Avid golfer and tournament host - Andy Williams RIP

[Joel_Stewart]

I'm sure you all saw that Andy Williams died today after a long battle with cancer.  It should be noted he was an avid golfer, hosting the San Diego Open for 20 years.  He helped raise millions of dollars for charity with this tournament but also volunteered his time and efforts at other tournaments and golf functions.




Below are the winners of the tournament and the purse which are amazingly small in todays game.

Shearson Lehman Brothers Andy Williams Open
 1987
 George Burns
 -22
 90,000
 500,000
 

1986
Bob Tway
-12
81,000
450,000

Isuzu-Andy Williams San Diego Open

1985
Woody Blackburn
-19
72,000
400,000
 
1984
Gary Koch
-16
72,000
400,000
 
1983
Gary Hallberg
-17
54,000
300,000
 
Wickes-Andy Williams San Diego Open
 
1982
Johnny Miller
-18
54,000
300,000
 
1981
Bruce Lietzke
-10
45,000
250,000
 
Andy Williams-San Diego Open Invitational
 
1980
Tom Watson (2)
 -13
 45,000
 250,000
 


1979
 Fuzzy Zoeller
 -6
 45,000
 250,000
 
1978
Jay Haas
-10
40,000
200,000
 
1977
Tom Watson
 -19
 36,000
 180,000
 
1976
 J. C. Snead (2)
-16
36,000
180,000
 
1975
 J. C. Snead
 -9
 34,000
 170,000
 
1974
 Bobby Nichols
 -13
 34,000
 170,000

1973
 Bob Dickson
 -10
 34,000
 170,000

1972
 Paul Harney
 -13
 30,000
 150,000
 
1971
George Archer
 -16
 30,000
 150,000

1970
Pete Brown
-13
30,000
150,000
 
1969
Jack Nicklaus
 284
 -4
 30,000
 150,000

1968
 Tom Weiskopf
 273
 -15
 30,000
 150,000
 

[Rick Shefchik]

It seems rather quaint now that so many tournaments were hosted by entertainers whose names were incorporated into the event's title. The entertainers -- Dean Martin, Dinah Shore, Andy Williams, Danny Thomas, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Glen Campbell and I'm probably forgetting a few -- have long since been replaced by corporations, and while such deals make more sense economically, the tournaments certainly feel less personal.

Campbell is the last one standing, and he's not doing real well. All of this seemed to take place a long time ago in galaxy far, far away.

[Dan Kelly]

The entertainers -- Dean Martin, Dinah Shore, Andy Williams, Glen Campbell, Danny Thomas, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Glen Campbell and I'm probably forgetting a few ...  All of this seemed to take place a long time ago in galaxy far, far away.

Yes, indeed. Makes a man feel his age! The word "entertainer" alone does it. Are there entertainers anymore?

Speaking of making a man feel his age: Among today's celebrity birthdays is Donna Douglas (Ellie May Clampett -- and, no, I'm not going to look up the spelling of her name; time's a-wasting!), who turns 80 today.

The ones you're forgetting include Sammy Davis, Jr. (Hartford), Joe Garagiola (Tucson), and The Great One, Jackie Gleason (Jackie Gleason Inverrary Classic).

Hello, ball!

[John McCarthy]

I think you are forgetting the corporal Klinger Toledo open.

[Joel_Stewart]

I think you are forgetting the corporal Klinger Toledo open.

Jamie Farr is one.

Rick brings up a good point that corporate America has taken over.  Justin Timberlake has tried to revive Las Vegas but that hasn't worked out very well and now Bill Clinton has taken over the Bob Hope and that was successful last year but the courses suck and Clinton is more interested in promoting his health agenda than golf and the desert charities.