Senior PGA Championship Golf Tournament

The Senior PGA Championship, run by the PGA of America, was the first truly "major" tournament specifically for "senior" golfers (golfers over age 50) in the U.S. The tournament was founded in 1937 at the urging of Bobby Jones, and has been played ever since (with a few exceptions). It now is considered one of the Champions Tour's majors, and rotates among golf courses ala the PGA Championship and USGA championships.

2020 Tournament

When: May 21-24
Where: Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Mich.
Ticket info

2019 Senior PGA Championship
Ken Tanigawa birdied the 15th and 16th holes in the final round, the bogeyed the 17th but still came away with a one-stroke victory. Tanigawa finished at 3-under 277, one better than runner-up Scott McCarron. Third-round leader Paul Broadhurst bogeyed the final hole and finished two off the lead. It was Tanigawa's second career Champions Tour victory.

2018 Senior PGA Championship
Paul Broadhurst tied the tournament scoring record and won by four strokes. It was Broadhurst's second win in a senior major and his fourth overall victory on the Champions Tour. Broadhurst shot 64-63 on the weekend and his winning total was 265, tying the record first set by Rocco Mediate in 2016. Tim Petrovic was runner-up.

Official Web site

Senior PGA Championship Records

72-hole scoring record: 265 - Rocco Mediate, 2016; Paul Broadhurst, 2018
18-hole scoring record: 62 - Kenny Perry, 2012

Senior PGA Championship Golf Courses

The Senior PGA Championship currently rotates among courses, just as the "regular" PGA Championship does. And so the tournament visits some of the great courses in the U.S. annually.

For many years, this event was permanently hosted at PGA National Golf Club in Florida, first played there in 1945. PGA National was the host course from 1945-1962, 1964, 1966-1973, 1982-2000.

Senior PGA Championship Trivia and Notes

Bobby Jones was the driving force behind the inauguration of a Senior PGA Championship, organizing the first one in 1937 and hosting the first two at Augusta National Golf Club.
The first tournament was only three rounds in duration. From 1938 through 1953, the seniors played just two rounds. It was back to three rounds in 1954-57. The tournament extended to 72 holes in 1958 and has remained so since.
The Senior PGA Championship debuted in 1937. The first winner, Jock Hutchinson, won again 10 years later in 1947. Hutchinson was runner-up six other times.
Sam Snead holds the record with six victories in the Senior PGA Championship, winning in 1964-65, 1967, 1970, 1972-73. His win in 1973 was by 15 strokes.
Hale Irwin is the other golfer with more than three wins. Irwin's victories came in 1996-98 and 2004.
Irwin is the only golfer to win this tournament three straight years - although Eddie Williams won three straight tournaments. Williams won in 1942, the tournament was not played in 1943-44, then Williams won again in 1945-46.

Other three-time winners of the tournament are Al Watrous (1950-51, 1957) and Gary Player (1986, 1988, 1990).
In 1979 and 1984, the Senior PGA Championship was played twice. In 1979, it was played in February and then December; in 1984, it was played in January and then December (and was not played in 1985).
When Colin Montgomerie won the 2014 tournament, it wasn't just his first win on the Champions Tour. It was also the first professional win in the United States for Monty.
Bernhard Langer earned his first victory in this championship in 2017, and in so doing became the first golfer ever with wins in all five of the senior major championships. It was also Langer's ninth career victory in a senior major, setting a new record for most wins by any golfer in senior majors.

Winners of the Senior PGA Championship

2019 - Ken Tanigawa
2018 - Paul Broadhurst
2017 - Bernhard Langer
2016 - Rocco Mediate
2015 - Colin Montgomerie
2014 - Colin Montgomerie
2013 - Kohki Idoki
2012 - Roger Chapman
2011 - Tom Watson
2010 - Tom Lehman
2009 - Michael Allen
2008 - Jay Haas
2007 - Denis Watson
2006 - Jay Haas
2005 - Mike Reid
2004 - Hale Irwin
2003 - John Jacobs
2002 - Fuzzy Zoeller
2001 - Tom Watson

PGA Seniors Championship
2000 - Doug Tewell
1999 - Allen Doyle
1998 - Hale Irwin
1997 - Hale Irwin
1996 - Hale Irwin
1995 - Raymond Floyd
1994 - Lee Trevino
1993 - Tom Wargo-p
1992 - Lee Trevino
1991 - Jack Nicklaus
1990 - Gary Player

General Foods PGA Seniors Championship
1989 - Larry Mowry
1988 - Gary Player
1987 - Chi Chi Rodriguez
1986 - Gary Player

PGA Seniors Championship
1984* - Peter Thomson
1984 - Arnold Palmer
1982 - Don January
1981 - Miller Barber
1980 - Arnold Palmer-p
1979* - Don January
1979 - Jack Fleck-p
1978 - Joe Jimenez-p
1977 - Julius Boros
1976 - Pete Cooper
1975 - Charles Sifford-p
1974 - Roberto De Vicenzo
1973 - Sam Snead
1972 - Sam Snead
1971 - Julius Boros
1970 - Sam Snead
1969 - Tommy Bolt
1968 - Chandler Harper
1967 - Sam Snead
1966 - Fred Haas Jr.
1965 - Sam Snead
1964 - Sam Snead
1963 - Herman Barron
1962 - Paul Runyan
1961 - Paul Runyan
1960 - Dick Metz
1959 - Willie Goggin
1958 - Gene Sarazen
1957 - Al Watrous-p
1956 - Pete Burke
1955 - Mortie Dutra
1954 - Gene Sarazen
1953 - Harry Schwab
1952 - Ernie Newnham
1951 - Al Watrous-p
1950 - Al Watrous
1949 - Marshall Crichton
1948 - Charles McKenna
1947 - Jock Hutchison
1946 - Eddie Williams-p
1945 - Eddie Williams
1944 - Not played
1943 - Not played
1942 - Eddie Williams
1941 - Jack Burke Sr.
1940 - Otto Hackbarth-p
1939 - Not played
1938 - Freddie McLeod-p
1937 - Jock Hutchison