Venezuela Open

Venezuela Open
Tournament information
LocationCaracas, Venezuela
Established1957
Course(s)Guataparo Country Club
Par70
Tour(s)PGA Tour
Tour de las Américas
PGA Tour Latinoamérica Developmental Series
Caribbean Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fundUS$50,000
Month playedApril
Tournament record score
Aggregate263 Roberto De Vicenzo (1973)
To par−18 Iván Camilo Ramírez (2021)
Current champion
Wolmer Murillo
Location map
Guataparo CC
Location in Venezuela

The Venezuela Open or Abierto de Venezuela is a men's professional golf tournament. It has only been staged intermittently since 1957, 2019 being the 35th edition of the event. Al Geiberger, Art Wall Jr., David Graham, Roberto De Vicenzo and Tony Jacklin are past champions.

Since 2014, the Venezuela Open has been a fixture on the PGA Tour Latinoamérica Developmental Series. From 1979 to 2009 it made frequent appearances on the South American Tour, later known as the Tour de las Américas. Between 1961 and 1973 the tournament was a regular stop on the PGA-sponsored Caribbean Tour, when it was called the Caracas Open or Caracas Open Invitational.[1] The second event in 1957 was co-sponsored by the PGA.[2]

The event has generally been played at three venues in Caracas: Caracas Country Club, Valle Arriba Golf Club and Lagunita Country Club. In 1999 it was held at Izcaragua Country Club, a short distance east of Caracas while in 2000 it was played at Barquisimeto Golf Club near Barquisimeto.

Winners

Year Tour[a] Winner Score To par Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-up Venue Ref.
Abierto de Venezuela
2024 Wolmer Murillo 274 −6 Playoff Julián Etulain Guataparo [3]
2023 PGATLADEV Julián Etulain 272 −8 9 strokes Toto Gana
Santiago Quintero
Guataparo
Venezuela Open
2022 PGATLADEV Virgilio Paz (a) 267 −13 7 strokes Alfredo Adrián Guataparo
2021 PGATLADEV Iván Camilo Ramírez 266 −18 4 strokes Manuel Torres Caracas
2020: No tournament
2019 PGATLADEV George Trujillo (2) 270 −14 1 stroke Manuel Torres Caracas
2018 PGATLADEV George Trujillo 279 −5 2 strokes Miguel Martinez Caracas
2017: No tournament
2016 PGATLADEV Denis Meneghini 278 −2 1 stroke Otto Solís Valle Arriba
2015 PGATLADEV Rafael Guerrero 277 −3 2 strokes Alejandro Perazzo (a) Lagunita
2014 PGATLADEV Diego Larrazábal 207 −3 Playoff[b] Denis Meneghini
Gustavo Morantes (a)
Lagunita
2010–2013: No tournament
2009 TLA Daniel Barbetti 270 −10 2 strokes Jesús Amaya
Raúl Fretes
Lagunita
Canal i Abierto de Venezuela
2008 TLA Ángel Romero (2) 273 −7 1 stroke Diego Vanegas Lagunita
2007 TLA Jesús Amaya (2) 268 −12 3 strokes Fabián Gómez
Sebastián Saavedra
Valle Arriba
Siemens Venezuela Open
2006 TLA Fabián Gómez 265 −15 2 strokes Miguel Guzmán Valle Arriba
2005 TLA Miguel Rodríguez 269 −11 2 strokes Jesús Amaya Lagunita
CANTV Venezuela Open
2004 TLA Miguel Martinez 265 −15 1 stroke Wilfredo Morales Valle Arriba
2003: No tournament
2002 TLA Jesús Amaya 266 −14 4 strokes Raúl Fretes Lagunita
Movilnet Venezuela Open
2001 TLA Rafael Alarcón 268 −12 1 stroke Alexandre Rocha Lagunita
Venezuela Open
2000 Rigoberto Velásquez 283 −1 1 stroke Ángel Romero Barquisimeto
1999 Ángel Romero 279 −1 Izcaragua
1998 Gustavo Mendoza 268 −12 Lagunita
1986–1997: No tournament
1985 Ramón Muñoz 269 −11 Valle Arriba
1983–1984: No tournament
1982 Ronan Rafferty 272 −8 1 stroke Lee Carter Lagunita [4]
1981 Jack Ferencz 267 −13 Playoff[c] David Graham Valle Arriba [1]
1980: No tournament
1979 Tony Jacklin 276 −4 2 strokes Manuel Piñero Lagunita [5]
1974–1978: No tournament
Caracas Open
1973 CAB Roberto De Vicenzo (2) 272 −8 1 stroke Vicente Fernández
Peter Oosterhuis
Valle Arriba [6]
1972 CAB Roberto De Vicenzo 263 −17 10 strokes John Cook Valle Arriba [7]
1971 CAB David Graham 272 −8 1 stroke Tommy Bolt Valle Arriba [8]
1970: No tournament
1969 Peter Townsend 276 −4 Playoff[d] Ramón Muñoz Valle Arriba [9]
1968 CAB Bert Weaver 269 −11 1 stroke Wes Ellis Valle Arriba [10]
1967 CAB Rick Rhoads 276 −4 Playoff[e] Alvie Thompson Valle Arriba [11]
1966 CAB Art Wall Jr. (2) 276 −4 1 stroke Wes Ellis
Dean Refram
Valle Arriba [12]
1965
(Nov)
CAB Al Besselink (3) 275 −5 1 stroke Art Wall Jr. Valle Arriba [13]
1965
(Feb)
CAB Al Besselink (2) 273 −7 3 strokes Wes Ellis Valle Arriba [14]
1964 CAB George Knudson 277 −3 3 strokes Ramón Sota Valle Arriba [15]
1963 CAB Art Wall Jr. 274 −6 2 strokes George Knudson Valle Arriba [16]
1962 CAB Al Geiberger 278 −2 1 stroke Jacky Cupit Valle Arriba [17]
1961 CAB Don Whitt 272 −8 8 strokes Joe Moore Valle Arriba [18]
Venezuela Open
1958–1960: No tournament
1957
(Dec)
PGAT Al Besselink 279 −1 Playoff[f] Bob Rosburg Valle Arriba [19]
1957
(Feb)
Flory Van Donck 277 −7 1 stroke Joe Conrad
Roberto De Vicenzo
Caracas [20]

Source:[21]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ CAB − Caribbean Tour; PGAT − PGA Tour; PGATLADEV − PGA Tour Latinoamérica Developmental Series; TLA − Tour de las Américas.
  2. ^ Larrazábal won on the third hole of a sudden-death playoff. Morantes was eliminated at the first hole.
  3. ^ Ferenz won with a par on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
  4. ^ Townsend won with a birdie on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
  5. ^ Rhoads won with a birdie on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.
  6. ^ Besselink won with a birdie on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.

References

  1. ^ a b McCormack, Mark H. (1982). Dunhill World of Professional Golf 1982. Springwood Books. pp. 276–277, 511. ISBN 0862541018.
  2. ^ Husky, Bob (15 September 1957). "Off the fairway". The Palm Beach Post. West Palm Beach, Florida. p. 26. Retrieved 11 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Wolmer Murillo nuevo campeón en XXXIX Abierto de Venezuela" [Wolmer Murillo new champion at XXXIX Abierto de Venezuela]. Meridiano (in Spanish). 9 April 2024. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Rafferty holds off challenge". The Glasgow Herald. Glasgow, Scotland. 30 November 1982. p. 20. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  5. ^ "Jacklin's Victory in Caracas". The Glasgow Herald. Glasgow, Scotland. 10 December 1979. p. 19. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  6. ^ "Oosterhuis Joint Second". The Glasgow Herald. Glasgow, Scotland. 13 February 1973. p. 5. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  7. ^ "De Vicenzo Cops Caracas Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. AP. 7 February 1972. p. 26. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  8. ^ "Graham Wins Caracas Golf". The Spokesman-Review. AP. 6 February 1971. p. 11. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  9. ^ "Play-off to Townsend". The Canberra Times. Vol. 44, no. 12, 471. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 18 November 1969. p. 21. Retrieved 12 September 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Caracas Open Money Winners". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. AP. 18 November 1968. p. 33. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  11. ^ "Rhoads winner: Caracas playoff". The Spokesman-Review. AP. 20 November 1967. p. 11. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  12. ^ "Wall Captures Caracas Open". Youngstown Vindicator. Youngstown, Ohio. AP. 14 November 1966. p. 15. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  13. ^ "Besselink Finds Putting Secret". The Gazette (Montreal). Montreal, Canada. AP. 22 November 1965. p. 29. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  14. ^ "Besselink Catches Ellis, Wins Caracas Open". The Gazette (Montreal). Montreal, Canada. AP. 1 March 1965. p. 32. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  15. ^ "Knudson Wins Open". The Gazette (Montreal). Montreal, Canada. AP. 24 February 1964. p. 19. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  16. ^ "Wall first In Caracas, Knudson Next". The Gazette (Montreal). Montreal, Canada. AP. 25 February 1963. p. 24. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  17. ^ "Geiberger Triumphs". Youngstown Vindicator. Youngstown, Ohio. AP. 26 February 1962. p. 14. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  18. ^ "Don Whitt Wins Caracas Open". The Gazette (Montreal). Montreal, Canada. UPI. 27 February 1961. p. 21. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  19. ^ "Al Besselink Wins In Caracas". Youngstown Vindicator. Youngstown, Ohio. AP. 2 December 1957. p. 21. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Google News Archive.
  20. ^ "Van Donck Rallies To Win Venezuela Golf Tournament". The Tampa Tribune. AP. 11 February 1957. p. 25. Retrieved 8 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Campeones del Abierto de Venezuela" (PDF). Federación Venezolana de Golf. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 February 2022.