(Wikipedia) The PGA Championship (often referred to as the U.S. PGA Championship outside of North America) is an annual golf tournament conducted by the Professional Golfers Association of America as part of the PGA Tour. The PGA Championship is one of the four major championships in men's golf, and it is the golf season's final major, played in August (customarily the 4th weekend after the Open Championship (British Open), but being advanced a week in 2007 and 2008 because of local scheduling conflicts). It is an official money event on the PGA Tour, the European Tour, and the Japan Golf Tour, with a purse in 2006 of $6.8 million (apprx. €5.3 million).
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 of the sport. PGA champions are automatically invited to play in the other three majors (the Masters, U.S. Open, and the Open Championship) 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 Bronxville, New York. The winner, Jim Barnes, received $500. 2006 winner Tiger Woods received $1.224 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.
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 July.
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 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 Open Championships.
* 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).
Strokeplay era winners
| Year | Champion | Country | Venue | Location of venue | Winner's Score |
| 2007 | (Aug 9-12) |
| Southern Hills Country Club | Tulsa, Oklahoma |
|
| 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 | The 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 | The 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) |
Matchplay era winners
| Year | Champion | Country | Runner-up | Margin | Venue | Location of venue |
| 1957 | Lionel Hebert | United States | Dow Finsterwald | 2 & 1 | Miami Valley Country 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 | 4 & 3 | 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 | Manita 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 | 1 up | 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 | 1 up | 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 | 1 up | 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 | 1 up | 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 | Hill Course, French Lick Springs Resort | French Lick, Indiana |
| 1923 | Gene Sarazen | United States | Walter Hagen | 1 up | 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 | Bronxville, 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 was a U.S. citizen at the time of his 1921 Open Championship win, so he was probably already a U.S. citizen in 1920, but this is unconfirmed.
- 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.
If these British-born players are excluded, then the PGA Championship is the only one of the four majors never to have been won by a European.
Multiple winners
The following men have won the PGA Championship more than once through 2006.
5 wins:
- Walter Hagen: 1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927
- Jack Nicklaus: 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980
3 wins:
- Gene Sarazen: 1922, 1923, 1933
- Sam Snead: 1942, 1949, 1951
- Tiger Woods: 1999, 2000, 2006
2 wins:
- Jim Barnes: 1916, 1919
- Leo Diegel: 1928, 1929
- Raymond Floyd: 1969, 1982
- Ben Hogan: 1946, 1948
- Byron Nelson: 1940, 1945
- Larry Nelson: 1981, 1987
- Gary Player:1962, 1972
- Nick Price: 1992, 1994
- Paul Runyan: 1934, 1938
- Denny Shute: 1936, 1937
- Vijay Singh: 1998, 2004
- Dave Stockton: 1970, 1976
- Lee Trevino: 1974, 1984
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