PGA Championship - History

History

In 1894, with 41 golf courses operating in the United States, two unofficial national championships for amateur golfers were organized. One was held at Newport Country Club in Rhode Island, and the other at St. Andrew's Golf Club in New York State. In addition, St. Andrew's conducted an Open championship for professional golfers at the same time as the amateur event. None of these championships were officially sanctioned by any governing body for American golf, and this caused considerable controversy among players and organizers. The controversy led to the formation of the United States Golf Association later in 1894; the USGA became the first formal golf organization in the country. After this, golf quickly became a sport of national popularity and importance.

In February 1916 the Professional Golfers Association of America was established in New York City. One month earlier, the wealthy department store owner Rodman Wanamaker hosted a luncheon at the Wykagyl Country Club in nearby New Rochelle. This gathering of Wanamaker with the leading golf professionals of the day prepared the agenda for the formal organization of the PGA. The new organization's first president was Robert White, one of Wykagyl's best-known golf professionals of the time. Golf historians have dubbed Wykagyl "The Cradle of the PGA".

The first PGA Championship was held later in 1916 at Siwanoy Country Club in Eastchester, New York. The winner, Jim Barnes, received $500 and a diamond-studded gold medal donated by Rodman Wanamaker. The 2012 winner, Rory McIlroy, earned $1.445 million. The champion is also awarded a replica of the Wanamaker Trophy, which was also donated by Wanamaker, to keep for one year, and a smaller-sized keeper replica Wanamaker Trophy.

Initially a match play event, the tournament was changed to stroke play in 1958. Network television broadcasters, preferring a large group of well-known contenders on the final day, pressured tournament organizers to make the format change. During the 1960s, the PGA Championship was played the week following The Open Championship five times, making it virtually impossible for players to compete in both majors. In 1965, the PGA was contested for the first time in August, and that move was made permanent in 1969, save for a one-year move to February in 1971, played in Florida.

The PGA Championship is primarily played in the eastern half of the United States, only ten times has it ventured west. The last championship played in the Mountain Time Zone was in 1985 and the last in the Pacific was 1998 at Sahalee near Seattle; no western venues are currently scheduled through 2018, which will be the 100th PGA Championship.