LostGolfBalls.com BLOG

Information and tips on everything golf ball related from the largest recycler of used golf balls in the world

The PGA Championship Rundown: Who, What, When and Where

Read More →

Posts by Tag

see all
All Posts

The PGA Championship Rundown: Who, What, When and Where

PGA-2015-ChampiosnhipImage Source: http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/course/2015/tour/1

“I know I am getting better at golf because I am hitting fewer spectators.” – Gerald R. Ford

It's the last Major of the season! Are you ready for it?

The countdown to the PGA Championship 2015 is in full swing (pardon the pun!). Scores of fans are about to descend upon Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, to witness the excitement live, while thousands more around the world will follow every stroke on their television set, Aug. 10-16.

If you don't get a chance to see some live action, get this picture: Whistling Straits is an undisguised homage to the raw and beautiful seaside links of Ireland. And this year, the Straits Course in Haven, Wisconsin, welcomes the greatest names in golf at the 97th PGA Championship. 

What makes this, the last major competition of the season, so special? The PGA Championship is the jewel in the crown of the four top tournaments. It brings together the greatest golfers in the game in one of the most exciting golfing events of the year.

Truth be told, it's the stuff legends are made of. 

US-PGA-Championship-2014
Image Source: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/golf/pga-champion-rory-mcilroy-parade-4034584

Masters of the Links

  • Jim Barnes left big shoes to fill when he won the very fist Championship and went on to win one more, as well as the U.S. Open and The British Open.
  • Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus have both won the most PGA Championships with five each. Forget the polite clap here--a roaring round of applause is in order for these two masters of the links.  
  • Arnold Palmer set a record with rounds of 68-68-69-69. This made him the first player to post four rounds in the 60s in a major tournament, yet a PGA win eluded him. Poor Arnold! We think he deserves a vigorous nod anyhow. He set new standards for the tourney, after all. 

Who's your money on this year? Tiger bowed out, but how about that Jordan Spieth? Or are you more on par with last year's winner, Rory McIlroy? Other fore-walkers include Dustin Johnson, Jason Day, and Justin Rose. 

History in the Making

pga_whistling
Image Source: http://news.cals.wisc.edu/2015/07/21/eyes-on-the-green-cals-scientists-help-whistling-straits-golf-course-get-ready-for-the-pga-championship/

Fasten your wedges and hold on to your irons before the book closes on another year of golf. This year's PGA Championship winner will go down in the annals of golfing history alongside his admirable predecessors, but with a much fatter wallet. 

  • The first Championship was held in 1916 in October at the Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, New York.
  • Jim Barnes won the tournament and received a gold diamond-studded medal that Rodman Wanamaker donated and a purse of $500.
  • The 2012 winner, Rory McIlroy, won the Championship earning $1.445 million. That is a huge jump in prize money, and although we have no doubt that, in 1916, $500 was serious spending power, by the 2012 equivalency it is a mere $10,954.95.  

The total purse for the 2015 tournament is a whopping $10 million, with $1.8 million going to the Championship winner.

For the rest of us--try as we might--golf will never be this lucrative. Not even close. That's why we play it smart with recycled balls from Lost Golf Balls--at the top of our game, but at a fraction of the cost.

Outbound link:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/05/us/pga-championship-fast-facts/

Source links:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PGA_Championship
http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/history
http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/05/us/pga-championship-fast-facts/
Heather Plyler
Heather Plyler
Heather Plyler is a golf enthusiast and has recently joined the E-Commerce team at Lost Golf Balls. She graduated from University of Houston-Downtown in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree for Corporate Communications. Heather is passionate about golf whether it is playing a round on the course or communicating with others about their last Round. She has been involved in the sport for 10 years that has given her an insight into the commercial value of the products associated with the sport.

Related Posts

Sudarshan Yellamaraju Put On Quite A Show

Before I talk about the thrilling finale of the 2026 Players Championship, I wanted to highlight Sudarshan Yellamaraju (Titleist Pro V1). Yellamaraju is a landed Canadian immigrant – I’m a Canadian by birth – and his hometown is Mississauga, which is where I am based, in the west end of Toronto. Up until last week, Yellamaraju was known only to the Canadian golf community, and even then, it was probably a limited audience. That will no longer be the case. His cover, so to speak, has been blown after he finished tied with Ludwig Aberg (Titleist Pro V1x) and Jacob Bridgeman (TaylorMade TP5X) for fifth.

Scottie Scheffler Is Clearly In A Slump

What’s wrong with Scottie Scheffler (Titleist Pro V1)? It’s become increasingly obvious that the world’s number one men’s player is clearly frustrated. He’s been showing visible signs of it for several weeks, but the most glaring example occurred after he bogeyed a makeable putt on his final shot of the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. After picking up his ball he threw it into the water. There was a noticeable murmur among the crowd, almost teetering on booing.

Should Equipment Changes Be Made Public in PGA Tour Events?

Should equipment changes be noted publicly before a player tees it up in a PGA Tour event? While that may sound crazy, it is common practice in horse racing. Some bettors want all the information they can get. With gambling now a big part of sports, I don’t think it’s a crazy idea. Already this year we saw Collin Morikawa (TaylorMade TP5x) winning an event with a putter borrowed from another player. Chris Gotterup (Bridgestone Tour B X with Mindset) won two tournaments this year after changing ball. And remember when Scottie Scheffler (Titleist Pro V1) went on a tear changing to a blade putter to a mallet putter?