|
The PGA Championship 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 The Open Championship, but being advanced a week in 2007
and 2008 because of local scheduling conflicts).
Winning the PGA gives a golfer several guarantees which make
his career a little bit easier. PGA champions are automatically
invited to play in the other three majors (The
Masters, US 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 first PGA Championship was in 1916 at Siwanoy Country
Club in Bronxville, New York. The trophy was donated by Rodman
Wanamaker, and is known as the Wanamaker Trophy. It
was initially a match play event, and it moved to a stroke
play format in 1958. The first winner, Jim Barnes, received
$500 (US) in 1916, while 2006 winner Tiger Woods received
$1.224 million (US).
The PGA is the only major which does not invite leading amateurs
to compete, and the only one which reserves 20 out of 156
spots for club 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:
- 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 last year's PGA Championship and ending two
weeks prior to this year's PGA Championship).
- Members of the last 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).
|
|
Hole #1
An inspiring tee shot starts from an elevated tee to a
slight dogleg left with the ideal tee shot position being
in the left side of the fairway to avoid the fairway bunkers
on the right. This tee position will allow an open second
shot with a medium-to-long-iron to a green which slopes
from front to back and is guarded by three traps. |
|
|
Hole #2
This is perhaps the most demanding driving hole on the
golf course with a 225-yard carry over the bunkers and
a winding creek that turns and parallels the fairway.
A long-iron second shot is required to reach this well-bunkered
green. |
|
|
Hole #3
A sharp dogleg left requires a long tee shot in the right
center of the fairway. Bunkering and pin positions will
demand skillful short-iron second shots on this very deceiving
hole.
|
|
|
Hole #4
This picturesque short par-4 features a rolling fairway
leading to the heavily bunkered, elevated green. The absence
of level lies makes for difficult second shots. The severe
back-to-front sloping green will prevent many aggressive
birdie putts
|
|
|
Hole #5
This par-5 doglegs slightly to the left. It is the longest
and one of the toughest holes on the course. Due to the
fairway bunkers, a narrow landing area on the tee shot
will cause problems, but the hole does present a birdie
opportunity to the straight hitter. There are plenty of
trees and heavy rough awaiting the errant shot. |
|
|
Hole #6
Although this is a short par-3, shifting winds cause problems
with club selections. A creek on the left side of the
green will penalize hooked tee shots, and out of bounds
is close behind the green. The fast green is also heavily
trapped in front. The ideal tee shot is short of the pin
for an uphill putt. |
|
|
Hole #7
A blind tee shot to the crest of a hill reveals a narrow,
beautifully situated green bunkered front and left.
A steep bank guards the right posing a difficult uphill
pitch from heavy rough. Most players will drive with
a 3-wood to the top of the hill in the left center of
the fairway and use a short-iron second shot to the
bunkered green. Certain pin positions will make this
hole difficult.
|
|
|
Hole #8
No. 8 is a very demanding par-3 with some tough pin placements.
Long-irons or possibly a 3-wood will be used here, but
it is better to be short than over the embankment at the
back and into the creek. Very few birdies and many bogies
will be made on this hole. |
|
|
Hole #9
A dogleg right with a fairway bunker guarding the corner
requires a well-positioned tee shot. The prevailing wind
and an elevated green make this hole play longer than
its yardage. A severe slope from the back to the front
of the green makes this one of the most difficult greens
to putt. |
|
|
Hole #10
Trouble on the right of this dogleg right will require
a tee shot to the left side of the fairway. Most players
will use a 3-wood or long-iron from the tee. The short
approach shot to this elevated two-level green must be
kept below the hole to have a reasonable birdie chance
on one of the trickiest greens on the course. |
|
|
Hole #11
The shortest hole on the course requires a pin-point accuracy
because this small green is surrounded by four bunkers.
The combination of an elevated tee and the prevailing
right-to-left wind will test the players' skills.
|
|
|
Hole #12
Singled out by Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer as one of America's
greatest par-4 holes, this slight dogleg left calls for
a precision long drive to a blind landing area to take
full advantage of the right-to-left slope of the fairway.
The second shot, a long- to middle-iron, must be equally
adroit to carry water and bunkers to the well-banked green.
Bogies and double bogies will abound on this hole. |
|
|
Hole #13
The last good birdie opportunity on the course will provide
plenty of excitement. A big drive on the slight dogleg
left hole will leave an opportunity to reach the green
in two, but not without risk. To reach the green in two
the player faces a blind shot to a small green well protected
by sand and water. With a tough finish ahead, the opportunity
to make eagle or birdie might well be worth the risk,
although laying up in front of the two ponds will still
provide a good chance for a birdie. |
|
|
Hole #14
A great and picturesque par-3 that has length, six bunkers
and out-of-bounds on the left. It will require a wood
or long-iron firmly struck to negate the prevailing right-to-left
wind. A three here will be well earned.
|
|
|
Hole #15
A dogleg left with a bunker guarding the corner requires
a well-positioned drive to a very narrow landing area.
The second shot, a medium- to short-iron, must avoid bunkers
surrounding the green. The undulating surface of the putting
green may result in many three-putts. |
|
|
Hole #16
The longest par-4 on the course requires both length and
accuracy off the tee. The drive must carry a gentle slope
245 yards off the tee to provide a good view of the green.
A long- to middle-iron will be necessary to reach the
small well-bunkered green. A shorter drive will provide
a blind shot to the green. |
|
|
Hole #17
The course's shortest par-4, this dogleg right is a real
teaser. A pushed tee shot into the trees (and a creek)
will mean real trouble. Most players will endeavor to
place the tee shot on the left side of the fairway with
a wood or long-iron. An accurate short-iron second shot
is needed to reach the shallow, two-level, elevated green
with some mean pin positions. This is one of the premier
short, par-4 holes in all of golf. |
|
|
Hole #18
A truly great finishing hole, this dogleg right requires
a drive to a plateau on the left side of the fairway 200
yards from the elevated green. A long-iron or fairway-wood
second shot must carry to the green. The severely sloping
green from back to front will cause many three-putts.
It is the most difficult par on the golf course.
|
|
Florida Golf's City of the Month
