# Senior PGA Championship

The Senior PGA Championship, established in 1937, is the oldest of the five major championships in men's senior golf. It is administered by the Professional Golfers' Association of America and is recognized as a major championship by both PGA Tour Champions and the European Senior Tour. It was formerly an unofficial money event on the European Senior Tour, but since 2007 has been an official money event. Winners gain entry into the next PGA Championship. The winners prior to 1980, the first season of the senior tour, are not considered major champions of this event by the PGA Tour Champions.
The lower age limit is 50, which is the standard limit for men's senior professional golf tournaments. Like its PGA Tour counterpart, the Senior PGA Championship allows club professionals to enter. The tournament committee gives former winners of the PGA Professional National Championship a one time invitation upon turning 50 years of age and the top 35 club professionals who qualify through the Senior PGA Professional National Championship.

## History

The inaugural event was played 87 years ago in 1937 at Augusta National Golf Club, with 54-year-old Jock Hutchison winning the 54-hole event on Thursday, December 2. The second edition at Augusta was reduced to 36 holes due to rain, but had an 18-hole playoff on December 9 to decide the winner, Fred McLeod. The next edition was moved to Florida in January, No tournaments were held in 1943 and 1944 due to World War II. The event returned in 1945 at the PGA National Golf Course, where it stayed until 1962. The event moved to different courses in Florida through 2000. Due to scheduling moves, two tournaments were played in 1979 and 1984 and none in 1983, and 1985. It moved from winter to mid-April in 1990 and when it rotated to various sites in 2001, it became a late spring event, played in late May or early June.
It was a 36-hole event until 1954; after four years at 54 holes, it became a 72-hole event in 1958. In the past, the event has had long spells of playing on a single host course, but currently it is played on a different course each year.
In 2011, the PGA of America and Whirlpool Corporation commenced an agreement which designated the KitchenAid brand as official home appliance brand of the PGA of America and presenting sponsor of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. Harbor Shores Golf Club in Benton Harbor, Michigan, was designated as the home golf course for the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, where the Championship was played every other year starting in 2012. The Championship was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2014, the parties extended the sponsorship contract through 2018 and made KitchenAid the title sponsor of the event. The two organizations extended the contract again in 2018 through 2024. In 2024, Whirlpool Corporation did not renew its title sponsorship, which marked the culmination of the KitchenAid brand's 13-year tenure as sponsor.

## Eligibility

Here is who may be eligible to compete in the Senior PGA Championship (provided they meet the age requirement):
* Any past winner of the Senior PGA Championship
* Any past winner of a regular major championship
* Any past member of the United States Ryder Cup team
* The top 15 finishers in the previous year's Senior PGA Championship
* The top 50 on the PGA Tour Champions money list (previous year and current year)
* Any winner of a PGA Tour Champions event since the last Senior PGA Championship
* The top 35 finishers from the Callaway Golf Senior PGA Professional National Championship
* Any winner of the previous five U.S. Senior Opens
* The winner of the previous five Senior Open Championship
* The top eight players from the previous year's European Senior Tour Order of Merit
* The top four players from the previous year's Japanese Seniors Tour Order of Merit
* A one-time exemption for those who have just turned 50 and have won a PGA Tour, Japan Golf Tour, or European Tour event in the last 5 years
* The top 30 on the career money list, both PGA Tour Champions and combined PGA Tour Champions and PGA Tour
* A one-time exemption for former PGA Professional National Champions turning 50
* Invitations for those not meeting criteria above also are made

## Tournament hosts

| Year | Venue | Location |
| 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2022, 2024 | The Golf Club at Harbor Shores | Benton Harbor, Michigan |
| 2023 | Fields Ranch East | Frisco, Texas |
| 2021 | Southern Hills Country Club | Tulsa, Oklahoma |
| 2008, 2019 | Oak Hill Country Club | Rochester, New York |
| 2017 | Trump National Golf Club | Potomac Falls, Virginia |
| 2015 | French Lick Resort | French Lick, Indiana |
| 2013 | Bellerive Country Club | St. Louis, Missouri |
| 2004, 2011 | Valhalla Golf Club | Louisville, Kentucky |
| 2010 | Colorado Golf Club | Parker, Colorado |
| 2009 | Canterbury Golf Club | Beachwood, Ohio |
| 2007 | Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Ocean Course | Kiawah Island, South Carolina |
| 2006 | Oak Tree Golf Club | Edmond, Oklahoma |
| 2005 | Laurel Valley Golf Club | Ligonier, Pennsylvania |
| 2003 | Aronimink Golf Club | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania |
| 2002 | Firestone Country Club | Akron, Ohio |
| 2001 | The Ridgewood Country Club | Paramus, New Jersey |
| 1982–2000 | PGA National Golf Club | Palm Beach Gardens, Florida |
| 1979 (Dec.) −1981 | Turnberry Isle Country Club | North Miami Beach, Florida |
| 1975–1979 (Feb.) | Walt Disney World | Orlando, Florida |
| 1974 | Port St. Lucie Country Club | Port St. Lucie, Florida |
| 1964, 1966–1973 | PGA National Golf Club (old) | Palm Beach Gardens, Florida |
| 1965 | Fort Lauderdale Country Club | Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
| 1963 | Port St. Lucie Country Club | Port St. Lucie, Florida |
| 1945–1962 | PGA National Golf Course | Dunedin, Florida |
| 1942 | Fort Myers Country Club | Fort Myers, Florida |
| 1940–41 | Bobby Jones Golf Complex Sarasota Bay Country Club | Sarasota, Florida |
| 1937–38 (Dec.) | Augusta National Golf Club | Augusta, Georgia |

## Winners

| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up | Winner's share ($) | Venue |
| KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship ||||||||
| 2024 | Richard Bland | 267 | −17 | 3 strokes | Richard Green | 630,000 | Harbor Shores |
| 2023 | Steve Stricker | 270 | −18 | Playoff | Pádraig Harrington | 630,000 | Fields Ranch East |
| 2022 | Steven Alker | 268 | −16 | 3 strokes | Stephen Ames | 585,000 | Harbor Shores |
| 2021 | Alex Čejka | 272 | −8 | 4 strokes | Tim Petrovic | 585,000 | Southern Hills |
| 2020 | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2019 | Ken Tanigawa | 277 | −3 | 1 stroke | Scott McCarron | 585,000 | Oak Hill |
| 2018 | Paul Broadhurst | 265 | −19 | 4 strokes | Tim Petrovic | 585,000 | Harbor Shores |
| 2017 | Bernhard Langer | 270 | −18 | 1 stroke | Vijay Singh | 540,000 | Trump National |
| Senior PGA Championship ||||||||
| 2016 | Rocco Mediate | 265 | −19 | 3 strokes | Colin Montgomerie | 504,000 | Harbor Shores |
| 2015 | Colin Montgomerie (2) | 280 | −8 | 4 strokes | Esteban Toledo | 495,000 | French Lick Resort |
| 2014 | Colin Montgomerie | 271 | −13 | 4 strokes | Tom Watson | 378,000 | Harbor Shores |
| 2013 | Kōki Idoki | 273 | −11 | 2 strokes | Jay Haas Kenny Perry | 378,000 | Bellerive |
| 2012 | Roger Chapman | 271 | −13 | 2 strokes | John Cook | 378,000 | Harbor Shores |
| 2011 | Tom Watson (2) | 278 | −10 | Playoff | David Eger | 378,000 | Valhalla |
| 2010 | Tom Lehman | 281 | −7 | Playoff | Fred Couples David Frost | 360,000 | Colorado |
| 2009 | Michael Allen | 274 | −6 | 2 strokes | Larry Mize | 360,000 | Canterbury |
| 2008 | Jay Haas (2) | 287 | +7 | 1 stroke | Bernhard Langer | 360,000 | Oak Hill |
| 2007 | Denis Watson | 279 | −9 | 2 strokes | Eduardo Romero | 360,000 | Kiawah Island |
| 2006 | Jay Haas | 279 | −5 | Playoff | Brad Bryant | 360,000 | Oak Tree |
| 2005 | Mike Reid | 280 | −8 | Playoff | Jerry Pate Dana Quigley | 360,000 | Laurel Valley |
| 2004 | Hale Irwin (4) | 276 | −8 | 1 stroke | Jay Haas | 360,000 | Valhalla |
| 2003 | John Jacobs | 276 | −4 | 2 strokes | Bobby Wadkins | 360,000 | Aronimink |
| 2002 | Fuzzy Zoeller | 278 | −2 | 1 stroke | Hale Irwin Bobby Wadkins | 360,000 | Firestone |
| 2001 | Tom Watson | 274 | −14 | 1 stroke | Jim Thorpe | 360,000 | The Ridgewood |
| PGA Seniors' Championship ||||||||
| 2000 | Doug Tewell | 201 | −15 | 7 strokes | Hale Irwin Tom Kite Larry Nelson Dana Quigley | 324,000 | PGA National |
| 1999 | Allen Doyle | 274 | −14 | 2 strokes | Vicente Fernández | 315,000 | PGA National |
| 1998 | Hale Irwin (3) | 275 | −13 | 6 strokes | Larry Nelson | 270,000 | PGA National |
| 1997 | Hale Irwin (2) | 274 | −14 | 12 strokes | Dale Douglass Jack Nicklaus | 216,000 | PGA National |
| 1996 | Hale Irwin | 280 | −8 | 2 strokes | Isao Aoki | 198,000 | PGA National |
| 1995 | Raymond Floyd | 277 | −11 | 5 strokes | John Paul Cain Larry Gilbert Lee Trevino | 180,000 | PGA National |
| 1994 | Lee Trevino (2) | 279 | −9 | 1 stroke | Jim Colbert | 115,000 | PGA National |
| 1993 | Tom Wargo | 275 | −13 | Playoff | Bruce Crampton | 110,000 | PGA National |
| 1992 | Lee Trevino | 278 | −10 | 1 stroke | Mike Hill | 100,000 | PGA National |
| 1991 | Jack Nicklaus | 271 | −17 | 6 strokes | Bruce Crampton | 85,000 | PGA National |
| 1990 | Gary Player (3) | 281 | −7 | 2 strokes | Chi-Chi Rodríguez | 75,000 | PGA National |
| General Foods PGA Seniors' Championship ||||||||
| 1989 | Larry Mowry | 281 | −7 | 1 stroke | Miller Barber Al Geiberger | 72,000 | PGA National |
| 1988 | Gary Player (2) | 284 | −4 | 3 strokes | Chi-Chi Rodríguez | 63,000 | PGA National |
| 1987 | Chi-Chi Rodríguez | 282 | −6 | 1 stroke | Dale Douglass | 47,000 | PGA National |
| 1986 (Feb) | Gary Player | 281 | −7 | 2 strokes | Lee Elder | 45,000 | PGA National |
| 1985: No tournament ||||||||
| 1984 (Dec) | Peter Thomson | 286 | −2 | 3 strokes | Don January | 40,000 | PGA National |
| PGA Seniors' Championship ||||||||
| 1984 (Jan) | Arnold Palmer (2) | 282 | −6 | 2 strokes | Don January | 35,000 | PGA National |
| 1983: No tournament ||||||||
| 1982 (Dec) | Don January (2) | 288 | E | 1 stroke | Julius Boros | 25,000 | PGA National |
| 1981 | Miller Barber | 281 | −7 | 2 strokes | Arnold Palmer | 20,000 | Turnberry Isle |
| 1980 | Arnold Palmer | 289 | +1 | Playoff | Paul Harney | 20,000 | Turnberry Isle |
| 1979 (Dec) | Don January | 270 | −18 | | | 15,000 | Turnberry Isle |
| 1979 (Feb) | Jack Fleck | 289 | +1 | | | 8,000 | Walt Disney World |
| 1978 | Joe Jimenez | 286 | −2 | | | 8,000 | Walt Disney World |
| 1977 | Julius Boros (2) | 283 | −5 | | | 7,500 | Walt Disney World |
| 1976 | Pete Cooper | 283 | −5 | | | 7,500 | Walt Disney World |
| 1975 | Charlie Sifford | 280 | −8 | | | 7,500 | Walt Disney World |
| 1974 | Roberto De Vicenzo | 273 | −15 | | | 4,000 | Port St. Lucie |
| 1973 | Sam Snead (6) | 268 | −20 | | | 4,000 | PGA National |
| 1972 | Sam Snead (5) | 286 | −2 | | | 4,000 | PGA National |
| 1971 | Julius Boros | 285 | −3 | | | 4,000 | PGA National |
| 1970 | Sam Snead (4) | 290 | +2 | | | 4,000 | PGA National |
| 1969 | Tommy Bolt | 278 | −10 | | | 4,000 | PGA National |
| 1968 | Chandler Harper | 279 | −9 | | | 4,000 | PGA National |
| 1967 | Sam Snead (3) | 279 | −9 | | | 4,000 | PGA National |
| 1966 | Fred Haas | 286 | −2 | | | 3,000 | PGA National |
| 1965 | Sam Snead (2) | 278 | −10 | | | 3,500 | Fort Lauderdale |
| 1964 | Sam Snead | 279 | −9 | | | 2,500 | PGA National |
| 1963 | Herman Barron | 272 | −16 | | | 2,500 | Port St. Lucie |
| 1962 | Paul Runyan (2) | 278 | −10 | | | 2,000 | PGA National |
| 1961 | Paul Runyan | 278 | −10 | | | 1,500 | PGA National |
| 1960 | Dick Metz | 284 | −4 | | | 1,500 | PGA National |
| 1959 | Willie Goggin | 284 | −4 | | | 1,200 | PGA National |
| 1958 | Gene Sarazen (2) | 288 | E | | | 1,200 | PGA National |
| 1957 | Al Watrous (3) | 210 | −6 | | | 1,000 | PGA National |
| 1956 | Pete Burke | 215 | −1 | | | 1,000 | PGA National |
| 1955 | Mortie Dutra | 213 | −3 | | | 1,000 | PGA National |
| 1954 | Gene Sarazen | 214 | −2 | | | 1,000 | PGA National |
| 1953 | Harry Schwab | 142 | −2 | | | | PGA National |
| 1952 | Ernie Newnham | 146 | +2 | | | | PGA National |
| 1951 | Al Watrous (2) | 142 | −2 | | | | PGA National |
| 1950 | Al Watrous | 142 | −2 | | | | PGA National |
| 1949 | Marshall Crichton | 145 | +1 | | | | PGA National |
| 1948 | Charles McKenna | 141 | −3 | | | | PGA National |
| 1947 | Jock Hutchison (2) | 145 | +1 | | | | PGA National |
| 1946 | Eddie Williams (3) | 146 | +2 | | | | PGA National |
| 1945 | Eddie Williams (2) | 148 | +4 | | | | PGA National |
| 1943–44: No tournament due to World War II ||||||||
| 1942 | Eddie Williams | 138 | −6 | | | | Fort Myers |
| 1941 | Jack Burke Sr. | 142 | E | | | | Bobby Jones Golf Complex Sarasota Bay |
| 1940 | Otto Hackbarth | 146 | +4 | | | | Bobby Jones Golf Complex Sarasota Bay |
| 1939: No tournament ||||||||
| 1938 | Fred McLeod | 154 | +10 | | | | Augusta National |
| 1937 | Jock Hutchison | 223 | +7 | | | | Augusta National |
Source:

## Multiple winners

The following men have won the Senior PGA Championship more than once, through 2021:
* 6 wins: Sam Snead (1964, 1965, 1967, 1970, 1972, 1973)
* 4 wins: Hale Irwin (1996, 1997, 1998, 2004)
* 3 wins: Eddie Williams (1942, 1945, 1946), Al Watrous (1950, 1951, 1957), Gary Player (1986, 1988, 1990)
* 2 wins: Jock Hutchison (1937, 1947), Gene Sarazen (1954, 1958), Paul Runyan (1961, 1962), Julius Boros (1971, 1977), Don January (1979, 1982), Arnold Palmer (1980, 1984), Lee Trevino (1992, 1994), Jay Haas (2006, 2008), Tom Watson (2001, 2011), Colin Montgomerie (2014, 2015)

## Winners of both PGA Championship and Senior PGA Championship

The following men have won both the PGA Championship and the Senior PGA Championship, the majors run by the PGA of America:
| Player | PGA Championship | Senior PGA Championship |
| Jock Hutchison | 1920 | 1937, 1947 |
| Gene Sarazen | 1922, 1923, 1933 | 1954, 1958 |
| Paul Runyan | 1934, 1938 | 1961, 1962 |
| Sam Snead | 1942, 1949, 1951 | 1964, 1965, 1967, 1970, 1972, 1973 |
| Chandler Harper | 1950 | 1968 |
| Julius Boros | 1968 | 1971, 1977 |
| Don January | 1967 | 1979, 1982 |
| Gary Player | 1962, 1972 | 1986, 1988, 1990 |
| Jack Nicklaus | 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980 | 1991 |
| Lee Trevino | 1974, 1984 | 1992, 1994 |
| Raymond Floyd | 1969, 1982 | 1995 |

## Final round ratings

2019: 1.190 million on NBC

## Future tournament sites

| Year | Host site | City | Dates |
| 2025 | Congressional Country Club | Bethesda, Maryland | TBD |
* PGA Frisco is also slated to host in 2029.
* Congressional Country Club is also slated to host in 2033.
Source