The PGA Professional Championship is a golf tournament for golf club professionals and teachers who are members of the Professional Golfers' Association of America. It has been held by the PGA of America since 1968, when touring professionals split off to found the PGA Tour. It was known as the PGA Club Professional Championship until 2006 and as the PGA Professional National Championship from 2006 through 2015

Sam Snead and Bob Rosburg are the only players to win a major championship and the PGA Professional Championship. Bruce Fleisher and Larry Gilbert each would go on to win a senior major. Several other winners have had PGA Tour careers, either before or after winning the championship. The first edition in 1968 was held in early December in Scottsdale, Arizona.[1][2]

The leading 20 players in the event receive an entry into that year's PGA Championship. The winner gets six exemptions into the PGA Tour for the next season, three of which must be opposite The Open Championship or World Golf Championship events. The top five finishers are also given entry into the second round of the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament.

Although the event gives invitations to the men's PGA event, women are eligible to compete. Those who have made the 36-hole cut include Suzy Whaley (2005) and Karen Paolozzi (2016). Paolozzi placed inside the top 20 in 2016, but was not given entry due to the "Whaley Rule," where women must play from the same tees as the men during both the sectional and national tournaments.

Eligibility

To earn entry into the PGA Professional Championship, players must have PGA membership, be certified as Class A PGA Professionals, and cannot have more than ten combined starts on professional tours (including various developmental tours, senior tours, and mini-tours) during a preceding twelve-month period, not counting majors.[3] Players earn entry by allocations from championships of their respective PGA sections, as the defending champions of the Assistant PGA Professional Championship, or as former champions of the event.

Format

The championship is a 72-hole stroke play tournament played over four days. Currently the field consists of 312 professionals representing the 41 sections of the PGA of America. At the end of two rounds, the top 90 and ties compete in round three. After round three, the field is reduced to the leading 70 and ties. Because of the large field, two courses are used for the first two rounds. The final two rounds are played on one of those courses.

The format has varied over years:[4]

  • 1968–1971: Two courses used for the first two rounds. A cut after two rounds with the leading 90 and ties playing in the last two rounds.
  • 1972–1996: Three courses used for the first three rounds. A cut after three rounds with the leading 90 and ties playing in the last round.
  • 1997–2005: One course used. A cut after two rounds with the leading 70 and ties playing in the last two rounds.
  • 2006–2013: Two courses used for the first two rounds. A cut after two rounds with the leading 70 and ties playing in the last two rounds.
  • 2014–present: Two courses used for the first two rounds. A cut after two rounds with the leading 90 and ties playing in the third round and then a second cut with the leading 70 and ties playing in the last round.

From 1968 to 1996 the tournament was played in the fall, anywhere from late September to early December. From 1997 to 2018, the tournament was played in the second half of June, six to seven weeks before the PGA Championship. which was held in mid-August. With the move of the PGA Championship to May in 2019, the PGA Professional Championship was moved to late April/early May.

Qualification for the PGA Championship

The 20 leading players receive an entry into the following PGA Championship. The number of qualifiers was reduced from 40 to 25 in 1994 and then to 20 in 2006. If there is a tie for 20th place, a playoff occurs until exactly twenty advance to the PGA Championship.

With the change in dates from 1997, there were two club professional championships between the 1996 and 1997 PGA Championships. As a result only the winner of the 1996 event received an entry to the 1997 PGA Championship, 25 players qualifying through the 1997 event. The other players making the cut in the 1996 club professional championship were eligible to play in the 1997 event.

The 2020 edition of the PGA Professional Championship was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For that year only, the 20 PGA Professionals given entry into the PGA Championship were based on a points system.[5]

Winners

YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upWinner's
share ($)
Venue[lower-alpha 1]Location
PGA Professional Championship
2023Braden Shattuck[6]279−91 strokeMichael Block
Matt Cahill
60,000Twin WarriorsSanta Ana Pueblo, New Mexico
2022Jesse Mueller273−105 strokesMichael Block
Jared Jones
60,000Barton CreekAustin, Texas
2021Omar Uresti (2)276−113 strokesFrank Bensel Jr.60,000PGA Golf ClubPort St. Lucie, Florida
2020Canceled[lower-alpha 2]Barton CreekAustin, Texas
2019Alex Beach277−102 strokesDanny Balin55,000BelfairBluffton, South Carolina
2018Ryan Vermeer283−52 strokesSean McCarty
Bob Sowards
55,000BayonetSeaside, California
2017Omar Uresti283−4PlayoffDave McNabb50,000CrosswaterSunriver, Oregon
2016Rich Berberian Jr.277−111 strokeMark Brown
Omar Uresti
75,000Turning StoneVerona, New York
PGA Professional National Championship
2015Matt Dobyns (2)279−31 strokeBen Polland75,000Philadelphia CricketFlourtown, Pennsylvania
2014Michael Block286−2PlayoffJamie Broce75,000The DunesMyrtle Beach, South Carolina
2013Rod Perry277−103 strokes Ryan Polzin75,000CrosswaterSunriver, Oregon
2012Matt Dobyns275−138 strokesKelly Mitchum
Rod Perry
75,000BayonetSeaside, California
2011David Hutsell274−11PlayoffScott Erdmann
Faber Jamerson
75,000HersheyHershey, Pennsylvania
2010Mike Small (3)278−83 strokesSonny Skinner75,000French LickFrench Lick, Indiana
2009Mike Small (2)277−71 strokeSteve Schneiter
Mark Sheftic
75,000Twin WarriorsSanta Ana Pueblo, New Mexico
2008Scott Hebert276−121 strokeSonny Skinner75,000Reynolds PlantationGreensboro, Georgia
2007Chip Sullivan281−74 strokesRyan Benzel
Mike Small
75,000Crosswater Sunriver, Oregon
2006Ron Philo Jr.278−10Playoff Alan Schulte75,000Turning StoneVerona, New York
PGA Club Professional Championship
2005Mike Small (1)289+13 strokesTravis Long67,000Kiawah IslandKiawah Island, South Carolina
2004Bob Sowards276−121 strokeMike Small60,000LongabergerLicking County, Ohio
2003Tim Thelen (2)282−61 strokeSteve Schneiter53,000Twin WarriorsSanta Ana Pueblo, New Mexico
2002Barry Evans281−72 strokesMike Gilmore47,000ValhallaLouisville, Kentucky
2001Wayne DeFrancesco278−103 strokesJohn Aber
Don Berry
Mark Brown
Tim Thelen
40,000CrosswaterSunriver, Oregon
2000Tim Thelen (1)214[lower-alpha 3]+1PlayoffMark Brown40,000Oak TreeEdmond, Oklahoma
1999Jeff Freeman287−12 strokesMilan Swilor
Chris Toulson
Brett Upper
40,000Whistling StraitsKohler, Wisconsin
1998Mike Burke Jr.281−73 strokesBob Gaus40,000Pinehurst ResortPinehurst, North Carolina
1997Bruce Zabriski281−71 strokeMike Burke Jr.
Jay Overton
Steve Schneiter
28,000Pinehurst ResortPinehurst, North Carolina
1996Darrell Kestner271−171 strokeDan Bateman32,000PGA WestLa Quinta, California
1995Steve Schneiter278−101 strokeJohn DeForest
Bob Ford
32,000PGA WestLa Quinta, California
1994Sammy Rachels284−1PlayoffDarrell Kestner
Ron McDougal
32,000The OaksOsage Beach
1993Jeff Roth275−132 strokesJohn Lee32,000PGA NationalPalm Beach Gardens, Florida
1992Ron McDougal273−153 strokesSammy Rachels32,000PGA WestLa Quinta, California
1991Larry Gilbert (3)267−141 strokeGene Fieger
Ron McDougal
32,000DoralDoral, Florida
1990Brett Upper275−133 strokesGibby Gilbert
Larry Gilbert
32,000PGA WestLa Quinta, California
1989Bruce Fleisher277−113 strokesJeff Thomsen30,000PGA WestLa Quinta, California
1988Bob Boyd287+1PlayoffRick Morton30,000Pinehurst ResortPinehurst, North Carolina
1987Jay Lumpkin279−93 strokesGibby Gilbert
Bob Menne
Jeff Roth
30,000PGA WestLa Quinta, California
1986Bob Lendzion284−41 strokeBob Betley30,000PGA WestLa Quinta, California
1985Ed Dougherty277−112 strokesJim White27,500La QuintaLa Quinta, California
1984Bill Schumaker284−4PlayoffGary Ostrega25,000PGA NationalPalm Beach Gardens, Florida
1983Larry Webb283−54 strokesBob Ford20,000La QuintaLa Quinta, California
1982Larry Gilbert (2)284−41 strokeSteve Benson20,000PGA NationalPalm Beach Gardens, Florida
1981Larry Gilbert (1)285−3PlayoffDon Padgett II20,000PGA NationalPalm Beach Gardens, Florida
1980John Traub283−52 strokesJim Albus20,000PGA NationalPalm Beach Gardens, Florida
1979Buddy Whitten278−8PlayoffJack Lewis Jr.20,000Callaway GardensPine Mountain, Georgia
1978John Gentile276−10PlayoffJim Ferree17,000Callaway GardensPine Mountain, Georgia
1977Laurie Hammer282−41 strokeSteve Benson16,500Callaway GardensPine Mountain, Georgia
1976Bob Galloway280−61 strokeJim Ferriell
Larry Gilbert
George Lanning
16,500Callaway GardensPine Mountain, Georgia
1975Roger Watson (2)279−7PlayoffDavid Jimenez16,500Callaway GardensPine Mountain, Georgia
1974Roger Watson (1)284−3PlayoffSam Snead16,500Pinehurst ResortPinehurst, North Carolina
1973Rives McBee282−53 strokesStan Brion16,500Pinehurst ResortPinehurst, North Carolina
1972Don Massengale280−62 strokesBob Bruno15,000Pinehurst ResortPinehurst, North Carolina
1971Sam Snead275−115 strokesRon Letellier
Jerry Steelsmith
15,000Pinehurst ResortPinehurst, North Carolina
1970Rex Baxter285−31 strokeBob Duden
Ernie George
8,000Sunol ValleySunol, California
1969Bob Rosburg275−131 strokeJimmy Wright8,000RoadrunnerChandler, Arizona
1968Howell Fraser272−154 strokesChuck Malchaski
Bob Rosburg
8,000CenturyScottsdale, Arizona
  1. The venue used for the final round is given.
  2. Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]
  3. Only 54 holes, not 72, were played due to inclement weather.

Source:[4]

References

  1. "Sports-in-brief". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. December 9, 1968. p. 2B.
  2. "Fraser wins 1st meet for club pros". Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. December 9, 1968. p. 3, sec. 6.
  3. "2018 PGA Professional Championship: What's at Stake, TV Schedule and More". PGA of America. June 6, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
  4. 1 2 "PGA Professional National Championship 2015 Media guide" (PDF). PGA of America. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  5. 2019 PGA Professional Player of the Year Standings
  6. "Braden Shattuck wins PGA Professional as 20 club pros head to PGA Championship". ESPN. Associated Press. May 3, 2023.
  7. "2020 PGA Professional Championship Cancelled". PGA Professional Championship. June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
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