Golf Central

156 PGA Tour players drive to Michigan this week (in a Buick if the tournament sponsor had anything to do with it), including last year's champion, Brian Bateman, to take on Warwick Hills, which was originally created in 1957 by James Gilmor Harrisson. The Buick Open celebrates its 50th birthday as a tournament this year, so it's Urime ditelindjen! as they say in Albania, from all at IGWT....

1. Hail to King Furyk
Jim Furyk is without doubt the player to watch at this week's Buick Open. Furyk's shot 66 or better on 12 occasions at Warwick Hills, one more time than Tiger Woods, and he has eight top-10 finishes at this tournament, one more than Tiger...
2. A word from our sponsor
Buick, if you didn't already know, make cars. If you want us to be more specific, they're an American automobile company that specialise in luxury cars and crossover vehicles (whatever that is?). Buick, to be fair to them, were actually the first corporate sponsor on the PGA Tour. They first sponsored the event in 1958 to coincide with General Motor's (Buick's parent company) 50th anniversary.
3. Chi Chi's Double Eagle
Chi Chi Rodriguez once holed a double-eagle at Warwick Hills when his second shot found the hole at the par-five, 507-yard 13th, in 1963. Speaking of low scores, Butch Baird made the first ace in Buick Open history in 1962 at the 203-yard third with a 2-iron. Two days later, Jerry Barber used the same club to ace the 222-yard 17th hole- which is believed to be the first hole-in-one captured from beginning to end on film. Both players won Buick Wildcats for their efforts.
4. Warwick Hills used to be a farm
The land that this week's players will be ripping to shreds was originally a farm. A mansion on the farm, which was owned by Arnold Lentz, then vice president of General Motors, was used as foundation for the clubhouse.
5. Mo' Money
The prize purse for the first Buick Open, held in 1958, stood at $52,000, which was the largest for the PGA Tour that year. Billy Casper pocketed $9,000 of that, which was more than Tommy Bolt received for winning the 1958 US Open. Not only will this year's winner take home  $900,000 and a brand new Buick, but the man who finishes 23rd will take home $52,000... the total prize pool when the event started.