Ivory Coast Open

The Ivory Coast Open or Open de Côte d'Ivoire was a golf tournament in the Ivory Coast. It was founded in 1980, and was an event on the Safari Circuit the following year. It was an event on the European-based Challenge Tour schedule in 1990 and 1991, and from 1996 to 1999. It has been held at President Golf Club, Yamoussoukro and Ivoire Golf Club, Abidjan.

Ivory Coast Open
Tournament information
LocationIvory Coast
Established1980
Course(s)Ivoire Golf Club
President Golf Club
Par72
Tour(s)Challenge Tour (1990–1991, 1996–1999)
Safari Circuit (1980–1991)
FormatStroke play
Prize fund€70,000[1]
Final year1999
Final champion
Ian Poulter

The title has been won by some of the world's top golfers, including Vijay Singh, Ian Poulter, and Gary Player. The most successful player is England's Gordon J. Brand, who recorded three victories between 1981 and 1988.[1]

The tournament was revived in 2017 after an 18-year hiatus and was won by the Ghanaian golfer Vincent Torgah.[2]

History

The first event in 1980 was to inaugurate the President Golf Club, Yamoussoukro. It was an invitation event with 27 professionals competing. Yamoussoukro was the birthplace of the President, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, who attended the event.[3] Gary Player and Peter Townsend tied at 265, 23 under par and nine strokes ahead of the rest of the field. Townsend was bunkered on the first playoff hole and took a bogey 5 to Player's par 4.[4]

In 1981 the event became the Ivory Coast Open and was added to the Safari Circuit schedule.[5] It was won by Gordon J. Brand, who beat Martin Poxon at the first hole of a sudden-death playoff, after the two had tied on 271.[6]

Winners
This list is incomplete. The 1999 event was advertised as the 18th edition.
YearTour[lower-alpha 1]WinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory		Runner(s)-upVenueRef.
Open de Côte d'Ivoire
1999CHA Ian Poulter284−42 strokes Sébastien Delagrange
David Park
Marc Pendaries		Ivoire[7]
1998CHA John Mellor281−73 strokes Fredrik Lindgren
José Antonio Sota		Ivoire
1997CHA Knud Storgaard274−14Playoff Anssi KankkonenPresident
1996CHA Massimo Florioli284−44 strokes Michele RealeIvoire
1993−1995: No tournament.
Ivory Coast Open
1991CHA Michel Besanceney279−9Playoff Paul CarmanPresident[8]
1990CHA David Llewellyn (2)275−132 strokes Jeff PinsentPresident[9]
1989SAF Vijay Singh274−141 stroke Jeff PinsentPresident[10]
1988SAF Gordon J. Brand (3)275−132 strokes Richard FishPresident[11]
1987SAF Jean GaraïaldePresident
1986SAF Gordon J. Brand (2)273−152 strokes Brian MarchbankPresident[12]
1985SAF David Llewellyn277−111 stroke Brian GunsonPresident[13]
1984SAF Bill McColl275−135 strokes Gordon J. Brand
Craig Maltman		President[14]
1983SAF Bill Longmuir271−171 stroke Curtis StrangePresident[15]
1982SAF John Morgan272−162 strokes Ian WoosnamPresident[16]
1981SAF Gordon J. Brand271−17Playoff Martin PoxonPresident[17]
Trophée Félix Houphouët-Boigny
1980SAF Gary Player265−23Playoff Peter TownsendPresident[4]
  1. CHA − Challenge Tour; SAF − Safari Circuit.

References
  1. Challenge in the Ivory Coast, European Tour, 13 April 1999
  2. "Golf : Vincent Torgah grand vainqueur du Trophée Félix Houphouët-Boigny 2017". mondialsport.net. 16 October 2017.
  3. "Player playing ambassador's role in Ivory Coast event". The Times. 6 March 1980. p. 15.
  4. "Player ends duel with Townsend by snatching win in play-off". The Times. 10 March 1980. p. 9.
  5. "Off on Safari!". Newcastle Journal. Newcastle upon Tyne, England. 5 February 1981. p. 18. Retrieved 16 June 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "Brand wins Ivory Coast open playoff". The Times. 2 March 1981. p. 8.
  7. "Poulter keeps cool to take Ivory Coast title". European Tour. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  8. "Tee talk". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Aberdeen, Scotland. 11 December 1991. p. 20. Retrieved 9 June 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "Cassells collects his first pro cheque". Aberdeen Press and Journal. Aberdeen, Scotland. 19 December 1990. p. 21. Retrieved 9 June 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "For the Record". The Times. 27 November 1989. p. 45. Retrieved 7 February 2020 – via The Times Digital Archive.
  11. "Yorkshire's Gordon J. Brand". The Glasgow Herald. 8 February 1988. p. 7.
  12. "A Brand double as Marchbank falters". The Glasgow Herald. 24 February 1986. p. 9.
  13. "A Last-round 69". The Glasgow Herald. 18 February 1985. p. 17.
  14. "Scotland's Billy McColl". The Glasgow Herald. 5 March 1984. p. 16.
  15. "Longmuir coasts to victory". The Glasgow Herald. 7 March 1983. p. 16.
  16. "John Morgan". The Glasgow Herald. 15 February 1982. p. 17.
  17. "Gordon Brand". The Glasgow Herald. 2 March 1981. p. 18.
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