West End Classic

The West End Classic was PGA Tour satellite event that was played at the Grand Bahama Hotel and Country Club in West End on Grand [Bahama Island] from 1967 to 1969. In 1970 it was replaced by a new PGA Tour event, the Bahamas National Open, which was contested in 1970 and 1971.

Summary

In 1967, Butch Baird won by one stroke over Bert Weaver, winning $4,000 from a $20,000 purse. In 1968, Bruce Crampton won by two strokes, winning $4,000 from a $20,000 purse. The 1969 tournament was won by Jim Wiechers, a 25-year-old Californian, by five strokes over Al Besselink and Johnny Pott. The purse was $25,000 with $5,000 going to the winner. The 1969 tournament was played in December opposite the Danny Thomas-Diplomat Classic, which was won by Arnold Palmer. The field, however, was better than a normal satellite field because it was the last tournament of the year, and the players were jockeying for position on the top-60 money list.
Players were allowed to use the regular-sized American ball and/or the smaller English ball. This may have been the only time that this was ever allowed during a PGA-sanctioned event. The competitors would play the bigger ball down wind, and the small ball into the wind.