PGA Championship: Everything you need to know  10:57, 17/05/2022

What is so special about the PGA Championship?

The PGA Championship is one of the most unique golf championships, and also the most challenging and dramatic tournament. This is considered the arena of the most unforgettable moments in golf.

An Idea is Born

In February 1916, Rodman Wanamaker, an American sportsman, also a general business magnate, foresaw the great commercial potential of golf. He gathered a group of friends who were professional golfers, including golf legend Walter Hagen, to discuss their ideas for building an organization that became the PGA of America. Those attendees decided a national golf championship should be held each year - the PGA Championship.

What is the PGA Tour championship?

The Tour Championship (stylized as the TOUR Championship) is a golf tournament that is part of the PGA Tour. It has historically been one of the final events of the PGA Tour season.

Where was the first PGA Championship held?

The first PGA Championship was held in 1916 at the Siwanoy Golf Club in Bronxville, New York. At that time, golfer Jim Barnes was the winner when defeated his rival, Jock Hutchinson, with only 1 stroke.

How do you qualify for the PGA Championship?

Prior to 2007, its field consisted exclusively of the top 30 money leaders of the past PGA Tour season.

But now, there are 12 ways that players are eligible for the PGA Championship. By the tournament's qualifying rules, almost all of the top-100 ranked players in the world would qualify, along with a handful of others who would be invited or meet one of several other qualifications:

• Every former PGA Champion
• Winners of the last five U.S. Opens 
• Winners of the last five Masters
• Winners of the last five Open Championships
• Winners of the last three Players Championships
• The most recent Senior PGA Champion
• The top 15 finishers at the 2021 PGA Championship
• The top-20 low scorers in the last PGA Professional Championship
• The 70 leaders in official money standings on the PGA Tour (starting one week before the previous year’s PGA Championship and ending two weeks before the current year’s PGA Championship).
• Members of the most recent U.S. and European Ryder Cup Teams, provided they are in the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking as of one week before the start of the tournament. 
• Any tournament winner co-sponsored or approved by the PGA Tour since the previous PGA Championship.
• The PGA of America reserves the right to invite additional players not included in the categories listed above. 
• Completing the field - The total field is a maximum of 156 players.

Who has won the most PGA Championship?

Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus held the record for most PGA Championship wins with 5 victories.

When did PGA Championship became a major?

With the introduction of the Masters Tournament in 1934, and the rise of professional golf in the late 1940s and 1950s, the term "major championships" eventually came to describe the Masters, the U.S. Open, the Open Championship, and the PGA Championship.

Where is the PGA Championship played in 2022?

On May 9, the PGA of America announced the field for its 2022 PGA Championship at Southern Hills designed by Perry Maxwell. 156 players will tee it up in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

How to watch the 2022 PGA Championship?

ESPN+ will be the primary streaming home for the 2022 PGA Championship, including early round coverage, featured groups and featured hole coverage for all four days of the tournament. You can stream the weekend CBS telecasts on Paramount+.

2022 PGA Championship purse, winner’s share?

The 2022 PGA Championship purse is set for $12 million, with the winner's share coming in at $2,160,000 -- the standard 18 percent payout according to the PGA Tour's prize money distribution chart.

A cut is made after 36 holes to the top 70 players and ties for the final two rounds of the tournament. All players who finish four rounds of the tournament will earn money.

The purse for this event could well increase to be closer in value to that of the Masters, which increased its purse this year to $15 million. The PGA of America will announce the final purse during championship week.

What exemptions come with winning the PGA Championship?

Beyond money, the perks of winning this event are terrific. 

The winner of this event will get 600 FedEx Cup points.

The winner gets 100 Official World Golf Ranking points, with all four majors offering the maximum points for any tournament in men's golf.

Winning comes with other big benefits, including a five-plus season exemption on the PGA Tour (down from what used to be 10 years), as well berths into the PGA Championship for life and spots in the other three majors for the next five years.

Besides all of the prizes above, the winner will be awarded the Wanamaker Trophy, which is named after Rodman Wanamaker, a sponsor of the American Professional Golf Association. This is also the biggest trophy of the four major championship trophies.

How long can the PGA Championship winner keep the trophy?

The PGA Championship winner can keep the Wanamaker Trophy for one year. If he successfully defends his title the following season, that golfer can keep the trophy for another year, from the day he took the throne until the start of the next PGA Championship.

Can amateur golfers participate in the PGA Championship?

The PGA Championship is the only of the four major tournaments open to professionals only, and does not invite top amateur golfers to compete.