PGA Tour Rubber City Open Winners

The Rubber City Open was a golf tournament played on the PGA Tour in the 1950s. It was played in Akron, Ohio, the city nicknamed "Rubber City" because it was the hometown of Goodyear and had a long history of rubber the automobile tire manufacturing.

First played: 1954

Last played: 1959

Although it was played for only six years, the Rubber City Open has an important distinction in PGA Tour history: It was the first PGA Tour event played at Firestone Country Club. There was a time, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, when Firestone was one of the most-famous golf courses in the world.

Other tournaments at Firestone CC followed, including the PGA Tour's American Golf Classic for a 15-year run; and the World Series of Golf, now a World Golf Championships (WGC) event still played today. The PGA Championship has also taken place multiple times at Firestone. But the Rubber City Open is the tournament that introduced the golf course to the PGA Tour.

Arnold Palmer's win in 1957 was the sixth of his career. He defeated Doug Ford in a playoff, one of two times Ford lost in a playoff in this tournament. The tournament scoring record of 265 was established by Tommy Bolt in Year 1.

At age 18, Jack Nicklaus tied for 15th in the 1958 Rubber City Open, a finish he later said convinced him he could compete on the tour if he someday decided to turn pro. Nicklaus had previously played in two U.S. Opens, but this was the first "regular" PGA Tour event in which he played.

Also known as: Rubber City Open Invitational

Winners of the Rubber City Open

1954 — Tommy Bolt, 265
1955 — Henry Ransom, 272 (def. Jackson Bradley, Jack Burke Jr. and Doug Ford in playoff)
1956 — Ed Furgol, 271
1957 — Arnold Palmer, 272 (def. Doug Ford in playoff)
1958 — Art Wall Jr., 269 (def. Dow Finsterwald in playoff)
1959 — Tom Nieporte, 267