PGA Championship

PGA Championship
Tournament information
Location	United States
Established	1916
Course(s)	Hazeltine National Golf Club in 2009
Par	72 in 2009
Yardage	7,685 in 2009
Tour(s)	PGA Tour PGA European Tour Japan Golf Tour
Format	Match play 1916–1957 Stroke play 1958–present
Purse	$7,500,000 (2008) [1]
Month Played	August
Tournament record score
Aggregate	265* David Toms (2001) *record for all majors
To-par	-18 Bob May (2000) -18 Tiger Woods (2000, 2006)
Current champion
Pádraig Harrington

The PGA Championship (sometimes referred to as the U.S. PGA Championship outside of North America) is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in professional golf, and it is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August (customarily four weeks after the British Open, but it was advanced a week in 2007 and 2008 because of local scheduling conflicts). Due to its distinction as the season's final major, the PGA Championship is nicknamed "Glory's last shot". It is an official money event on the PGA Tour, the European Tour, and the Japan Golf Tour, with a purse of $7.5 million in 2008.

In line with the other majors, winning "The PGA" gives a golfer several privileges which make his career much more secure, if he is not already one of the elite players of the sport. PGA champions are automatically invited to play in the other three majors (Masters, U.S. Open, and British Open) for the next five years, and are exempt from qualifying for the PGA Championship for life. They also receive membership on the PGA Tour for the following five seasons and invitations to The Players Championship for five years.

The PGA Championship has been held at a large number of venues, some of the early ones now quite obscure, but currently it is usually staged by one of a small group of celebrated courses, each of which has also hosted several other leading events.

History

The first PGA Championship was held in 1916 at Siwanoy Country Club in Eastchester, New York. The winner, Jim Barnes, received $500. The 2008 winner, Pádraig Harrington, earned $1.35 million. The champion is also awarded the Wanamaker Trophy, which was donated by Rodman Wanamaker.

Initially a match play event, the tournament changed to stroke play in 1958. Network broadcasters, preferring a large group of well-known contenders on the final day, are sometimes accused of pressuring tournament organizers to make the format change.

In 1971, the PGA was played in February in Florida, as the first major of the calendar year. Prior to the 1960s, the tournament was often played in late July, the week following the British Open, making it difficult for player to compete in both majors.

Qualification

The PGA Championship was established for the purpose of providing a high-profile tournament specifically for professional golfers at a time when they were generally not held in high esteem in a sport that was largely run by wealthy amateurs. This origin is still reflected in the entry system for the Championship. It is the only major which does not invite leading amateurs to compete, and the only one which reserves a large number of places, 20 of 156, for club professionals. These slots are determined by the top finishers in the club pro championship, which is held in June.

Since 1968, the PGA Tour has been independent of the PGA of America. The PGA Tour is an elite organization of tournament professionals, but the PGA Championship is still run by the PGA of America, which is mainly a body for club and teaching professionals. The PGA Championship is the only major that does not explicitly grant entry to the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Rankings, although it invariably invites all of the top 100 (not just top 50) players who are not already qualified.

List of qualification criteria:

• All former PGA Champions.
• Winners of the last five U.S. Opens.
• Winners of the last five Masters.
• Winners of the last five British Opens.
• The last Senior PGA Champion.
• The low 15 scorers and ties in the previous PGA Championship.
• The 20 low scorers in the last PGA Professional National Championship.
• The 70 leaders in official money standings (starting one week prior to the previous year's PGA Championship and ending two weeks prior to the current year's PGA Championship).
• Members of the most recent United States Ryder Cup Team.
• Winners of tournaments co-sponsored or approved by the PGA Tour since the previous PGA Championship (does not include pro-am and team competitions).
• The PGA of America reserves the right to invite additional players not included in the categories listed above.
• The total field is a maximum of 156 players. Vacancies are filled by the first available player from the list of alternates (those below 70th place in official money standings).

Winners

Main article: List of PGA Championship champions

Strokeplay era winners

Year	Champion	Country	Venue	Location of venue	Winner's Score
2008	Pádraig Harrington	Ireland	Oakland Hills Country Club, South Course	Bloomfield Township, Michigan	71-74-66-66-277 (-3)
2007	Tiger Woods	United States	Southern Hills Country Club	Tulsa, Oklahoma	71-63-69-69-272 (-8)
2006	Tiger Woods	United States	Medinah Country Club, Course No. 3	Medinah, Illinois	69-68-65-68-270 (-18)
2005	Phil Mickelson	United States	Baltusrol Golf Club, Lower Course	Springfield, New Jersey	67-65-72-72-276 (-4)
2004	Vijay Singh[1]	Fiji	Whistling Straits, Straits Course	Kohler, Wisconsin	67-68-69-76-280 (-8)
2003	Shaun Micheel	United States	Oak Hill Country Club, East Course	Rochester, New York	69-68-69-70-276 (-4)
2002	Rich Beem	United States	Hazeltine National Golf Club	Chaska, Minnesota	72-66-72-68-278 (-10)
2001	David Toms	United States	Atlanta Athletic Club, Highlands Course	Duluth, Georgia	66-65-65-69-265 (-15)
2000	Tiger Woods[2]	United States	Valhalla Golf Club	Louisville, Kentucky	66-67-70-67-270 (-18)
1999	Tiger Woods	United States	Medinah Country Club, Course No. 3	Medinah, Illinois	70-67-68-72-277 (-11)
1998	Vijay Singh	Fiji	Sahalee Country Club	Sammamish, Washington	70-66-67-68-271 (-9)
1997	Davis Love III	United States	Winged Foot Golf Club, West Course	Mamaroneck, New York	66-71-66-66-269 (-11)
1996	Mark Brooks[3]	United States	Valhalla Golf Club	Louisville, Kentucky	68-70-69-70-277 (-11)
1995	Steve Elkington[4]	Australia	Riviera Country Club	Pacific Palisades, California	68-67-68-64-267 (-17)
1994	Nick Price	Zimbabwe	Southern Hills Country Club	Tulsa, Oklahoma	67-65-70-67-269 (-11)
1993	Paul Azinger[5]	United States	Inverness Club	Toledo, Ohio	69-66-69-68-272 (-12)
1992	Nick Price	Zimbabwe	Bellerive Country Club	St. Louis, Missouri	70-70-68-70-278 (-6)
1991	John Daly	United States	Crooked Stick Golf Club	Carmel, Indiana	69-67-69-71-276 (-12)
1990	Wayne Grady	Australia	Shoal Creek Golf and Country Club	Birmingham, Alabama	72-67-72-71-282 (-6)
1989	Payne Stewart	United States	Kemper Lakes Golf Club	Long Grove, Illinois	74-66-69-67-276 (-12)
1988	Jeff Sluman	United States	Oak Tree Golf Club	Edmond, Oklahoma	69-70-68-65-272 (-12)
1987	Larry Nelson[6]	United States	PGA National Resort & Spa	Palm Beach Gardens, Florida	70-72-73-72-287 (-1)
1986	Bob Tway	United States	Inverness Club	Toledo, Ohio	72-70-64-70-276 (-8)
1985	Hubert Green	United States	Cherry Hills Country Club	Cherry Hills Village, Colorado	67-69-70-72-278 (-10)
1984	Lee Trevino	United States	Shoal Creek Golf and Country Club	Birmingham, Alabama	69-68-67-69-273 (-15)
1983	Hal Sutton	United States	Riviera Country Club	Pacific Palisades, California	65-66-72-71-274 (-10)
1982	Raymond Floyd	United States	Southern Hills Country Club	Tulsa, Oklahoma	63-69-68-72-272 (-8)
1981	Larry Nelson	United States	Atlanta Athletic Club, Highlands Course	Duluth, Georgia	70-66-66-71-273 (-7)
1980	Jack Nicklaus	United States	Oak Hill Country Club, East Course	Rochester, New York	70-69-66-69-274 (-6)
1979	David Graham[7]	Australia	Oakland Hills Country Club, South Course	Bloomfield Township, Michigan	69-68-70-65-272 (-8)
1978	John Mahaffey[8]	United States	Oakmont Country Club	Oakmont, Pennsylvania	75-67-68-66-276 (-8)
1977	Lanny Wadkins[9]	United States	Pebble Beach Golf Links	Pebble Beach, California	69-71-72-70-282 (-3)
1976	Dave Stockton	United States	Congressional Country Club, Blue Course	Bethesda, Maryland	70-72-69-70-281 (+1)
1975	Jack Nicklaus	United States	Firestone Country Club, South Course	Akron, Ohio	70-68-67-71-276 (-4)
1974	Lee Trevino	United States	Tanglewood Park, Championship Course	Clemmons, North Carolina	73-66-68-69-276 (-4)
1973	Jack Nicklaus	United States	Canterbury Golf Club	Beachwood, Ohio	72-68-68-69-277 (-7)
1972	Gary Player	South Africa	Oakland Hills Country Club, South Course	Bloomfield Hills, Michigan	71-71-67-72-281 (+1)
1971	Jack Nicklaus	United States	PGA National Golf Club	Palm Beach Gardens, Florida	69-69-70-73-281 (-7)
1970	Dave Stockton	United States	Southern Hills Country Club	Tulsa, Oklahoma	70-70-66-73-279 (-1)
1969	Raymond Floyd	United States	NCR Country Club, South Course	Dayton, Ohio	69-66-67-74-276 (-8)
1968	Julius Boros	United States	Pecan Valley Golf Club	San Antonio, Texas	71-71-70-69-281 (+1)
1967	Don January[10]	United States	Columbine Country Club	Columbine Valley, Colorado	71-72-70-68-281 (-7)
1966	Al Geiberger	United States	Firestone Country Club, South Course	Akron, Ohio	68-72-68-72-280 (E)
1965	Dave Marr	United States	Laurel Valley Golf Club	Ligonier, Pennsylvania	70-69-70-71-280 (-4)
1964	Bobby Nichols	United States	Columbus Country Club	Columbus, Ohio	64-71-69-67-271 (-9)
1963	Jack Nicklaus	United States	Dallas Athletic Club, Blue Course	Dallas, Texas	69-73-69-68-279 (-5)
1962	Gary Player	South Africa	Aronimink Golf Club	Newtown Square, Pennsylvania	72-67-69-70-278 (-2)
1961	Jerry Barber[11]	United States	Olympia Fields Country Club	Olympia Fields, Illinois	69-67-71-70-277 (-3)
1960	Jay Hebert	United States	Firestone Country Club, South Course	Akron, Ohio	72-67-72-70-281 (+1)
1959	Bob Rosburg	United States	Minneapolis Golf Club	Minneapolis, Minnesota	71-72-68-66-277 (-3)
1958	Dow Finsterwald	United States	Llanerch Country Club	Havertown, Pennsylvania	67-72-70-67-276 (-14)

Playoff runner-up:

1. ↑ Chris DiMarco and Justin Leonard (both United States)
2. ↑ Bob May (United States)
3. ↑ Kenny Perry (United States)
4. ↑ Colin Montgomerie (Scotland)
5. ↑ Greg Norman (Australia)
6. ↑ Lanny Wadkins (United States)
7. ↑ Ben Crenshaw (United States)
8. ↑ Tom Watson and Jerry Pate (both United States)
9. ↑ Gene Littler (United States)
10. ↑ Don Massengale (United States)
11. ↑ Don January (United States)

Matchplay era winners

Year	Champion	Country	Runner-up	Margin	Venue	Location of venue
1957	Lionel Hebert	United States	Dow Finsterwald	2 & 1	Miami Valley Golf Club	Dayton, Ohio
1956	Jack Burke, Jr.	United States	Ted Kroll	3 & 2	Blue Hill Country Club	Canton, Massachusetts
1955	Doug Ford	United States	Cary Middlecoff	4 & 3	Meadowbrook Country Club	Detroit
1954	Chick Harbert	United States	Walter Burkemo	4 & 3	Keller Golf Club	Saint Paul
1953	Walter Burkemo	United States	Felice Torza	2 & 1	Birmingham Country Club	Birmingham, Michigan
1952	Jim Turnesa	United States	Chick Harbert	1 up	Big Spring Country Club	Louisville
1951	Sam Snead	United States	Walter Burkemo	7 & 6	Oakmont Country Club	Oakmont, Pennsylvania
1950	Chandler Harper	United States	Henry Williams, Jr.	4 & 3	Scioto Country Club	Columbus, Ohio
1949	Sam Snead	United States	Johnny Palmer	3 & 2	Hermitage Country Club	Richmond, Virginia
1948	Ben Hogan	United States	Mike Turnesa	7 & 6	Norwood Hills Country Club	St. Louis, Missouri
1947	Jim Ferrier	Australia	Chick Harbert	2 & 1	Plum Hollow Country Club	Detroit, Michigan
1946	Ben Hogan	United States	Ed Oliver	6 & 4	Portland Golf Club	Portland, Oregon
1945	Byron Nelson	United States	Sam Byrd	4 & 3	Moraine Country Club	Dayton, Ohio
1944	Bob Hamilton	United States	Byron Nelson	1 up	Manito Golf and Country Club	Spokane, Washington
1943	Not held due to World War II
1942	Sam Snead	United States	Jim Turnesa	2 & 1	Seaview Country Club	Atlantic City, New Jersey
1941	Vic Ghezzi	United States	Byron Nelson	38 holes	Cherry Hills Country Club	Cherry Hills Village, Colorado
1940	Byron Nelson	United States	Sam Snead	1 up	Hershey Country Club, West Course	Hershey, Pennsylvania
1939	Henry Picard	United States	Byron Nelson	37 holes	Pomonok Country Club	Flushing, New York
1938	Paul Runyan	United States	Sam Snead	8 & 7	The Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort	Smithfield Township, Pennsylvania
1937	Denny Shute	United States	Harold McSpaden	37 holes	Pittsburgh Field Club	O'Hara Township, Pennsylvania
1936	Denny Shute	United States	Jimmy Thomson	3 & 2	Pinehurst Resort, No. 2 Course	Pinehurst, North Carolina
1935	Johnny Revolta	United States	Tommy Armour	5 & 4	Twin Hills Golf & Country Club	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
1934	Paul Runyan	United States	Craig Wood	38 holes	The Park Country Club	Williamsville, New York
1933	Gene Sarazen	United States	Willie Goggin	5 & 4	Blue Mound Golf & Country Club	Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
1932	Olin Dutra	United States	Frank Walsh	4 & 3	Keller Golf Club	Saint Paul, Minnesota
1931	Tom Creavy	United States	Denny Shute	2 & 1	Wannamoisett Country Club	Rumford, Rhode Island
1930	Tommy Armour	United States^	Gene Sarazen	1 up	Fresh Meadow Country Club	Great Neck, New York
1929	Leo Diegel	United States	Johnny Farrell	6 & 4	Hillcrest Country Club	Los Angeles, California
1928	Leo Diegel	United States	Al Espinosa	6 & 5	Baltimore Country Club, East Course	Timonium, Maryland
1927	Walter Hagen	United States	Joe Turnesa	1 up	Cedar Crest Country Club	Dallas, Texas
1926	Walter Hagen	United States	Leo Diegel	5 & 3	Salisbury Golf Club, Red Course	East Meadow, New York
1925	Walter Hagen	United States	Bill Mehlhorn	6 & 5	Olympia Fields Country Club	Olympia Fields, Illinois
1924	Walter Hagen	United States	Jim Barnes	2 up	French Lick Springs Resort, Hill Course	French Lick, Indiana
1923	Gene Sarazen	United States	Walter Hagen	38 holes	Pelham Country Club	Pelham Manor, New York
1922	Gene Sarazen	United States	Emmet French	4 & 3	Oakmont Country Club	Oakmont, Pennsylvania
1921	Walter Hagen	United States	Jim Barnes	3 & 2	Inwood Country Club	Inwood, New York
1920	Jock Hutchison	United States^	J. Douglas Edgar	1 up	Flossmoor Country Club	Flossmoor, Illinois
1919	Jim Barnes	United States^	Fred McLeod	6 & 5	Engineers Country Club	Roslyn Harbor, New York
1917-1918: Not held due to World War I
1916	Jim Barnes	United States^	Jock Hutchison	1 up	Siwanoy Country Club	Eastchester, New York

^ These players were British born, but they were based in the United States when they won the PGA Championship, and they became U.S. citizens:

• Tommy Armour - Born in Scotland but moved to the U.S. in the early 1920s and became a U.S. citizen at that time.
• Jock Hutchison - Born in Scotland. He became a U.S. citizen in 1917.
• Jim Barnes - Born in England. Moved to the United States in 1906 and may have become a U.S. citizen as early as 1907, but this is unconfirmed.

Matchplay era details

The table below lists the field sizes and qualification methods for the match play era. All rounds were played over 36 holes except as noted in the table. [2]

* In 1921, the field consisted of the defending champion and the top 31 finishers at the U.S. Open.

Records

• Oldest winner: Julius Boros in 1968 (48 years, 142 days)
• Youngest winner: Gene Sarazen in 1922 (20 years, 174 days)
• Greatest winning margin in the matchplay era: Paul Runyan beat Sam Snead 8 & 7 in 1938
• Greatest winning margin in the strokeplay era: 7 strokes, Jack Nicklaus in 1980
• Lowest absolute 72-hole score: 265, David Toms (66-65-65-69), 2001
  • This is the lowest 72-hole score ever recorded in any major championship
• Lowest 72-hole score in relation to par: -18, Tiger Woods (66-67-70-67, 270) and Bob May (72-66-66-66, 270), 2000; Tiger Woods (69-68-65-68, 270), 2006
  • Toms' 2001 score was -15. The 2001 site, the Highlands Course at Atlanta Athletic Club, plays to par 70, while the 2000 site, Valhalla Golf Club, and the 2006 site, Medinah Country Club, both play to par 72
• Lowest 18-hole score: 63 – Bruce Crampton, 2nd round, 1975; Raymond Floyd, 1st, 1982; Gary Player, 2nd, 1984; Vijay Singh, 2nd, 1993; Michael Bradley, 1st, 1995; Brad Faxon, 4th, 1995; José María Olazábal, 3rd, 2000; Mark O'Meara, 2nd , 2001; Thomas Bjørn, 3rd, 2005; Tiger Woods, 2nd, 2007

Future tournament sites

• 2009 – Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska, Minnesota)
• 2010 – Whistling Straits, Straits Course (Sheboygan, Wisconsin)
• 2011 – Atlanta Athletic Club, Highlands Course (Duluth, Georgia)
• 2012 – Kiawah Island Golf Resort, The Ocean Course (Kiawah Island, South Carolina)
• 2013 – Oak Hill Country Club, East Course (Pittsford, New York)
• 2014 – TBA
• 2015 – Whistling Straits, Straits Course (Sheboygan, Wisconsin)
• 2016 – Baltusrol Golf Club, Lower Course (Springfield, New Jersey)

External links

• PGA Media Guide
• Official site-2009
• Official site-2008
• Official site-2007
• Official site-2006
• Official site-2005
• Official site-2004
• Official site-2003
• PGA History Exhibit