Rising out of the humble Trinity River bottomland 70 years ago, the Colonial Country Club golf course and its founder, Marvin Leonard, always had big plans. Within just five years, the course nabbed a U.S. Open Championship. Within 10, it had its own PGA TOUR event.
Since then, a marvelous and historic parade of champion golfers, Colonial members, tournament volunteers, sponsors, fans and charities have become part of this grand annual event. Their unique stories are intertwined with, and anchored by, the presence of one legendary man and golfer – the great Ben Hogan.
Hogan and Colonial helped make each other famous in the 1940s and ‘50s, as they established themselves as dominant figures in the world of professional golf. Hogan won five times in Fort Worth, while his unsurpassed skills and the demanding Colonial course made for great theater each spring.
