Milwaukee Open Purse Is Increased to $600,000

The Greater Milwaukee Open will increase its purse this year from $400,000 to $600,000 following a $300,000 gift from Milwaukee philanthropists Jane and Lloyd Pettit.

Two-thirds of the gift will be used to increase the purse and the other $100,000 will be go toward tournament expenses. The gift was announced by tournament officials.

With the increased purse, first-place prize money will rise from $72,000 to $108,000 and the tournament will become one of the richest on the PGA tour’s fall schedule.

Only the Nabisco Championships in San Antonio from Oct. 29-Nov. 1 will have a bigger fall payout with a $2 million purse.

This year’s GMO will be played Sept. 17-20 at the Tuckaway Country Club.

GMO President Gordon Kress said he’s hoping the increased purse will help the tournament land a better date in 1988 and also draw better players.

The GMO was once played in July before the British Open but many of the top touring pros skipped the tournament.

Last September it rained every day but one and the tournament lost $10,000 on a budget of $1.2 million.

“A lot of players take time off in the fall, so I’m hoping they take of the East Coast and not the Midwest now,” said Kress.

“Our field could be stronger.”