PGA Professional National Championship

The PGA Professional National 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.

The PGA Professional National Championship was known as the PGA Club Professional Championship until 2006. Since 1997, the tournament has usually been played in late June, six to seven weeks before the PGA Championship in mid-August. Previously, the club pro tournament had been played in the fall, anywhere from late September to December, and its top 25 finishers qualified for the PGA Championship. The number of qualifiers was reduced by five in 2006 to the top 20 finishers.

312 (twice the amount of most PGA Tour events) professionals initially play in the field. At the end of two rounds, the top 90 plus ties compete in round three. After round three, the field is reduced to 70 plus ties. At the end of 72 holes, if there is a tie for 20th place, a playoff occurs until exactly twenty advance to the PGA Championship.

The PGA Championship was originally the leading championship organized by the whole body of professionals, both club and touring. This contrasts to the other three majors, two of which are organized by bodies controlled by golf's amateur establishment, and the other run by a private club founded by a lifetime amateur. Since 1968, the PGA Championship has been run mainly for the top touring professionals, but unlike the other majors, it continues to reserve places for the club pros.

Sam Snead and Bob Rosburg are the only players to win a major championship and the PGA Professional National 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 winner also earns $75,000 and six exemptions into the PGA Tour for the next season, three of which must be opposite The Open Championship or World Golf Championship events.

Although the event gives invitations to the men's PGA event, women are eligible to compete. Those who have done so are: Patty Post (1997), Suzy Whaley (2002, 2005), and Karen Paolozzi (2014). Whaley (2005) and Paolozzi made the 36-hole cut, but neither placed in the Top 20. Women are subject to the "Whaley Rule," where women must play from the same tees as the men, in response to Whaley playing from shorter tees during a qualifying tournament for the 2003 Greater Hartford Open. The Women's PGA Championship (formerly the LPGA Championship) was established in 2015 and awarded entry to the top eight finishers of the LPGA T&CP (Teaching and Club Professional) National Championship.

Winners

YearChampionVenueLocationScoreTop 20 Cut
2017 Crosswater ClubSunriver, Oregon
2016 Turning Stone Resort & CasinoVerona, New York
2015 Matt Dobyns (2) Philadelphia Cricket ClubFlourtown, Pennsylvania 279 (−3) 286 (+4)
2014 Michael Block The Dunes Golf & Beach Club
Grande Dunes Resort Club
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina 286 (−2) 293 (+5)
2013 Rod Perry Crosswater ClubSunriver, Oregon 277 (−10) 288 (+1)
2012 Matt Dobyns Bayonet Golf Club Seaside, California 275 (−13) 291 (+3)
2011 David Hutsell Hershey Country Club Hershey, Pennsylvania 274 (−11) 284 (−1)
2010 Mike Small (3) French Lick Resort Casino French Lick, Indiana 278 (−8) 289 (+3)
2009 Mike Small (2) Twin Warriors Golf ClubSanta Ana Pueblo, New Mexico277 (−7)282 (−2)
2008 Scott Hebert Reynolds PlantationGreensboro, Georgia276 (−12)287 (−1)
2007 Chip Sullivan Crosswater ClubSunriver, Oregon282 (−6)291 (+3)
2006 Ron Philo, Jr. Turning Stone Resort & CasinoVerona, New York 278 (−10)287 (−1)
2005 Mike Small (1)Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Ocean CourseKiawah Island, South Carolina289 (+1)
2004 Bob SowardsLongaberger Golf ClubLicking County, Ohio276 (−12)
2003Tim Thelen (2) Twin Warriors Golf ClubSanta Ana Pueblo, New Mexico282 (−6)
2002Barry EvansValhalla Golf ClubLouisville, Kentucky281 (−7)
2001Wayne DeFrancescoCrosswater ClubSunriver, Oregon278 (−10)
2000Tim Thelen (1)Oak Tree Golf ClubEdmond, Oklahoma214 (+1)*
1999Jeff FreemanWhistling Straits, Straits CourseKohler, Wisconsin287 (−1)
1998Mike Burke, Jr.Pinehurst Resort, Course No. 8Pinehurst, North Carolina281 (−3)
1997Bruce ZabriskiPinehurst Resort, Course No. 8Pinehurst, North Carolina281 (−3)
1996Darrell KestnerPGA WestLa Quinta, California271 (−17)
1995Steve SchneiterMultiple coursesLa Quinta, California and Rancho Mirage, California278
1994Sammy RachelsMultiple coursesOsage Beach, Missouri and Lake Ozark, Missouri284 PO
1993Jeffrey RothPGA National Resort & SpaPalm Beach Gardens, Florida275
1992Ron McDougalMultiple coursesLa Quinta, California and Rancho Mirage, California273
1991Larry Gilbert (3)Doral Golf Resort & SpaDoral, Florida267
1990Brett UpperMultiple coursesLa Quinta, California and Rancho Mirage, California275
1989Bruce FleisherMultiple coursesLa Quinta, California and Rancho Mirage, California277
1988Bob BoydPinehurst ResortPinehurst, North Carolina287 PO
1987Jay LumpkinMultiple coursesLa Quinta, California and Rancho Mirage, California279
1986Bob LendzionMultiple coursesLa Quinta, California and Rancho Mirage, California284
1985Ed DoughertyMultiple coursesLa Quinta, California277
1984Bill SchumakerPGA National Resort & SpaPalm Beach Gardens, Florida284 PO
1983Larry WebbMultiple coursesLa Quinta, California283
1982Larry Gilbert (2) PGA National Resort & SpaPalm Beach Gardens, Florida284
1981Larry Gilbert (1) PGA National Resort & SpaPalm Beach Gardens, Florida285 PO
1980John TraubPGA National Resort & SpaPalm Beach Gardens, Florida283
1979Buddy WhittenCallaway GardensPine Mountain, Georgia278 PO
1978John GentileCallaway GardensPine Mountain, Georgia276 PO
1977Laurie HammerCallaway GardensPine Mountain, Georgia282
1976Bob GallowayCallaway GardensPine Mountain, Georgia280
1975Roger Watson (2) Callaway GardensPine Mountain, Georgia279 PO
1974Roger Watson (1) Pinehurst ResortPinehurst, North Carolina284 PO
1973Rives McBeePinehurst ResortPinehurst, North Carolina282
1972Don MassengalePinehurst ResortPinehurst, North Carolina280
1971Sam SneadPinehurst ResortPinehurst, North Carolina275
1970Rex BaxterSunol Valley Golf Course, Palm CourseSunol, California285
1969Bob RosburgMultiple coursesChandler, Arizona275
1968Howell FraserMultiple coursesScottsdale, Arizona272

External links

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