It’s a tough tournament to crack, but the
PGA Championship has many rewards for
the victor. Last year, Harrington won 1.35
million from a purse of 7.5 million and had
his name permanently inscribed on the
Wanamaker Trophy – which is on display at
the PGA Historical Center in Port St.
Lucie, Fla. Additional benefits for the PGA
Champion include a lifetime exemption
into the PGA Championship, five-year
exemption into the
Masters, U.S. Open and
British Open, a five-
year exemption on the
PGA Tour and a berth
in the 2009 PGA
Grand Slam of Golf,
played in October at
Bermuda’s Port Royal
Golf Club. The winner
will also receive 30
(all times EDT, subject to change)
TNT CBS Sports
PGA Championship Television Times
“Road to the PGA Championship” 2–3 p.m. First Round, Thursday, Aug. 13 2–8 p.m. 12:37–1:07 a.m. Second Round, Friday, Aug. 14 2–8 p.m. 12:37–1:07 a.m. Third Round, Saturday, Aug. 15 11 a.m.– 2 p.m. 2–7 p.m. Final Round, Sunday, Aug. 16 11 a.m.– 2 p.m. 2–7 p.m.
All rounds broadcast on XM (Ch. 146) and Sirius (Ch. 209) Satellite Radio beginning at 8 am Central until play is complete
points toward the 2009 PGA Player of the Year Award, and if the Champion is American-born, he will also receive points for every 1,000 earned toward a berth on the 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup Team.
Appropriately for an event first won by
Only four golfers in the 91-year existence of the PGA Championship have gone wire-to-wire in claiming the Wanamaker Trophy, a feat most recently accomplished by Tiger Woods in 2000 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky. The other three wire-to-wire winners are Bobby Nichols (1964), Raymond Floyd (1969, ’ 82) and Hal Sutton (1983). PGA Championship factoid
Jim Barnes, a player born on foreign soil, the PGA Championship has become a truly international event. More than 20 countries were represented in the field at the 2008 PGA Championship, with media representatives from 15 countries covering the event. The 2008 PGA Championship was televised in 197 countries, giving the event a potential reach of more than 158 million households. From Anguilla to Yemen, from Barnes to Harrington and from Siwanoy Country Club to Hazeltine National, the PGA Championship has earned its reputation as one of the world’s major golf championships. ●
Don Jozwiak is PGA Magazine’s
senior editor, and a previous PGA Championship Journal contributor.
created a league of their own, the PGA Professional ranks continue to include many excellent players, and The PGA of
America conducts more than 30 tournaments for its members and apprentices, including the PGA
Professional National Championship and the Senior PGA Professional National
Championship. It is through performances in these Championships that PGA members can earn berths to play against the best in the world each year in the PGA Championship and Senior
PGA Championship, respectively.
In addition, PGA Sections, which
represent 41 geographic regions across
the country, provide dozens of additional
playing opportunities for PGA
Professionals each year. [See story on the
Minnesota PGA Section on page 144.] It is
through this network of Section offices
that the Association maintains a
commitment to PGA Professionals,
helping the membership meet the
demands of today’s marketplace.
Preserving the Future of the Game
PGA Professionals have taken the lead in the industry-wide growth of the game initiative known as “Play Golf America,” which debuted in 2004. Each year, Play Golf America programs, which are aimed at attracting both new and returning golfers to the game, continues to set
Staging major golf championships (continued)
participation records for both consumers and PGA Professionals.
Details on Play Golf America’s national promotions, as well as additional useful information for those who want to get more golf into their lives, can be found at PlayGolfAmerica.com.
Since those gatherings in New York City in 1916, The PGA of America has established new standards of excellence by expanding educational opportunities, programs and services for its members. Now in its 93rd year, The PGA continues to flourish on the principles that were established by its founders, and at the same time forging ahead as the leader in golf in the 21st century.