dramatic second place finish at the US Open. Mediate only has two top-10 finishes this year but has career earnings of almost $14.5 million. He will also play in the Buick Open.
Over the past several years the 45-year-old has managed some less than stable results, earning $145,899 for all of 2006. Mediate followed that up with a career-best 2007, earning just under $1.2 million with a scoring average of 71.19.
Bateman, who was not in action at the U.S. Open, last competed May 30 at the Memorial Tournament, withdrawing after round one because of sickness. This year Bateman has won $227,470, putting him in 146th place on the PGA’s 2008 money list.
Bateman’s 15-under 273 at last year’s Buick Open was his first tour win and allowed him to edge out Woody Austin, Justin Leonard and Jason Gore, all of whom carded a 14 -under, 274 for the four-day event.
Former champion Kenny Perry will be at this year’s tournament as well, having won the 2001 title by two strokes over Chris DiMarco and Jim Furyk, who tied for second that year with a score 265.
Perry was last in action at the Memorial Tournament May 29-June 1, coming in first by two strokes at eight-under. Currently, he’s sixth on the PGA money list with a little under $2.5 million in winnings, having entered 16 events.
Fan favorite John Daly received a special exemption to take part in the tournament. His top results for the year include the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun on Feb. 21-24, tying for 60th place at 284 to earn a cool $7,630.
With tournament action taking place June 26-29, some of the pre-event festivities going on in association with the Open’s anniversary include the June 23 Buick Dealer Pro-Am. The next day Jason Zuback will appear at the Buick Family Golf Clinic at 3 p.m., and on June 25 the Onstar Pro-Am will precede the Buick Open’s 50th anniversary ceremony at 11 a.m. 1958 champ Billy Casper, Bateman and PGA Tour top dogs will take part. Casper will be on site all day June 25.
Details: www.buickopen.com or call 1-800-878-OPEN (6736).Currently, Warwick Hills has signed on to host The Buick Open through 2010. Buick’s oldest PGA Tour event began in 1958 and all but one of its 41 tournaments has been held at Warwick Hills. The Flint Elks Club hosted the Open in 1977 and from 1970-76 the event was on hiatus.
Some of the Open’s former winners who’ll be playing in the 2008 proceedings include Tiger Woods, who is presently first on the PGA money list, winning $5,775,000 over the course of six tournaments, and last year’s champ, Brian Bateman.
At the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, CA, June 9-15, Woods came in first by tying at 283 with Rocco Mediate to force a day-five, 18-hole playoff. Woods went on to par the 19th hole in a sudden-death scenario to take the event by a stroke. The pair was tied at one under after the 18th. Although Woods has committed to play in the Buick, 91 holes of golf took its toll on his left knee and he will likely continue with the commitments surrounding the tournament, but may not play. Woods has until June 21 to officially commit or withdraw.
Woods won the Buick Open in both 2002 and 2006 but did not play in last year’s event, as his daughter, Sam Alexis, was born within days of the tournament.
Mediate, who won the 2000 Buick Open by a single stroke at 268 over Chris Perry, is presently 43rd on the PGA 2008 money list at $1,127,090. The Florida Southern University graduate has competed in 18 events this year, including his dramatic second place finish at the US Open. Mediate only has two top-10 finishes this year but has career earnings of almost $14.5 million. He will also play in the Buick Open.
Over the past several years the 45-year-old has managed some less than stable results, earning $145,899 for all of 2006. Mediate followed that up with a career-best 2007, earning just under $1.2 million with a scoring average of 71.19.
Bateman, who was not in action at the U.S. Open, last competed May 30 at the Memorial Tournament, withdrawing after round one because of sickness. This year Bateman has won $227,470, putting him in 146th place on the PGA’s 2008 money list.
Bateman’s 15-under 273 at last year’s Buick Open was his first tour win and allowed him to edge out Woody Austin, Justin Leonard and Jason Gore, all of whom carded a 14 -under, 274 for the four-day event.
Former champion Kenny Perry will be at this year’s tournament as well, having won the 2001 title by two strokes over Chris DiMarco and Jim Furyk, who tied for second that year with a score 265.
Perry was last in action at the Memorial Tournament May 29-June 1, coming in first by two strokes at eight-under. Currently, he’s sixth on the PGA money list with a little under $2.5 million in winnings, having entered 16 events.
Fan favorite John Daly received a special exemption to take part in the tournament. His top results for the year include the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun on Feb. 21-24, tying for 60th place at 284 to earn a cool $7,630.
With tournament action taking place June 26-29, some of the pre-event festivities going on in association with the Open’s anniversary include the June 23 Buick Dealer Pro-Am. The next day Jason Zuback will appear at the Buick Family Golf Clinic at 3 p.m., and on June 25 the Onstar Pro-Am will precede the Buick Open’s 50th anniversary ceremony at 11 a.m. 1958 champ Billy Casper, Bateman and PGA Tour top dogs will take part. Casper will be on site all day June 25.
Details: www.buickopen.com or call 1-800-878-OPEN (6736).