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When Rodman Wanamaker decided to set up the USPGA Championship in 1916, donating the Wanamaker Trophy and a purse of $2,500- $3,000 from his own pocket, even his ambitious mind would have struggled to comprehend the next 100 years of the famous tournament. The ensuing USPGA Championship became golf's fourth major, with the prize fund rising to a staggering $10.5 million as millions of viewers tune in to watch.
Englishman Jim Barnes won the first two USPGA Championships in 1916 and 1919 (separated by a two-year absence due to World War I). However, the American founders would have been a right sight happier with the rest of the results in the competition's matchplay era. The PGA Championship was played in a matchplay format from 1916-1957 and, following Jim Barnes's second victory, Americans won the Wanamaker trophy every year bar one (Australian Jim Ferrier in 1947). This streak was helped by four consecutive victories for Walter Hagen between 1924 and 1927. Hagen shares his record of five wins in the tournament with the legendary Jack Nicklaus.
The strokeplay era did little to derail America's dominance in the fourth major of the golfing calendar, with Gary Player (twice) and David Graham the only non-American strokeplay winners pre-1990. The 21st Century has seen a dramatic change in this department, with the likes of Vijay Singh (Fiji), Padraig Harrington (Ireland- as if you could be from anywhere else with a name like "Padraig") and Martin Kaymer (Germany) restoring the international balance in this tournament. Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy took the trophy home in 2012 and 2014, with the 2012 title becoming the largest margin of victory in the strokeplay era; an eight-stroke lead. Jason Day of Australia also set his own record as recently as 2015. Day shot a record -20 on Winsconsin's Whistling Straits golf course, eclipsing Tiger Woods's (who else) two-time -18 score.
As we head into the 99th PGA Championship, there are plenty of stories to look back on. From Walter Hagen leaving the Wanamaker Trophy in a taxi whilst celebrating in a nightclub, to Tiger Woods recording not one but two back-to-back victories, it's a tournament with a long and storied history. I, for one, can't wait to see that story continue this week.
Written by Joe Carabini
