The St. Petersburg Open Invitational, first played as the St. Petersburg Open, was a PGA Tour event that was held at three St. Petersburg, Florida area clubs for 29 years from 1930 until 1964. The clubs that hosted the event were: Lakewood Country Club (now known as St. Petersburg Country Club), Pasadena Country Club (now known as Pasadena Yacht and Country Club), and Sunset Golf Club of the Vinoy Park Hotel (now known as the Vinoy Club, affiliated with Vinoy Hotel).
Bob Goalby wonGoalby cards 8 consecutive birdies to win at St. Pete the 1961 event after making eight consecutive birdies in the final round, a PGA Tour record at the time. Other golfers tied Goalby's mark but nobody surpassed it till 2009.Most Consecutive Birdies in a PGA Tour Tournament In 1963, Raymond Floyd won the event at 20 years 6 months of age becoming the youngest player to win a PGA Tour event since 1928.
Bruce Devlin, an Australian golfer who had recently moved to the United States, won the first of his eight PGA Tour titles at the last one in 1964. The tournament succumbed to financial pressure when the St. Petersburg City Council voted to postpone a decision on sponsorship of the 1965 event, and then Jacksonville announced the resumption of the Jacksonville Open during week the tournament was to be held.
Tournament hosts CourseYearsLakewood Country Club 1930 (co-host), 1933 (co-host), 1936 (co-host), 1938, 1940, 1942, 1948, 1952, 1955–56, 1959–60, 1962–64Jungle Country Club 1930 (co-host)Pasadena Country Club 1932, 1933 (co-host), 1934, 1936 (co-host), 1937, 1939, 1941, 1947, 1949–51, 1953, 1957–58, 1961Sunset Golf Club at Vinoy Park 1946
Winners YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-upWinner'sshare ($)St. Petersburg Open Invitational 1964 Bruce Devlin 272 −16 4 strokes Dan Sikes 3,300 1963 Raymond Floyd 274 −14 1 stroke Dave Marr 3,500 1962 Bobby Nichols 272 −16 2 strokes Frank Boynton 2,800 1961 Bob Goalby 261 −23 3 strokes Ted Kroll 2,800 1960 George Bayer 282 −6 Playoff Jack Fleck 2,000 1959 Cary Middlecoff (2) 275 −13 3 strokes Pete Cooper 2,000 1958 Arnold Palmer 276 −8 1 stroke Dow Finsterwald Fred Hawkins 2,000St. Petersburg Open 1957 Pete Cooper 269 −15 4 strokes Jack Burke Jr. 1,700 1956 Mike Fetchick 275 −13 Playoff Lionel Hebert 2,200 1955 Cary Middlecoff 274 −14 2 strokes Jay Hebert 2,2001954: No tournament 1953 Dutch Harrison 266 −18 1 stroke Chick Harbert Dick Mayer 2,000 1952 Jack Burke Jr. (2) 266 −22 8 strokes Al Besselink 2,000 1951 Jim Ferrier 268 −16 6 strokes Al Brosch 2,000 1950 Jack Burke Jr. 272 −12 1 stroke Chick Harbert 2,000 1949 Pete Cooper 275 −9 1 stroke Cary Middlecoff 2,000 1948 Lawson Little 272 −16 3 strokes Bobby Locke 2,000 1947 Jimmy Demaret (2) 280 −4 3 strokes Jim Ferrier 2,000 1946 Ben Hogan 269 −15 5 strokes Sam Snead 2,0001943–1945: No tournament due to World War II 1942 Sam Snead (3) 286 −2 3 strokes Sam Byrd Chick Harbert Byron Nelson 1,000 1941 Sam Snead (2) 279 −5 2 strokes Herman Barron Chick Harbert Ben Hogan Jug McSpaden 1,200 1940 Jimmy Demaret 211 −2 1 stroke Byron Nelson 700 1939 Sam Snead 207 −9 Playoff Henry Picard 700 1938 Johnny Revolta 282 −2 Playoff Chandler Harper 700 1937 Harry Cooper 284 −4 Playoff Ralph Guldahl Horton Smith 700 1936 Leonard Dodson 283 −3 Playoff Harry Cooper 5001935: No tournament 1934 Paul Runyan 141 −3 3 strokes Bill Mehlhorn 200 1933 Bob Stupple 144 +1 1 stroke Denny Shute Al Watrous 275 1932 Willie Macfarlane 209 −7 1 stroke Dave Hackney 5001931: No tournament 1930 Jock Collins 141 +1 1 stroke Horton Smith Frank Walsh 1,000
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