The PGA Championship is predominantly played in the eastern section of the United States; it has only traveled west eleven times. The last time it was played in the Pacific time zone was 21 years ago, in 1998, in Sahalee, east of Seattle. The next time it visits California is 2020 in Napa.
The PGA Championship is played at a number of different courses throughout its history. It has been played at twenty-one locations since it first began in 1894. The list includes nine men's professional golf championships between 1895 and 1944. It was not held from 1945 to 1946 due to World War II but returned in 1947.
The current site of the PGA Championship is Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York. It replaced Bethpage Black as the final major of the year for all three of the world's top golfers (Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy, and Justin Rose). This will be the fourth time that Rochester has hosted the championship (the previous three times were in 1955, 1973, and 2005).
Rochester is located approximately 150 miles north of New York City and sits on the western edge of the Finger Lakes region. The city is home to the University of Rochester and the Rochester Institute of Technology, two highly respected universities with strong athletic programs of their own.
Location Normally, the PGA Championship is held in the eastern portion of the United States. Except for eleven times, the most recent of which was in 2020 at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. The 103rd PGA Championship was contested on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort's Ocean Course. It was the first major championship held there.
The PGA Championship has only been held in Europe nine times: 1905 (British Open), 1906 (British Open), 1907 (British Open), 1910 (British Open), 1948 (United Kingdom), 1950 (Sweden), 1951 (Scotland), 1952 (England).
In Asia, the PGA Championship is held only in Japan (1933, 1949). In Latin America, the PGA Championship is held only in Brazil (1995). In Australia, the PGA Championship is held only in New Zealand (1950). In Africa, the PGA Championship is held only in Egypt (1945, 1947, 1949, 1953, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995).
Golf has long been a global sport. The PGA Tour's 2016-17 calendar includes tournaments in China, Mexico, Australia, the Bahamas, Malaysia, Puerto Rico, Canada, and England. The LPGA Tour has events in Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, and France.
Tournaments are held on both men's and women's professional golf tours. Men's majors include the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia; the U.S. Open Championship at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania; and the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Women's majors include the Women's Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club; the U.S. Women's Open Championship at Pinehurst No. 2 in Pinehurst, North Carolina; and the PGA Women's Championship at The Concession Golf & Country Club in Sugar Land, Texas.
Tournaments have also been held on national amateur golf tours in some countries. These events are not considered major championships but do offer prestige and prize money. The best known of these events is probably the British Open, which was first played in 1877 and is still held annually at Royal St. George's Golf Club in Sandwich, England.
The PGA Championship began as a match-play event in the early fall, but it has now shifted to a monthly event from May through December. After WWII, the tournament was normally held in late May or late June, although it was shifted to early July in 1953 and a few weeks later in 1954, with the finals held on Tuesday. It returned to its traditional date of mid-July in 1955.
The first modern championship took place at Oakland Hills in Rochester, Michigan. This was also the first major championship played outside of the East Coast/West Coast system. The field was made up of the top 30 players in the nation as determined by their results during the previous year. Billy Burke won his only title here, beating Ben Hogan by one hole after both finished regulation tied at 269. They went back to play another hole for the win, which Burke won. The prize money was $10,000 (about $150,000 in today's dollars).
Burke went on to have a very successful career, winning eight more times. He is still the only player to have won the Masters, Open, and U.S. Open within one year; he did so in 1958. His other seven victories came at events in California, Florida, North Carolina, and Nevada. His last victory was at the Reno Invitational in 1960. At the age of 32, Burke retired from competition to start a family. He returned to golf in 1964 at the age of 35 and won his second Masters that year.
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