PGA Professional Championship

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

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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

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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

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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

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Year Winner Score To par Margin of
victory
Runner(s)-up Winner's
share ($)
Venue[a] Location
PGA Professional Championship
2024 Ben Polland[6] 286 −2 3 strokes Jared Jones
Andrew Svoboda
60,000 PGA Frisco Frisco, Texas
2023 Braden Shattuck[7] 279 −9 1 stroke Michael Block
Matt Cahill
60,000 Twin Warriors Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico
2022 Jesse Mueller 273 −10 5 strokes Michael Block
Jared Jones
60,000 Barton Creek Austin, Texas
2021 Omar Uresti (2) 276 −11 3 strokes Frank Bensel Jr. 60,000 PGA Golf Club Port St. Lucie, Florida
2020 Canceled[b] Barton Creek Austin, Texas
2019 Alex Beach 277 −10 2 strokes Danny Balin 55,000 Belfair Bluffton, South Carolina
2018 Ryan Vermeer 283 −5 2 strokes Sean McCarty
Bob Sowards
55,000 Bayonet Seaside, California
2017 Omar Uresti 283 −4 Playoff Dave McNabb 50,000 Crosswater Sunriver, Oregon
2016 Rich Berberian Jr. 277 −11 1 stroke Mark Brown
Omar Uresti
75,000 Turning Stone Verona, New York
PGA Professional National Championship
2015 Matt Dobyns (2) 279 −3 1 stroke Ben Polland 75,000 Philadelphia Cricket Flourtown, Pennsylvania
2014 Michael Block 286 −2 Playoff Jamie Broce 75,000 The Dunes Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
2013 Rod Perry 277 −10 3 strokes Ryan Polzin 75,000 Crosswater Sunriver, Oregon
2012 Matt Dobyns 275 −13 8 strokes Kelly Mitchum
Rod Perry
75,000 Bayonet Seaside, California
2011 David Hutsell 274 −11 Playoff Scott Erdmann
Faber Jamerson
75,000 Hershey Hershey, Pennsylvania
2010 Mike Small (3) 278 −8 3 strokes Sonny Skinner 75,000 French Lick French Lick, Indiana
2009 Mike Small (2) 277 −7 1 stroke Steve Schneiter
Mark Sheftic
75,000 Twin Warriors Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico
2008 Scott Hebert 276 −12 1 stroke Sonny Skinner 75,000 Reynolds Plantation Greensboro, Georgia
2007 Chip Sullivan 281 −7 4 strokes Ryan Benzel
Mike Small
75,000 Crosswater Sunriver, Oregon
2006 Ron Philo Jr. 278 −10 Playoff Alan Schulte 75,000 Turning Stone Verona, New York
PGA Club Professional Championship
2005 Mike Small (1) 289 +1 3 strokes Travis Long 67,000 Kiawah Island Kiawah Island, South Carolina
2004 Bob Sowards 276 −12 1 stroke Mike Small 60,000 Longaberger Licking County, Ohio
2003 Tim Thelen (2) 282 −6 1 stroke Steve Schneiter 53,000 Twin Warriors Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico
2002 Barry Evans 281 −7 2 strokes Mike Gilmore 47,000 Valhalla Louisville, Kentucky
2001 Wayne DeFrancesco 278 −10 3 strokes John Aber
Don Berry
Mark Brown
Tim Thelen
40,000 Crosswater Sunriver, Oregon
2000 Tim Thelen (1) 214[c] +1 Playoff Mark Brown 40,000 Oak Tree Edmond, Oklahoma
1999 Jeff Freeman 287 −1 2 strokes Milan Swilor
Chris Toulson
Brett Upper
40,000 Whistling Straits Kohler, Wisconsin
1998 Mike Burke Jr. 281 −7 3 strokes Bob Gaus 40,000 Pinehurst Resort Pinehurst, North Carolina
1997 Bruce Zabriski 281 −7 1 stroke Mike Burke Jr.
Jay Overton
Steve Schneiter
28,000 Pinehurst Resort Pinehurst, North Carolina
1996 Darrell Kestner 271 −17 1 stroke Dan Bateman 32,000 PGA West La Quinta, California
1995 Steve Schneiter 278 −10 1 stroke John DeForest
Bob Ford
32,000 PGA West La Quinta, California
1994 Sammy Rachels 284 −1 Playoff Darrell Kestner
Ron McDougal
32,000 The Oaks Osage Beach
1993 Jeff Roth 275 −13 2 strokes John Lee 32,000 PGA National Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
1992 Ron McDougal 273 −15 3 strokes Sammy Rachels 32,000 PGA West La Quinta, California
1991 Larry Gilbert (3) 267 −14 1 stroke Gene Fieger
Ron McDougal
32,000 Doral Doral, Florida
1990 Brett Upper 275 −13 3 strokes Gibby Gilbert
Larry Gilbert
32,000 PGA West La Quinta, California
1989 Bruce Fleisher 277 −11 3 strokes Jeff Thomsen 30,000 PGA West La Quinta, California
1988 Bob Boyd 287 +1 Playoff Rick Morton 30,000 Pinehurst Resort Pinehurst, North Carolina
1987 Jay Lumpkin 279 −9 3 strokes Gibby Gilbert
Bob Menne
Jeff Roth
30,000 PGA West La Quinta, California
1986 Bob Lendzion 284 −4 1 stroke Bob Betley 30,000 PGA West La Quinta, California
1985 Ed Dougherty 277 −11 2 strokes Jim White 27,500 La Quinta La Quinta, California
1984 Bill Schumaker 284 −4 Playoff Gary Ostrega 25,000 PGA National Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
1983 Larry Webb 283 −5 4 strokes Bob Ford 20,000 La Quinta La Quinta, California
1982 Larry Gilbert (2) 284 −4 1 stroke Steve Benson 20,000 PGA National Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
1981 Larry Gilbert (1) 285 −3 Playoff Don Padgett II 20,000 PGA National Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
1980 John Traub 283 −5 2 strokes Jim Albus 20,000 PGA National Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
1979 Buddy Whitten 278 −8 Playoff Jack Lewis Jr. 20,000 Callaway Gardens Pine Mountain, Georgia
1978 John Gentile 276 −10 Playoff Jim Ferree 17,000 Callaway Gardens Pine Mountain, Georgia
1977 Laurie Hammer 282 −4 1 stroke Steve Benson 16,500 Callaway Gardens Pine Mountain, Georgia
1976 Bob Galloway 280 −6 1 stroke Jim Ferriell
Larry Gilbert
George Lanning
16,500 Callaway Gardens Pine Mountain, Georgia
1975 Roger Watson (2) 279 −7 Playoff David Jimenez 16,500 Callaway Gardens Pine Mountain, Georgia
1974 Roger Watson (1) 284 −3 Playoff Sam Snead 16,500 Pinehurst Resort Pinehurst, North Carolina
1973 Rives McBee 282 −5 3 strokes Stan Brion 16,500 Pinehurst Resort Pinehurst, North Carolina
1972 Don Massengale 280 −6 2 strokes Bob Bruno 15,000 Pinehurst Resort Pinehurst, North Carolina
1971 Sam Snead 275 −11 5 strokes Ron Letellier
Jerry Steelsmith
15,000 Pinehurst Resort Pinehurst, North Carolina
1970 Rex Baxter 285 −3 1 stroke Bob Duden
Ernie George
8,000 Sunol Valley Sunol, California
1969 Bob Rosburg 275 −13 1 stroke Jimmy Wright 8,000 Roadrunner Chandler, Arizona
1968 Howell Fraser 272 −15 4 strokes Chuck Malchaski
Bob Rosburg
8,000 Century Scottsdale, Arizona
  1. ^ The venue used for the final round is given.
  2. ^ Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8]
  3. ^ Only 54 holes, not 72, were played due to inclement weather.

Source:[4]

References

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  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. ^ a b "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. ^ "Ben Polland wins PGA club pro title, winning by 3 shots". ESPN. Associated Press. May 1, 2024.
  7. ^ "Braden Shattuck wins PGA Professional as 20 club pros head to PGA Championship". ESPN. Associated Press. May 3, 2023.
  8. ^ "2020 PGA Professional Championship Cancelled". PGA Professional Championship. June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
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