Ivory Coast Open Explained

Ivory Coast Open
Location:Ivory Coast
Establishment:1980
Course:Ivoire Golf Club
Par:72
Tour:Challenge Tour
Safari Circuit
Format:Stroke play
Month Played:April
Final Year:1999
Aggregate:265 Gary Player (1980)
To-Par:−23 as above
Final Champion: Ian Poulter
Map:Ivory Coast
Map Label:Ivoire GC
Map Relief:yes
Map Size:200
Coordinates:5.336°N -3.963°W

The Ivory Coast Open or Open de Côte d'Ivoire was a golf tournament in the Ivory Coast. It was founded in 1980, and was an event on the Safari Circuit the following year. It was an event on the European-based Challenge Tour schedule in 1990 and 1991, and from 1996 to 1999. It has been held at President Golf Club, Yamoussoukro and Ivoire Golf Club, Abidjan.

The title has been won by some of the world's top golfers, including Vijay Singh, Ian Poulter, and Gary Player. The most successful player is England's Gordon J. Brand, who recorded three victories between 1981 and 1988.[1]

The tournament was revived in 2017 after an 18-year hiatus and was won by the Ghanaian golfer Vincent Torgah.[2]

History

The first event in 1980 was to inaugurate the President Golf Club, Yamoussoukro. It was an invitation event with 27 professionals competing. Yamoussoukro was the birthplace of the President, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who attended the event.[3] Gary Player and Peter Townsend tied at 265, 23 under par and nine strokes ahead of the rest of the field. Townsend was bunkered on the first playoff hole and took a bogey 5 to Player's par 4.[4]

In 1981 the event became the Ivory Coast Open and was added to the Safari Circuit schedule.[5] It was won by Gordon J. Brand, who beat Martin Poxon at the first hole of a sudden-death playoff, after the two had tied on 271.[6]

Winners

This list is incomplete. The 1999 event was advertised as the 18th edition.

YearTourWinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upVenueRef.
Open de Côte d'Ivoire
1999 284 −4 2 strokes Ivoire [7]
1998 281 −7 3 strokes Ivoire
1997 274 −14 Playoff President
1996 284 −4 4 strokes Ivoire
1992−1995: No tournament.
Ivory Coast Open
1991 279 −9 Playoff President [8]
1990 David Llewellyn (2) 275 −13 2 strokes President [9]
1989 SAF 274 −14 1 stroke President [10]
1988 SAF Gordon J. Brand (3) 275 −13 2 strokes President [11]
1987 President
1986 SAF Gordon J. Brand (2) 273 −15 2 strokes President [12]
1985 SAF 277 −11 1 stroke President [13]
1984 SAF 275 −13 5 strokes President [14]
1983 SAF 271 −17 1 stroke President [15]
1982 SAF 272 −16 2 strokes President [16]
1981 SAF 271 −17 Playoff President [17]
Trophée Félix Houphouët-Boigny
1980 SAF 265 −23 Playoff President

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.europeantour.com/challengetour/season=1999/tournamentid=1999705/news/newsid=103976.html Challenge in the Ivory Coast
  2. Web site: Golf : Vincent Torgah grand vainqueur du Trophée Félix Houphouët-Boigny 2017. mondialsport.net . 16 October 2017 .
  3. News: The Times . 6 March 1980 . 15 . Player playing ambassador's role in Ivory Coast event.
  4. News: The Times . 10 March 1980 . 9 . Player ends duel with Townsend by snatching win in play-off.
  5. News: Off on Safari! . Newcastle Journal . Newcastle upon Tyne, England . 5 February 1981 . 18 . British Newspaper Archive . 16 June 2020 . subscription.
  6. News: The Times . 2 March 1981 . 8 . Brand wins Ivory Coast open playoff.
  7. Web site: Poulter keeps cool to take Ivory Coast title . European Tour . 7 February 2020.
  8. News: Tee talk . Aberdeen Press and Journal . Aberdeen, Scotland . 11 December 1991 . 20 . British Newspaper Archive . 9 June 2020 . subscription.
  9. News: Cassells collects his first pro cheque . Aberdeen Press and Journal . Aberdeen, Scotland . 19 December 1990 . 21 . British Newspaper Archive . 9 June 2020 . subscription.
  10. News: For the Record . The Times . 27 November 1989 . 45. . The Times Digital Archive . 7 February 2020.
  11. News: Yorkshire's Gordon J. Brand . . 8 February 1988 . 7.
  12. News: A Brand double as Marchbank falters . . 24 February 1986 . 9.
  13. News: A Last-round 69 . . 18 February 1985 . 17.
  14. News: Scotland's Billy McColl . . 5 March 1984 . 16.
  15. News: Longmuir coasts to victory . . 7 March 1983 . 16.
  16. News: John Morgan . . 15 February 1982 . 17.
  17. News: Gordon Brand . . 2 March 1981 . 18.