PGA Professional National Championship

The PGA Professional National Championship is a golf tournament for golf club professionals and teachers who are members of the Professional Golfers' Association of America. It has been held by the PGA of America since 1968, when touring professionals split off to found the PGA Tour.

The PGA Professional National Championship was known as the PGA Club Professional Championship until 2006. Since 1997, the tournament has usually been played in late June, six to seven weeks before the PGA Championship in mid-August. Previously, the club pro tournament had been played in the fall, anywhere from late September to December, and the top 25 finishers in the tournament qualified for the PGA Championship. This number was reduced by five in 2006; presently the top 20 finishers qualify for the PGA Championship.

The PGA Championship was originally the leading championship organized by the whole body of professionals, both club and touring, in contrast to the other majors, which are all organized by bodies controlled by golf's amateur establishment. Since 1968 the PGA Championship has been seen to be run mainly for the benefit of the elite of touring professionals, but unlike the other majors, it continues to reserve places for the club pros.

Sam Snead and Bob Rosburg are the only players to win a major championship during their regular careers who have won the PGA Professional National Championship. Bruce Fleisher and Larry Gilbert each would go on to win a senior major. Several other winners have had PGA Tour careers, either before or after winning the championship.

Winners

• ^PO - Won in playoff
• ^* - Only 54 holes, not 72, were played due to inclement weather

External links

• 2009 - 42nd Championship - official site