Albertsons Boise Open

The Albertsons Boise Open is a professional golf tournament based in Boise, Idaho. It has been played annually at Hillcrest Country Club since 1990, when it debuted as one of the original events on the Ben Hogan Tour, the predecessor of the modern Korn Ferry Tour. The tournament has remained at the same course throughout its history, giving it an unusually stable identity within the developmental professional-golf circuit. The event is associated with Albertsons, the supermarket company founded in Boise by Joe Albertson in 1939. Albertsons became the tournament's title sponsor in 2002, linking a major regional retailer with a long-running local sporting event. The sponsorship reflects the grocery chain's historical connection to Boise, although Albertsons ceased to be headquartered there after its acquisition by Supervalu in 2006. The tournament's title-sponsorship arrangement was reported as committed through 2016 in the available reference material. For its first six editions, the Boise Open was contested over 54 holes. A fourth round was added in 1996, bringing the competition to the standard 72-hole format. The event was traditionally scheduled in September, but the Web.com Tour's introduction of a new playoff structure in 2013 moved it to late July. It returned to a mid-September position in 2016 and became the penultimate event in the Web.com Tour Finals. A further schedule revision moved the tournament to late August in 2019. The Boise Open has served both as a competitive stop for established developmental-tour players and as a platform for notable emerging golfers. Its inaugural 1990 field included players who later became prominent on the PGA Tour, including Tom Lehman, John Daly, Jeff Maggert, and Stephen Ames; David Toms also made the cut. The tournament attracted unusual attention in 2003 when 13-year-old Michelle Wie competed after receiving an opportunity to enter. She shot 78 and 76 and missed the cut by twelve strokes. In 2015, retired Army Corporal Chad Pfeifer became the first veteran amputee to compete on the Web.com Tour. Pfeifer entered through a sponsor exemption and did not make the cut. The event has also produced several notable performances. Chris Tidland won in 2008 with a 264 total, twenty under par, prevailing by four strokes. Fran Quinn won in 2009 after making a birdie on the final hole to finish one stroke ahead of Blake Adams. Hunter Haas won in 2010 with a 263 total, twenty-one under par, one stroke ahead of Daniel Summerhays. The tournament has generally offered one of the larger purses on its tour. The reference material records a $1.5 million purse in 2023, including a $270,000 winner's share, compared with a $100,000 purse and $20,000 winner's share in 1990. Hillcrest Country Club occupies a site where golf had been played since the 1920s, originally under the name Idaho Country Club. The club itself was established in 1940. The course's clubhouse sits at approximately 2,800 feet above sea level. Through its continuous annual operation, fixed Boise venue, title sponsorship, and role in professional golfers' progression toward the PGA Tour, the Albertsons Boise Open functions as both a regional sports property and a recognized developmental-tour tournament.

The Albertsons Boise Open began in 1990, the inaugural season of the Ben Hogan Tour, which later became the Nike Tour, the Web.com Tour, and ultimately the Korn Ferry Tour. It is one of four tournaments from that first tour schedule that continued as part of the modern developmental-tour structure. The inaugural field included several golfers who later became notable PGA Tour players, including Tom Lehman, John Daly, Jeff Maggert, and Stephen Ames. David Toms also made the cut that year. Hillcrest Country Club has hosted every edition. Golf was played on the site as early as the 1920s, when it was known as Idaho Country Club, while Hillcrest Country Club was established in 1940. The course is located in Boise at an elevation of approximately 2,800 feet above sea level. The tournament's continuity at one venue has been a defining feature of its identity. The first six tournaments were 54-hole events. In 1996, organizers added a fourth round, creating a conventional 72-hole professional tournament. For its first 23 years, the competition was generally held in mid-September. The Web.com Tour's revised playoff arrangement in 2013 moved the Boise event to late July. In 2016, it returned to mid-September and became the penultimate stop in the Web.com Tour Finals. Another schedule revision moved it to late August beginning in 2019. Albertsons became the title sponsor in 2002. The sponsorship carried particular local significance because Albertsons was founded in Boise by Joe Albertson in 1939. The company remained headquartered in Boise until 2006, when it was acquired by Supervalu, which was based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Available reference material states that Albertsons committed to sponsorship through 2016. The tournament has periodically drawn attention beyond its regular developmental-tour audience. In 2003, 13-year-old Michelle Wie competed, becoming the youngest player to appear on the tour; she missed the cut after rounds of 78 and 76. In 2015, Chad Pfeifer, a retired Army corporal who had lost his left leg in a 2007 explosion, used a sponsor exemption to become the first veteran amputee to play in a Web.com Tour event. He also missed the cut. Several editions are noted for particularly strong winning scores or dramatic finishes. Chris Tidland shot 264, twenty under par, to win by four strokes in 2008. In 2009, Fran Quinn birdied the final hole to defeat Blake Adams by one stroke. Hunter Haas won the 2010 tournament with a 263 total, twenty-one under par, edging Daniel Summerhays by one stroke. The purse grew substantially over the tournament's history. The 1990 purse was $100,000, with $20,000 going to the winner. By 2023, the reported purse was $1.5 million and the winner's share was $270,000. These figures illustrate the event's development from an inaugural developmental-tour stop into a financially significant tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour. The event's combination of continuous operation, a fixed Boise venue, regional title sponsorship, and access to the professional golf pipeline has made it an enduring Idaho sports institution.

1. 2019Schedule moves to late August

   A further revision of the tour calendar places the event in late August.

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2. 2016Event returns to September and joins the Tour Finals

   The tournament returns to a mid-September position and is designated the penultimate event in the Web.com Tour Finals.

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3. 2013Tournament date moves to late July

   The event is moved earlier in the year as part of the Web.com Tour's new playoff scheduling system.

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4. 2003Michelle Wie competes at age 13

   Michelle Wie becomes the youngest player to compete on the tour when she enters the Boise Open.

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5. 2002Albertsons becomes title sponsor

   The Boise-founded supermarket chain begins lending its name to the tournament.

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6. 1996Event expands from 54 to 72 holes

   A fourth round is added after the tournament's first six 54-hole editions.

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7. 1990Tournament is founded on the Ben Hogan Tour

   The Boise Open debuts during the first season of the Ben Hogan Tour, the predecessor of the modern Korn Ferry Tour, and is played at Hillcrest Country Club.

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A long-running Boise-based professional golf event that combines regional corporate sponsorship, developmental-tour competition, and a pathway for golfers seeking advancement to the PGA Tour.

• Albertsons Boise OpenProfessional golf tournament1990

  The tournament's core offering is an annual professional golf competition at Hillcrest Country Club in Boise. It began as a 54-hole Ben Hogan Tour event in 1990 and became a 72-hole tournament in 1996. Over time it has operated under the tour identities that preceded the Korn Ferry Tour and has provided developmental opportunities for golfers seeking advancement toward the PGA Tour.

• Tournament sponsorship and hospitalitySports sponsorship2002

  The event provides title-sponsorship visibility and associated hospitality opportunities for Albertsons and other commercial partners. Albertsons has held the title-sponsor role since 2002, giving the tournament a strong regional retail association and connecting the competition with the supermarket company's Boise origins.

• 2019Move the event to late AugustStrategy

  A subsequent revision of the tour schedule changed the placement of the Boise tournament.

  What changed. The tournament was moved to late August.

  Aftermath. The late-August date became the event's schedule position under the revised calendar.

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• 2016Return to September and join the Tour FinalsStrategy

  The tour revised the playoff calendar after the event's earlier move to July.

  What changed. The tournament returned to mid-September and was positioned as the penultimate event in the Web.com Tour Finals.

  Aftermath. The event became part of the season-ending qualification and promotion structure for the tour.

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• 2013Move the event to late JulyStrategy

  The Web.com Tour introduced a new playoff schedule that changed the placement of several events.

  What changed. The Boise Open was moved from its traditional mid-September date to late July.

  Aftermath. The event later returned to September in 2016 before moving again to late August under a 2019 schedule revision.

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• 1996Expand the tournament to four roundsGeneration change

  The first six editions were conducted over 54 holes rather than the standard four-round format.

  What changed. Organizers added a fourth round, making the event a 72-hole tournament.

  Aftermath. The four-round format became the tournament's established competitive structure.

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• 2019Schedule revision moves the tournament to late August

  A revised tour schedule moved the Boise Open from its September placement to late August.

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• 2016Boise Open returns to a September date and joins the Tour Finals

  The tournament returned to a mid-September date and became the penultimate event in the Web.com Tour Finals.

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• 2015Chad Pfeifer becomes first veteran amputee to play on the Web.com Tour

  Retired Army Corporal Chad Pfeifer entered through a sponsor exemption and became the first veteran amputee to compete on the Web.com Tour. He missed the cut.

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• 2013Tournament moves into the Web.com Tour playoff schedule

  The event shifted from its traditional September timing to late July after the Web.com Tour introduced a revised playoff schedule.

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• 2010Hunter Haas wins the 2010 Boise Open

  Hunter Haas won by one stroke over Daniel Summerhays with a 263 total, twenty-one under par.

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• 2009Fran Quinn wins after a final-hole birdie

  Fran Quinn made a birdie on the final hole to finish one stroke ahead of third-round leader Blake Adams.

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• 2008Chris Tidland wins with a 264 total

  Chris Tidland won by four strokes after recording a 264 aggregate score, twenty under par.

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• 2003Michelle Wie makes Boise Open appearance at age 13

  Michelle Wie competed in the event at age 13, shooting 78 and 76 and missing the cut by twelve strokes.

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• 2002Albertsons becomes title sponsor of the Boise Open

  Albertsons began serving as title sponsor of the Boise Open, connecting the tournament with the Boise-founded supermarket chain.

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• 1996Boise Open adds a fourth round

  After being played over 54 holes for its first six editions, the tournament adopted a four-round, 72-hole format.

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1. Albertsons Boise Open
2. Official Albertsons Boise Open website
3. Expand the tournament to four rounds