The Senior PGA Championship, established in 1937, is the oldest of the five major championships in men's senior golf. It is administered by the Professional Golfers' Association of America and is recognized as a major championship by both PGA Tour Champions and the European Senior Tour. It was formerly an unofficial money event on the European Senior Tour, but since 2007 has been an official money event.[1] Winners gain entry into the next PGA Championship. The winners prior to 1980, the first season of the senior tour, are not considered major champions of this event by the PGA Tour Champions.

KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship
Tournament information
LocationBenton Harbor, Michigan
Established1937
Course(s)The Golf Club at Harbor Shores
Par71
Length6,852 yards (6,265 m)
Tour(s)PGA Tour Champions
European Senior Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fundUS$3,500,000
Month playedMay
Tournament record score
Aggregate265 Rocco Mediate (2016)
265 Paul Broadhurst (2018)
To par−20 Sam Snead (1973)
Current champion
England Richard Bland
Location map
Harbor Shores is located in the United States
Harbor Shores
Harbor Shores
Location in the United States
Harbor Shores is located in Michigan
Harbor Shores
Harbor Shores
Location in Michigan

The lower age limit is 50, which is the standard limit for men's senior professional golf tournaments. Like its PGA Tour counterpart, the Senior PGA Championship allows club professionals to enter. The tournament committee gives former winners of the PGA Professional National Championship a one time invitation upon turning 50 years of age and the top 35 club professionals who qualify through the Senior PGA Professional National Championship.

History

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The inaugural event was played 87 years ago in 1937 at Augusta National Golf Club, with 54-year-old Jock Hutchison winning the 54-hole event on Thursday, December 2.[2][3] The second edition at Augusta was reduced to 36 holes due to rain, but had an 18-hole playoff on December 9 to decide the winner, Fred McLeod.[4][5] The next edition was moved to Florida in January,[6] No tournaments were held in 1943 and 1944 due to World War II. The event returned in 1945 at the PGA National Golf Course, where it stayed until 1962. The event moved to different courses in Florida through 2000. Due to scheduling moves, two tournaments were played in 1979 and 1984 and none in 1983, and 1985. It moved from winter to mid-April in 1990 and when it rotated to various sites in 2001, it became a late spring event, played in late May or early June.

It was a 36-hole event until 1954; after four years at 54 holes, it became a 72-hole event in 1958. In the past, the event has had long spells of playing on a single host course, but currently it is played on a different course each year.

In 2011, the PGA of America and Whirlpool Corporation commenced an agreement which designated the KitchenAid brand as official home appliance brand of the PGA of America and presenting sponsor of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. Harbor Shores Golf Club in Benton Harbor, Michigan, was designated as the home golf course for the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, where the Championship was played every other year starting in 2012. The Championship was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2014, the parties extended the sponsorship contract through 2018 and made KitchenAid the title sponsor of the event. The two organizations extended the contract again in 2018 through 2024. In 2024, Whirlpool Corporation did not renew its title sponsorship, which marked the culmination of the KitchenAid brand's 13-year tenure as sponsor.[7]

Eligibility

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Here is who may be eligible to compete in the Senior PGA Championship (provided they meet the age requirement):

  • Any past winner of the Senior PGA Championship
  • Any past winner of a regular major championship
  • Any past member of the United States Ryder Cup team
  • The top 15 finishers in the previous year's Senior PGA Championship
  • The top 50 on the PGA Tour Champions money list (previous year and current year)
  • Any winner of a PGA Tour Champions event since the last Senior PGA Championship
  • The top 35 finishers from the Callaway Golf Senior PGA Professional National Championship
  • Any winner of the previous five U.S. Senior Opens
  • The winner of the previous five Senior Open Championship
  • The top eight players from the previous year's European Senior Tour Order of Merit
  • The top four players from the previous year's Japanese Seniors Tour Order of Merit
  • A one-time exemption for those who have just turned 50 and have won a PGA Tour, Japan Golf Tour, or European Tour event in the last 5 years
  • The top 30 on the career money list, both PGA Tour Champions and combined PGA Tour Champions and PGA Tour
  • A one-time exemption for former PGA Professional National Champions turning 50
  • Invitations for those not meeting criteria above also are made

Tournament hosts

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Year Venue Location
2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2024 The Golf Club at Harbor Shores Benton Harbor, Michigan
2023 Fields Ranch East Frisco, Texas
2021 Southern Hills Country Club Tulsa, Oklahoma
2008, 2019 Oak Hill Country Club Rochester, New York
2017 Trump National Golf Club Potomac Falls, Virginia
2015 French Lick Resort French Lick, Indiana
2013 Bellerive Country Club St. Louis, Missouri
2004, 2011 Valhalla Golf Club Louisville, Kentucky
2010 Colorado Golf Club Parker, Colorado
2009 Canterbury Golf Club Beachwood, Ohio
2007 Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Ocean Course Kiawah Island, South Carolina
2006 Oak Tree Golf Club Edmond, Oklahoma
2005 Laurel Valley Golf Club Ligonier, Pennsylvania
2003 Aronimink Golf Club Newtown Square, Pennsylvania
2002 Firestone Country Club Akron, Ohio
2001 The Ridgewood Country Club Paramus, New Jersey
1982–2000 PGA National Golf Club Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
1979 (Dec.) −1981 Turnberry Isle Country Club North Miami Beach, Florida
1975–1979 (Feb.) Walt Disney World Orlando, Florida
1974 Port St. Lucie Country Club Port St. Lucie, Florida
1964, 1966–1973 PGA National Golf Club (old) Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
1965 Fort Lauderdale Country Club Fort Lauderdale, Florida
1963 Port St. Lucie Country Club Port St. Lucie, Florida
1945–1962 PGA National Golf Course Dunedin, Florida
1942 Fort Myers Country Club Fort Myers, Florida
1940–41 Bobby Jones Golf Complex
Sarasota Bay Country Club
Sarasota, Florida
1937–38 (Dec.) Augusta National Golf Club Augusta, Georgia

Winners

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Year Winner Score To par Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-up Winner's
share ($)
Venue
KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship
2024   Richard Bland 267 −17 3 strokes   Richard Green 630,000 Harbor Shores
2023   Steve Stricker 270 −18 Playoff   Pádraig Harrington 630,000 Fields Ranch East
2022   Steven Alker 268 −16 3 strokes   Stephen Ames 585,000 Harbor Shores
2021   Alex Čejka 272 −8 4 strokes   Tim Petrovic 585,000 Southern Hills
2020 Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[8]
2019   Ken Tanigawa 277 −3 1 stroke   Scott McCarron 585,000 Oak Hill
2018   Paul Broadhurst 265 −19 4 strokes   Tim Petrovic 585,000 Harbor Shores
2017   Bernhard Langer 270 −18 1 stroke   Vijay Singh 540,000 Trump National
Senior PGA Championship
2016   Rocco Mediate 265 −19 3 strokes   Colin Montgomerie 504,000 Harbor Shores
2015   Colin Montgomerie (2) 280 −8 4 strokes   Esteban Toledo 495,000 French Lick Resort
2014   Colin Montgomerie 271 −13 4 strokes   Tom Watson 378,000 Harbor Shores
2013   Kōki Idoki 273 −11 2 strokes   Jay Haas
  Kenny Perry
378,000 Bellerive
2012   Roger Chapman 271 −13 2 strokes   John Cook 378,000 Harbor Shores
2011   Tom Watson (2) 278 −10 Playoff   David Eger 378,000 Valhalla
2010   Tom Lehman 281 −7 Playoff   Fred Couples
  David Frost
360,000 Colorado
2009   Michael Allen 274 −6 2 strokes   Larry Mize 360,000 Canterbury
2008   Jay Haas (2) 287 +7 1 stroke   Bernhard Langer 360,000 Oak Hill
2007   Denis Watson 279 −9 2 strokes   Eduardo Romero 360,000 Kiawah Island
2006   Jay Haas 279 −5 Playoff   Brad Bryant 360,000 Oak Tree
2005   Mike Reid 280 −8 Playoff   Jerry Pate
  Dana Quigley
360,000 Laurel Valley
2004   Hale Irwin (4) 276 −8 1 stroke   Jay Haas 360,000 Valhalla
2003   John Jacobs 276 −4 2 strokes   Bobby Wadkins 360,000 Aronimink
2002   Fuzzy Zoeller 278 −2 1 stroke   Hale Irwin
  Bobby Wadkins
360,000 Firestone
2001   Tom Watson 274 −14 1 stroke   Jim Thorpe 360,000 The Ridgewood
PGA Seniors' Championship
2000   Doug Tewell 201[a] −15 7 strokes   Hale Irwin
  Tom Kite
  Larry Nelson
  Dana Quigley
324,000 PGA National
1999   Allen Doyle 274 −14 2 strokes   Vicente Fernández 315,000 PGA National
1998   Hale Irwin (3) 275 −13 6 strokes   Larry Nelson 270,000 PGA National
1997   Hale Irwin (2) 274 −14 12 strokes   Dale Douglass
  Jack Nicklaus
216,000 PGA National
1996   Hale Irwin 280 −8 2 strokes   Isao Aoki 198,000 PGA National
1995   Raymond Floyd 277 −11 5 strokes   John Paul Cain
  Larry Gilbert
  Lee Trevino
180,000 PGA National
1994   Lee Trevino (2) 279 −9 1 stroke   Jim Colbert 115,000 PGA National
1993   Tom Wargo 275 −13 Playoff   Bruce Crampton 110,000 PGA National
1992   Lee Trevino 278 −10 1 stroke   Mike Hill 100,000 PGA National
1991   Jack Nicklaus 271 −17 6 strokes   Bruce Crampton 85,000 PGA National
1990   Gary Player (3) 281 −7 2 strokes   Chi-Chi Rodríguez 75,000 PGA National
General Foods PGA Seniors' Championship
1989   Larry Mowry 281 −7 1 stroke   Miller Barber
  Al Geiberger
72,000 PGA National
1988   Gary Player (2) 284 −4 3 strokes   Chi-Chi Rodríguez 63,000 PGA National
1987   Chi-Chi Rodríguez 282 −6 1 stroke   Dale Douglass 47,000 PGA National
1986
(Feb)
  Gary Player 281 −7 2 strokes   Lee Elder 45,000 PGA National
1985: No tournament
1984
(Dec)
  Peter Thomson 286 −2 3 strokes   Don January 40,000 PGA National
PGA Seniors' Championship
1984
(Jan)
  Arnold Palmer (2) 282 −6 2 strokes   Don January 35,000 PGA National
1983: No tournament
1982
(Dec)
  Don January (2) 288 E 1 stroke   Julius Boros 25,000 PGA National
1981   Miller Barber 281 −7 2 strokes   Arnold Palmer 20,000 Turnberry Isle
1980   Arnold Palmer 289 +1 Playoff   Paul Harney 20,000 Turnberry Isle
1979
(Dec)
  Don January 270 −18   15,000 Turnberry Isle
1979
(Feb)
  Jack Fleck 289 +1   8,000 Walt Disney World
1978   Joe Jimenez 286 −2   8,000 Walt Disney World
1977   Julius Boros (2) 283 −5   7,500 Walt Disney World
1976   Pete Cooper 283 −5   7,500 Walt Disney World
1975   Charlie Sifford 280 −8   7,500 Walt Disney World
1974   Roberto De Vicenzo 273 −15   4,000 Port St. Lucie
1973   Sam Snead (6) 268 −20   4,000 PGA National
1972   Sam Snead (5) 286 −2   4,000 PGA National
1971   Julius Boros 285 −3   4,000 PGA National
1970   Sam Snead (4) 290 +2   4,000 PGA National
1969   Tommy Bolt 278 −10   4,000 PGA National
1968   Chandler Harper 279 −9   4,000 PGA National
1967   Sam Snead (3) 279 −9   4,000 PGA National
1966   Fred Haas 286 −2   3,000 PGA National
1965   Sam Snead (2) 278 −10   3,500 Fort Lauderdale
1964   Sam Snead 279 −9   2,500 PGA National
1963   Herman Barron 272 −16   2,500 Port St. Lucie
1962   Paul Runyan (2) 278 −10   2,000 PGA National
1961   Paul Runyan 278 −10   1,500 PGA National
1960   Dick Metz 284 −4   1,500 PGA National
1959   Willie Goggin 284 −4   1,200 PGA National
1958   Gene Sarazen (2) 288 E   1,200 PGA National
1957   Al Watrous (3) 210 −6   1,000 PGA National
1956   Pete Burke 215 −1   1,000 PGA National
1955   Mortie Dutra 213 −3   1,000 PGA National
1954   Gene Sarazen 214 −2   1,000 PGA National
1953   Harry Schwab 142 −2   PGA National
1952   Ernie Newnham 146 +2   PGA National
1951   Al Watrous (2) 142 −2   PGA National
1950   Al Watrous 142 −2   PGA National
1949   Marshall Crichton 145 +1   PGA National
1948   Charles McKenna 141 −3   PGA National
1947   Jock Hutchison (2) 145 +1   PGA National
1946   Eddie Williams (3) 146 +2   PGA National
1945   Eddie Williams (2) 148 +4   PGA National
1943–44: No tournament due to World War II
1942   Eddie Williams 138 −6   Fort Myers
1941   Jack Burke Sr. 142 E   Bobby Jones Golf Complex
Sarasota Bay
1940   Otto Hackbarth 146 +4   Bobby Jones Golf Complex
Sarasota Bay
1939: No tournament
1938   Fred McLeod 154 +10   Augusta National
1937   Jock Hutchison 223 +7   Augusta National

Source:[9]

Multiple winners

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The following men have won the Senior PGA Championship more than once, through 2021:

Winners of both PGA Championship and Senior PGA Championship

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The following men have won both the PGA Championship and the Senior PGA Championship, the majors run by the PGA of America:

Player PGA Championship Senior PGA Championship
Jock Hutchison 1920 1937, 1947
Gene Sarazen 1922, 1923, 1933 1954, 1958
Paul Runyan 1934, 1938 1961, 1962
Sam Snead 1942, 1949, 1951 1964, 1965, 1967, 1970, 1972, 1973
Chandler Harper 1950 1968
Julius Boros 1968 1971, 1977
Don January 1967 1979, 1982
Gary Player 1962, 1972 1986, 1988, 1990
Jack Nicklaus 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980 1991
Lee Trevino 1974, 1984 1992, 1994
Raymond Floyd 1969, 1982 1995

Final round ratings

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2019: 1.190 million on NBC[10]

Future tournament sites

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Year Host site City Dates
2025 Congressional Country Club Bethesda, Maryland TBD
  • PGA Frisco is also slated to host in 2029.
  • Congressional Country Club is also slated to host in 2033.

Source[11]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

References

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  1. ^ "Strong Seniors contingent head to the United States". PGA European Tour. May 21, 2007.
  2. ^ "Jock Hutchison wins inaugural senior tourney". Sarasota Herald. Florida. Associated Press. December 3, 1937. p. 5.
  3. ^ "Hutchison named for golf job here". Sarasaota Herald-Tribune. Florida. July 7, 1940. p. 6.
  4. ^ "Two golfers tie for first place in senior event". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Associated Press. December 9, 1938. p. 6.
  5. ^ "M'Leod defeats Hackbarth in seniors' golf". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. December 10, 1938. p. 22.
  6. ^ "Hackbarth wins seniors golf crown". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Florida. January 17, 1940. p. 7.
  7. ^ Lundberg, Ken (February 15, 2024). "2024 to be final year for KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship". moodyonthemarket.com.
  8. ^ "Senior PGA Championship, scheduled for May, canceled". ESPN. Associated Press. April 2, 2020.
  9. ^ "Senior PGA Championship Media Guide" (PDF). PGA of America. 2016. pp. 6–64.
  10. ^ Metcalf, Mitch. "Senior PGA Championship ratings". ShowBuzzDaily. Archived from the original on May 29, 2019. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  11. ^ "KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship Future Sites". Senior PGA Championship. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
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