The PGA Championship has been around since 1916. Over 100+ years, it has piled up some wild stats, strange firsts, and great stories. Here are 15 facts worth knowing about one of golf's four majors, organized by the PGA of America.
- The PGA Championship is one of the four major championships in men's golf, alongside The Masters, the U.S. Open, and The Open Championship (also known as the British Open).
- The tournament was first held in 1916 and has been contested annually ever since, except for the years 1917–1918 and 1942–1945 due to World War I and World War II, respectively.
- The winner of the PGA Championship receives the Wanamaker Trophy, which was first awarded in 1916 and is named after Rodman Wanamaker, a department store magnate who helped establish the tournament.
- Jack Nicklaus has won the most PGA Championships, with a total of five victories.
- The youngest player to win the PGA Championship is Gene Sarazen, who was 20 years, 5 months, and 22 days old when he won in 1922.
- The oldest player to win the PGA Championship is Julius Boros, who was 48 years, 4 months, and 18 days old when he won in 1968.
- In 1992, John Daly became the first alternate to win the PGA Championship, after Nick Price withdrew due to the birth of his child.
- The first African-American to play in the PGA Championship was Bill Spiller, who competed in the 1959 tournament.
- The first Asian-born player to win the PGA Championship was Y.E. Yang of South Korea, who defeated Tiger Woods in the 2009 tournament.
- In 1977, Lanny Wadkins became the first player to win the PGA Championship in sudden death playoff format.
- In 2020, the PGA Championship was held without fans in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The highest score ever recorded on a single hole in PGA Championship history is 13, which was accomplished by Ray Ainsley on the 16th hole at the 1938 tournament.
- The 2022 PGA Championship was held at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Justin Thomas won in a playoff over Will Zalatoris.
- The PGA Championship has been won by players from 12 different countries, with the United States having the most winners at 86.
- The PGA Championship has been played at a variety of venues across the United States, with the most frequent host being the Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which has hosted the tournament four times.
From match play to stroke play, from Gene Sarazen to Justin Thomas, the PGA Championship keeps producing moments worth remembering. The Wanamaker Trophy is one of the heaviest lifts in golf, in more ways than one.