Greg Norman leads the charge at first year of Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont on 7-7-91.
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When you hear people talk about the Western Open, it brings to mind golf legends like Jack Nicklaus, Payne Stewart, Tiger Woods and especially Greg Norman. The Western Open was a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour first played in September 1899 at the Glen View Club in Golf, Illinois. In 2007 the Western Open was renamed the BMW Championship with sponsorship from companies like Beatrice, Centel, Motorola, Advil, Golf Digest and Cialis.
The Western Open eventually settled in the Chicago metropolitan area in 1962 at a variety of courses, like Medinah County Club, Beverly County Club and Olympia Fields County Club. It really developed a fan base and grew in popularity with its annual home at the Butler National Golf Club in Oak Brook then moving in 1991 to Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont, Illinois. In 1899, the prize fund was $150 and Willie Smith's winner's share was $50. The purse in its final year of 2006 was $5 million, with $900,000 to the final winner, Trevor Immelman. Past winners included Tiger Woods, Scott Hoch, Joe Durant, Jerry Kelly, Billy Mayfair, Hale Irwin, Tom Kite and Tom Watson plus many others names that defined the name of tournament golf. It was canceled in the years 43' 44' and 1945 due to World War II.
Western Open in Oak Brook on 7-2-1980 with Hale Irwin.
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Russ Cochran winner at the first year of the Centel Western Open Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont on 7-7-91. with a 2 strike margin of victory over Greg Norman.
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Western Open in Oak Brook on 8-2-1985.
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Tiger Woods with his caddie Steve Williams at the Motorola Western Open in 1999 at Cog Hill would claim a 3 stroke margin of victory over Mike Weir.
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Tiger Woods at the Motorola Western Open in 1999 at Cog Hill would claim a 3 stroke margin of victory over Mike Weir.
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Tiger Woods makes his way through the crowd at the Motorola Western Open in 1999 at Cog Hill would claim a 3 stroke margin of victory over Mike Weir.
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Tiger Woods would win the Motorola Western Open in 1999 at Cog Hill and claim a 3 stroke margin of victory over Mike Weir as fans watch the action.
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Western Open in Oak Brook on 7-2-1980 with Tom Watson, PGA Player of the Year in 1980.
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Western Open in Oak Brook on 7-4-81.
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Western Open in Oak Brook on 7-2-1980.
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Western Open in Oak Brook on 7-4-81 with Jack Nicklaus, aka Golden Bear.
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Western Open in Oak Brook on 7-4-81.
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Western Open in Oak Brook on 7-4-1983 Final Round winner with Mark McCumber, margin of victory one stroke against runner-up Tom Watson.
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Western Open in Oak Brook on 8-2-1985.
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Western Open in Oak Brook on 7-4-1983 final round winner with Mark McCumber, one stroke margin of victory against runner-up Tom Watson as the crowd watches the event unfold.
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Western Open at Cog Hill in Lemont on 7-4-1993 with Nick Price during the final round.
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Sprint Western Open at Cog Hill on 7-4-1993 with Nick Price margin of victory winner by five strokes against Greg Norman in the final round.
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Sprint Western Open at Cog Hill on 7-4-1993 with Greg Norman eyeing his ball during the final round.
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Tiger Woods tees of on the 11th hole during the final day of the 2001 Advil Western Open at Cog Hill Country Club in Lemont in 2001.
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Scott Hoch chips the ball out of the sand trap on the 18th green of the Western Open and went on to win in a one stroke margin of victory over Davis Love III in Cog Hill in 2001.
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Winner of the 2001 Advil Western Open Scott Hoch at Cog Hill in Lemont.
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Final Round of Western Open in Cog Hill in 2002 with Jerry Kelly claiming his margin of victory over Davis Love III.
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Greg Norman chips up to the green at the Western Open in Lemont on 7-7-91.
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