PGA Tour
Encyclopedia
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours
in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship tournament also known as the PGA Tour, as well as the Champions Tour
(for golfers age 50 and older) and the Nationwide Tour
(for professional players who have not yet qualified to play in the PGA Tour). It is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
, a suburb of Jacksonville
.
Originally established by the Professional Golfers' Association of America
, in 1968 it was spun off into its own separate organization for tournament golfers, as opposed to club professionals
, who are the primary focus of the PGA of America. It adopted the name "PGA Tour" in 1975. The PGA Tour organization runs 43 of the week-to-week professional golf events on the tournament known as the PGA Tour, including The Players Championship
, hosted at the TPC at Sawgrass
, the FedEx Cup
, and the biennial Presidents Cup
. The remaining events on the PGA Tour are run by different organizations, as are the U.S. based LPGA Tour for women and the other men's and women's professional tours around the world.
, which is now primarily an association of club professionals
. Tournament players formed their own organization, the Association of Professional Golfers (APG). Later in 1968, the tournament players abolished the APG and agreed to operate as the PGA "Tournament Players Division," a fully autonomous division under the supervision of a new 10-member Tournament Policy Board. The name would officially change to the "PGA Tour" in 1975.
In 1981, the PGA Tour had a marketing dispute with the PGA of America and decided to officially change its name. Beginning in late August 1981, it became the TPA Tour, for the "Tournament Players Association." The disputed issues were resolved within seven months and the tour's name was changed back to the "PGA Tour" in March 1982.
(the Masters Tournament, the U.S. Open
, The Open Championship
and the PGA Championship
), or the Ryder Cup
. The PGA of America
, not the PGA Tour, runs the PGA Championship, the Senior PGA Championship
, and co-organizes the Ryder Cup
with the PGA European Tour
. Additionally, the PGA Tour is not involved with the women's golf tours in the U.S., which are mostly controlled by the LPGA
. The PGA Tour is also not the governing body for the game of golf in the United States; this, instead, is the role of the United States Golf Association
(USGA), which organizes the U.S. Open
. What the PGA Tour does organize are the remaining 43 (in 2009) week-to-week events, including The Players Championship
and the FedEx Cup
events, as well as the biennial Presidents Cup
. It also runs the main tournaments in two other championships, the Champions Tour
and the Nationwide Tour
.
The PGA Tour operates the following three tours, all of which are primarily contested in the U.S.
:
The PGA Tour also conducts an annual Qualifying Tournament (known colloquially as Q-School), a six-round tournament held each fall
; the top 25 finishers, including ties, receive privileges to play on the following year's PGA Tour. Remaining finishers in the top 75, plus ties, receive full privileges on the Nationwide Tour
.
The top 25 money-winners on the Nationwide Tour
also receive privileges on the following year's PGA Tour. A golfer who wins three events on that tour in a calendar year earns a "performance promotion" (informally a "battlefield promotion") which garners PGA Tour privileges for the remainder of the year plus the following full season.
At the end of each year, the top 125 money-winners on the PGA Tour receive a tour card for the following season, which gives them exemption from qualifying for most of the next year's tournaments. However at some events, known as invitationals, exemptions apply only to the previous year's top 70 players. Players who are ranked between 126–150 receive a conditional tour card, which gives them priority for places that are not taken up by players with full cards. Those players can also improve their status by going to the tour's qualifying school tournament, where those players can go straight to the final stage.
Winning a PGA Tour event provides a tour card for a minimum of two years, with an extra year added for each additional win with a maximum of five years. Winning a World Golf Championships
event or The Tour Championship
provides a three-year exemption. Winners of the major championships
and The Players Championship
earn a five-year exemption. Other types of exemptions include lifetime exemptions for players with twenty wins on the tour; one-time, one year exemptions for players in the top fifty on the career money earnings list who are not otherwise exempt; two-time, one year exemptions for players in the top twenty-five on the career money list; and medical exemptions for players who have been injured, which give them an opportunity to regain their tour card after a period out of the tour. At the end of the season, the person leading the PGA Tour money list earns a five year exemption.
Similar to other major league sports, there is no rule limiting PGA Tour players to "men only." In 2003, Annika Sörenstam
and Suzy Whaley
played in PGA Tour events, and Michelle Wie
did so in each year from 2004 through 2008. None of these three made the cut, although Wie missed by only one stroke in 2004.
The LPGA
like all other women's sports, is limited to female participants only.
There is also a PGA European Tour
, which is separate from either the PGA Tour or the PGA of America; this organization runs a tour, mostly in Europe but with events throughout the world outside of North America, that is second only to the PGA Tour in worldwide prestige. There are several other regional tours
around the world. However, the PGA Tour, European Tour, and many of the regional tours co-sponsor the World Golf Championships. These, along with the major championships, usually count toward the official money lists of each tour as well as the Official World Golf Rankings
.
will remain the main carrier of PGA Tour events, and will increase its events from 16 to 19 per season. NBC Sports
will increase its coverage from 5 to 10 events. Golf Channel will be the Tour's cable partner on a 15-year contract, providing early round coverage of all official money events and four round coverage of a few events at the beginning and towards the end of the season. As a result of Comcast
's acquisition of NBC, Golf Channel also produces NBC's telecasts as of the 2011 season.
The fees involved were not mentioned in the press release, but it stated, "total prize money and other financial benefits to players will increase approximately $600 million over the term as compared to the previous six years, a 35-percent increase."
As they are not organized by the PGA Tour itself, certain events (such as the major championships
) are not part of the overall broadcast contracts, but are broadcast under separate contracts with their respective organizers. Despite this, as of 2011, CBS and NBC still hold broadcast rights to 3 of the 4 majors; CBS has traditionally broadcast the Masters Tournament and the PGA Championship
(ESPN and TNT air first and second round coverage of these tournaments respectively), coverage of all four rounds of the U.S. Open
are broadcast on NBC. ESPN has provided exclusive coverage of The Open Championship
since 2010.
The PGA Tour is also covered extensively outside the United States. In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports
was the main broadcaster of the tour for a number of years up to 2006. However, Setanta Sports
won exclusive UK and Ireland rights for six years from 2007 for a reported cost of £103 million. The deal includes Champions Tour and the Nationwide Tour events, but like the U.S. television deals it does not include the major championships, and unlike the U.S. deal, it does not include the World Golf Championships. Setanta set up the Setanta Golf
channel to present its coverage. On June 23, 2009 Setanta's UK arm went into administration and ceased broadcasting. Eurosport
picked up the television rights for the remainder of the 2009 season. Sky Sports regained the TV rights with a eight year deal from 2010 to 2017. In South Korea
, SBS, which has been the tour's exclusive TV broadcaster in that country since the mid-1990s, agreed in 2009 to extend its contract with the PGA Tour through 2019. As a part of that deal, it became sponsor of the season's opening tournament, a winners-only event that was renamed the SBS Championship effective in 2010. In 2011 however, Korean automobile manufacturer Hyundai
took over the title sponsorship, but SBS still remains a sponsor of the event)
The India
n broadcaster NEO Sports
obtained exclusive rights to the PGA Tour on the Indian subcontinent
in 2008, and has since extended its deal through the 2015 season.
Since 2005, Sirius XM Radio has provided a PGA Tour branded station, the PGA Tour Network
, which airs golf related programming and coverage of events, including the PGA Tour's circuits.
. From January through mid-August players compete in "regular season" events and earn FedEx Cup points, in addition to prize money. At the end of the regular season, the top 125 FedEx Cup points winners are eligible to compete in the "playoffs," four events taking place from mid-August to mid-September. The field sizes for these events are reduced from 125 to 100 to 70 and finally the traditional 30 for the Tour Championship. Additional FedEx Cup points are earned in these events. At the end of the championship, the top point winner is the season champion. To put this new system into place, the PGA Tour has made significant changes to the traditional schedule.
In 2007 The Players Championship
moved to May so as to have a marquee event in five consecutive months. The Tour Championship moved to mid-September, with an international team event (Ryder Cup
or Presidents Cup
) following at the end of September. The schedule was tweaked slightly in both 2008 and 2009. After the third FedEx Cup playoff event, the BMW Championship, the Tour takes a full week off. In 2008, the break came before the Ryder Cup, with the Tour Championship the week after that. In 2009, the break was followed by the Tour Championship, with the Presidents Cup taking place two weeks after that.
The Tour continues through the fall, with the focus on the scramble of the less successful players to earn enough money to retain their tour cards. A circuit known as the Fall Series
, originally with seven tournaments but now with four, was introduced in 2007. In its inaugural year, its events were held in seven consecutive weeks, starting the week after the Tour Championship. As was the case for the FedEx Cup playoff schedule, the Fall Series schedule was also tweaked in 2008 and 2009. The first 2008 Fall Series event was held opposite the Ryder Cup, and the Fall Series took a week off for the Tour Championship before continuing with its remaining six events.
The Fall Series saw major changes for 2009, with one of its events moving to May and another dropping off the schedule entirely. It will return to its original start date of the week after the Tour Championship. Then, as in 2008, it will take a week off, this time for the Presidents Cup. It will then continue with events in three consecutive weeks, take another week off for the HSBC Champions (now elevated to World Golf Championships status), and conclude the week after that.
Most recently, the Fall Series was reduced to four events, all held after the Tour Championship, for 2011. This followed the move of the Viking Classic into the regular season as an alternate event.
2007 saw the introduction of a tournament in Mexico, an alternate event staged the same week as the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship
. A tournament in Puerto Rico
was introduced in 2008 as an alternate event staged opposite the WGC-CA Championship
.
Most members of the tour play between 20 and 30 tournaments in the season. The geography of the tour is determined by the weather. It starts in Hawaii
in January and spends most of its first two months in California
and Arizona
during what is known as the "West Coast Swing," and then moves to the American Southeast for the "Southern Swing." Each swing culminates in a significant tour event. In April, tour events begin to drift north. The summer months are spent mainly in the Northeast and the Midwest, and in the fall (autumn) the tour heads south again.
In most of the regular events on tour, the field is either 132, 144 or 156 players, depending on time of year (and available daylight hours). All players making the cut earn money for the tournament with the winner usually receiving 18% of the total purse.
In 2008, the PGA Tour Policy Board approved a change in the number of players that will make the cut. The cut will continue to be low 70 professionals and ties, unless that results in a post-cut field of more than 78 players. Under that circumstance, the cut score will be selected to make a field as close to 70 players as possible without exceeding 78. Players who are cut in such circumstances but who have placed 70th or better will get credit for making the cut and will earn official money and FedEx Cup points. This policy affected two of the first three events with cuts, the Sony Open in Hawaii
and the Buick Invitational
. In late February, the Policy Board announced a revised cut policy, effective beginning with the Honda Classic
. The new policy calls for 36-hole cut to the low 70 professionals and ties and, if that cut results in more than 78 players, a second 54-hole cut to the low 70 professionals and ties.
There are also a number of events which are recognized by the PGA Tour, but which do not count towards the official money list. Most of these take place in the off season (November and December). This slate of unofficial, often made-for-TV events (which includes the PGA Grand Slam of Golf
, the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge
, the Franklin Templeton Shootout, the Skins Game
, etc.) is referred to as the "Challenge Season" or more disapprovingly as the "Silly Season."
Notes:
The following players have won more than one PGA Tour Player of the Year Award through 2011:
There is a full list on the PGA Tour's website here.
Due to increases in prize funds over the years, this list consists entirely of current players; the only player who is eligible for the Champions Tour is Kenny Perry
, who turned 50 in August 2010 and is competing on both tours in 2011. The figures are not the players' complete career prize money as they do not include FedEx Cup
bonuses, winnings from unofficial money events, or earnings on other tours such as the European Tour. In addition, elite golfers often earn several times as much from endorsements and golf-related business interests as they do from prize money.
Professional golf tours
Professional golf tours are the means by which otherwise unconnected professional golf tournaments are organised into a regular schedule. There are separate tours for men and women, with each tour being based in a specific geographical region, although some of their tournaments may be held in other...
in the United States and North America. It organizes most of the events on the flagship tournament also known as the PGA Tour, as well as the Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
(for golfers age 50 and older) and the Nationwide Tour
Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
(for professional players who have not yet qualified to play in the PGA Tour). It is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Ponte Vedra Beach is an unincorporated seaside community in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Located eighteen miles southeast of downtown Jacksonville and north of St. Augustine, it is part of the Jacksonville Beaches area. It is an upmarket tourist resort area best known for its...
, a suburb of Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
.
Originally established by the Professional Golfers' Association of America
Professional Golfers' Association of America
Founded in 1916, the Professional Golfers' Association of America is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and is made up of more than 28,000 men and women golf professional members...
, in 1968 it was spun off into its own separate organization for tournament golfers, as opposed to club professionals
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
, who are the primary focus of the PGA of America. It adopted the name "PGA Tour" in 1975. The PGA Tour organization runs 43 of the week-to-week professional golf events on the tournament known as the PGA Tour, including The Players Championship
The Players Championship
The Players Championship is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour.Originally known as the Tournament Players Championship, the inaugural event in 1974 was played at Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, Georgia before moving to the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas in 1975 and Inverrary...
, hosted at the TPC at Sawgrass
TPC at Sawgrass
The Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass, colloquially known as TPC at Sawgrass, is a well-known golf course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, a suburb of Jacksonville. Opened in 1980, it was the first of several Tournament Players Clubs to be built...
, the FedEx Cup
FedEx Cup
The FedEx Cup is a championship trophy for the PGA Tour. Its introduction marked the first time that men's professional golf had a playoff system. Announced in November 2005, it was first awarded in 2007 after a NASCAR-like points race. Bill Haas is the current champion...
, and the biennial Presidents Cup
Presidents Cup
The Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world less Europe. Europe competes against the U.S. in a similar but considerably older event, the Ryder Cup. The Presidents Cup is held biennially...
. The remaining events on the PGA Tour are run by different organizations, as are the U.S. based LPGA Tour for women and the other men's and women's professional tours around the world.
History
The PGA Tour became a separate entity in 1968, branching off from the PGA of AmericaProfessional Golfers' Association of America
Founded in 1916, the Professional Golfers' Association of America is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and is made up of more than 28,000 men and women golf professional members...
, which is now primarily an association of club professionals
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
. Tournament players formed their own organization, the Association of Professional Golfers (APG). Later in 1968, the tournament players abolished the APG and agreed to operate as the PGA "Tournament Players Division," a fully autonomous division under the supervision of a new 10-member Tournament Policy Board. The name would officially change to the "PGA Tour" in 1975.
In 1981, the PGA Tour had a marketing dispute with the PGA of America and decided to officially change its name. Beginning in late August 1981, it became the TPA Tour, for the "Tournament Players Association." The disputed issues were resolved within seven months and the tour's name was changed back to the "PGA Tour" in March 1982.
Tours operated by the PGA Tour
Due to the multiplicity of names, there is often confusion as to what the PGA Tour organization does and does not run. Of the events in the PGA Tour schedule, it does not run any of the four major championshipsMen's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
(the Masters Tournament, the U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
, The Open Championship
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
and the PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
), or the Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
. The PGA of America
Professional Golfers' Association of America
Founded in 1916, the Professional Golfers' Association of America is headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and is made up of more than 28,000 men and women golf professional members...
, not the PGA Tour, runs the PGA Championship, the Senior PGA Championship
Senior PGA Championship
The Senior PGA Championship is one 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 the Champions Tour and the European Seniors Tour. It was formerly an unofficial money...
, and co-organizes the Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
with the PGA European Tour
PGA European Tour
The PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...
. Additionally, the PGA Tour is not involved with the women's golf tours in the U.S., which are mostly controlled by the LPGA
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
. The PGA Tour is also not the governing body for the game of golf in the United States; this, instead, is the role of the United States Golf Association
United States Golf Association
The United States Golf Association is the United States' national association of golf courses, clubs and facilities and the governing body of golf for the U.S. and Mexico. Together with The R&A, the USGA produces and interprets the Rules of Golf. The USGA also provides a national handicap system...
(USGA), which organizes the U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
. What the PGA Tour does organize are the remaining 43 (in 2009) week-to-week events, including The Players Championship
The Players Championship
The Players Championship is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour.Originally known as the Tournament Players Championship, the inaugural event in 1974 was played at Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, Georgia before moving to the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas in 1975 and Inverrary...
and the FedEx Cup
FedEx Cup
The FedEx Cup is a championship trophy for the PGA Tour. Its introduction marked the first time that men's professional golf had a playoff system. Announced in November 2005, it was first awarded in 2007 after a NASCAR-like points race. Bill Haas is the current champion...
events, as well as the biennial Presidents Cup
Presidents Cup
The Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world less Europe. Europe competes against the U.S. in a similar but considerably older event, the Ryder Cup. The Presidents Cup is held biennially...
. It also runs the main tournaments in two other championships, the Champions Tour
Champions Tour
The Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
and the Nationwide Tour
Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
.
The PGA Tour operates the following three tours, all of which are primarily contested in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
:
- PGA Tour, the top tour
- CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, MexicoMexicoThe United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and the U.S. possession of Puerto RicoPuerto RicoPuerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
host one event each year. Note, however, that the events in Mexico and Puerto Rico are "alternate" events held opposite one of the World Golf ChampionshipsWorld Golf ChampionshipsThe World Golf Championships are a group of four annual events for male professional golfers created by the International Federation of PGA Tours, with a fifth to be added in 2012...
tournaments and therefore have weaker fields than a regular tour event. In addition, one of the four annual major championshipsMen's major golf championshipsThe men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
is held in the U.K.United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
- Canada
- Champions TourChampions TourThe Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
, for golfers age 50 and over- As of 2011, regular tournaments are held in Canada and South KoreaSouth KoreaThe Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, and one of the senior majorsSenior major golf championshipsMen's professional senior golf is for players aged 50 and above. Golf differs from all other sports in having lucrative competitions for this age group. The leading senior tour is the U.S. based Champions Tour, which was established in 1980 . It has established a roster of five major championships...
is held in the U.K.
- As of 2011, regular tournaments are held in Canada and South Korea
- Nationwide TourNationwide TourThe Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
, a developmental tour- As of 2011, Canada, ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, and Mexico host one tournament each.
- As of 2011, Canada, Colombia
The PGA Tour also conducts an annual Qualifying Tournament (known colloquially as Q-School), a six-round tournament held each fall
Autumn
Autumn is one of the four temperate seasons. Autumn marks the transition from summer into winter usually in September or March when the arrival of night becomes noticeably earlier....
; the top 25 finishers, including ties, receive privileges to play on the following year's PGA Tour. Remaining finishers in the top 75, plus ties, receive full privileges on the Nationwide Tour
Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
.
The top 25 money-winners on the Nationwide Tour
Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
also receive privileges on the following year's PGA Tour. A golfer who wins three events on that tour in a calendar year earns a "performance promotion" (informally a "battlefield promotion") which garners PGA Tour privileges for the remainder of the year plus the following full season.
At the end of each year, the top 125 money-winners on the PGA Tour receive a tour card for the following season, which gives them exemption from qualifying for most of the next year's tournaments. However at some events, known as invitationals, exemptions apply only to the previous year's top 70 players. Players who are ranked between 126–150 receive a conditional tour card, which gives them priority for places that are not taken up by players with full cards. Those players can also improve their status by going to the tour's qualifying school tournament, where those players can go straight to the final stage.
Winning a PGA Tour event provides a tour card for a minimum of two years, with an extra year added for each additional win with a maximum of five years. Winning a World Golf Championships
World Golf Championships
The World Golf Championships are a group of four annual events for male professional golfers created by the International Federation of PGA Tours, with a fifth to be added in 2012...
event or The Tour Championship
The Tour Championship
The Tour Championship was historically the final event of golf's PGA Tour season. Since 2007, it has been the final event of the FedEx Cup, the competition for the first official championship trophy for the PGA Tour season. From 1987 to 1996, several courses hosted the event...
provides a three-year exemption. Winners of the major championships
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
and The Players Championship
The Players Championship
The Players Championship is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour.Originally known as the Tournament Players Championship, the inaugural event in 1974 was played at Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, Georgia before moving to the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas in 1975 and Inverrary...
earn a five-year exemption. Other types of exemptions include lifetime exemptions for players with twenty wins on the tour; one-time, one year exemptions for players in the top fifty on the career money earnings list who are not otherwise exempt; two-time, one year exemptions for players in the top twenty-five on the career money list; and medical exemptions for players who have been injured, which give them an opportunity to regain their tour card after a period out of the tour. At the end of the season, the person leading the PGA Tour money list earns a five year exemption.
Similar to other major league sports, there is no rule limiting PGA Tour players to "men only." In 2003, Annika Sörenstam
Annika Sörenstam
Annika Sörenstam is a Swedish-American professional golfer whose achievements rank her as one of the most successful golfers in history. Before stepping away from competitive golf at the end of the 2008 season, she won 90 international tournaments as a professional, making her the female golfer...
and Suzy Whaley
Suzy Whaley
Suzy Whaley is a professional golfer, from Connecticut, who, in 2003, became the first woman in 58 years to qualify for a PGA Tour event when she qualified for the 2003 Greater Hartford Open, after winning the 2002 Connecticut Section PGA Championship. She was also the first woman to win a PGA...
played in PGA Tour events, and Michelle Wie
Michelle Wie
Michelle Sung Wie is an American professional golfer who plays on the LPGA Tour. At age 10, she became the youngest player to qualify for a USGA amateur championship. Wie would also become the youngest winner of the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links and the youngest to qualify for a LPGA Tour event...
did so in each year from 2004 through 2008. None of these three made the cut, although Wie missed by only one stroke in 2004.
The LPGA
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
like all other women's sports, is limited to female participants only.
There is also a PGA European Tour
PGA European Tour
The PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...
, which is separate from either the PGA Tour or the PGA of America; this organization runs a tour, mostly in Europe but with events throughout the world outside of North America, that is second only to the PGA Tour in worldwide prestige. There are several other regional tours
Professional golf tours
Professional golf tours are the means by which otherwise unconnected professional golf tournaments are organised into a regular schedule. There are separate tours for men and women, with each tour being based in a specific geographical region, although some of their tournaments may be held in other...
around the world. However, the PGA Tour, European Tour, and many of the regional tours co-sponsor the World Golf Championships. These, along with the major championships, usually count toward the official money lists of each tour as well as the Official World Golf Rankings
Official World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
.
Charity fundraising
The PGA Tour places a strong emphasis on charity fundraising, usually on behalf of local charities in cities where events are staged. With the exception of a few older events, PGA Tour rules require all Tour events to be non-profit; the Tour itself is also a non-profit company. In 2005, it started a campaign to push its all-time fundraising tally past one billion dollars ("Drive to a Billion"), and it reached that mark one week before the end of the season. However, monies raised for charities derive from the tournaments' positive revenues (if any), and not any actual monetary donation from the PGA Tour, whose purse monies and expenses are guaranteed. The number of charities which receive benefits from PGA Tour, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour events is estimated at over 2,000. In 2009, the total raised for charity was some $108 million.Television and radio coverage
In January 2006, the PGA Tour announced a new set of television deals covering 2007 to 2013. CBS SportsCBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
will remain the main carrier of PGA Tour events, and will increase its events from 16 to 19 per season. NBC Sports
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
will increase its coverage from 5 to 10 events. Golf Channel will be the Tour's cable partner on a 15-year contract, providing early round coverage of all official money events and four round coverage of a few events at the beginning and towards the end of the season. As a result of Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
's acquisition of NBC, Golf Channel also produces NBC's telecasts as of the 2011 season.
The fees involved were not mentioned in the press release, but it stated, "total prize money and other financial benefits to players will increase approximately $600 million over the term as compared to the previous six years, a 35-percent increase."
As they are not organized by the PGA Tour itself, certain events (such as the major championships
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
) are not part of the overall broadcast contracts, but are broadcast under separate contracts with their respective organizers. Despite this, as of 2011, CBS and NBC still hold broadcast rights to 3 of the 4 majors; CBS has traditionally broadcast the Masters Tournament and the PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
(ESPN and TNT air first and second round coverage of these tournaments respectively), coverage of all four rounds of the U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
are broadcast on NBC. ESPN has provided exclusive coverage of The Open Championship
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
since 2010.
The PGA Tour is also covered extensively outside the United States. In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
was the main broadcaster of the tour for a number of years up to 2006. However, Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports
Setanta Sports is an international sports broadcaster based in Dublin, Ireland. Setanta Sports was formed in 1990 to facilitate the broadcasting of Irish sporting events...
won exclusive UK and Ireland rights for six years from 2007 for a reported cost of £103 million. The deal includes Champions Tour and the Nationwide Tour events, but like the U.S. television deals it does not include the major championships, and unlike the U.S. deal, it does not include the World Golf Championships. Setanta set up the Setanta Golf
Setanta Golf
Setanta Golf was a television channel from Setanta Sports dedicated to the sport of golf.-Broadcasting:The channel was available in the UK on Sky Digital channel 429, Tiscali TV channel 557 and Virgin Media channel 543. It was a premium channel on Sky but included on Virgin's XL pack...
channel to present its coverage. On June 23, 2009 Setanta's UK arm went into administration and ceased broadcasting. Eurosport
Eurosport
Eurosport is a pan-European television sport network operated by French broadcaster TF1 Group. The network of channels are available in 59 countries, in 20 different languages providing viewers with European and international sporting events...
picked up the television rights for the remainder of the 2009 season. Sky Sports regained the TV rights with a eight year deal from 2010 to 2017. In South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, SBS, which has been the tour's exclusive TV broadcaster in that country since the mid-1990s, agreed in 2009 to extend its contract with the PGA Tour through 2019. As a part of that deal, it became sponsor of the season's opening tournament, a winners-only event that was renamed the SBS Championship effective in 2010. In 2011 however, Korean automobile manufacturer Hyundai
Hyundai
Hyundai ) is a global conglomerate company, part of the Korean chaebol, that was founded in South Korea by one of the most famous businessmen in Korean history: Chung Ju-yung...
took over the title sponsorship, but SBS still remains a sponsor of the event)
The India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n broadcaster NEO Sports
NEO Cricket
NEO Cricket is a channel dedicated to cricket entertainment. Launched on April 2, 2008. It is a part of Nimbus Communications Ltd and is headquartered in Mumbai, India and broadcasts to 30 countries....
obtained exclusive rights to the PGA Tour on the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
in 2008, and has since extended its deal through the 2015 season.
Since 2005, Sirius XM Radio has provided a PGA Tour branded station, the PGA Tour Network
PGA Tour Network
PGA Tour Network is Sirius XM Radio's Golf channel, located on XM channel 93. This channel covers news from the PGA Tour, the LPGA, Champions Tour, and Nationwide Tour...
, which airs golf related programming and coverage of events, including the PGA Tour's circuits.
Outline of the season
Three of the four majors take place in eight weeks between June and August. In the past, this has threatened to make the last two and a half months of the season anti-climactic, as some of the very top players competed less from that point on. In response, the PGA Tour has introduced a new format, the FedEx CupFedEx Cup
The FedEx Cup is a championship trophy for the PGA Tour. Its introduction marked the first time that men's professional golf had a playoff system. Announced in November 2005, it was first awarded in 2007 after a NASCAR-like points race. Bill Haas is the current champion...
. From January through mid-August players compete in "regular season" events and earn FedEx Cup points, in addition to prize money. At the end of the regular season, the top 125 FedEx Cup points winners are eligible to compete in the "playoffs," four events taking place from mid-August to mid-September. The field sizes for these events are reduced from 125 to 100 to 70 and finally the traditional 30 for the Tour Championship. Additional FedEx Cup points are earned in these events. At the end of the championship, the top point winner is the season champion. To put this new system into place, the PGA Tour has made significant changes to the traditional schedule.
In 2007 The Players Championship
The Players Championship
The Players Championship is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour.Originally known as the Tournament Players Championship, the inaugural event in 1974 was played at Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, Georgia before moving to the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas in 1975 and Inverrary...
moved to May so as to have a marquee event in five consecutive months. The Tour Championship moved to mid-September, with an international team event (Ryder Cup
Ryder Cup
The Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
or Presidents Cup
Presidents Cup
The Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world less Europe. Europe competes against the U.S. in a similar but considerably older event, the Ryder Cup. The Presidents Cup is held biennially...
) following at the end of September. The schedule was tweaked slightly in both 2008 and 2009. After the third FedEx Cup playoff event, the BMW Championship, the Tour takes a full week off. In 2008, the break came before the Ryder Cup, with the Tour Championship the week after that. In 2009, the break was followed by the Tour Championship, with the Presidents Cup taking place two weeks after that.
The Tour continues through the fall, with the focus on the scramble of the less successful players to earn enough money to retain their tour cards. A circuit known as the Fall Series
PGA Tour Fall Series
The PGA Tour Fall Series is a series of events on the PGA Tour that covers the end of the calendar year.This series was created in 2007 as part of the reorganization of the entire tour schedule. The new structure includes a regular season and the FedEx Cup playoffs, which will determine the season...
, originally with seven tournaments but now with four, was introduced in 2007. In its inaugural year, its events were held in seven consecutive weeks, starting the week after the Tour Championship. As was the case for the FedEx Cup playoff schedule, the Fall Series schedule was also tweaked in 2008 and 2009. The first 2008 Fall Series event was held opposite the Ryder Cup, and the Fall Series took a week off for the Tour Championship before continuing with its remaining six events.
The Fall Series saw major changes for 2009, with one of its events moving to May and another dropping off the schedule entirely. It will return to its original start date of the week after the Tour Championship. Then, as in 2008, it will take a week off, this time for the Presidents Cup. It will then continue with events in three consecutive weeks, take another week off for the HSBC Champions (now elevated to World Golf Championships status), and conclude the week after that.
Most recently, the Fall Series was reduced to four events, all held after the Tour Championship, for 2011. This followed the move of the Viking Classic into the regular season as an alternate event.
2007 saw the introduction of a tournament in Mexico, an alternate event staged the same week as the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship
WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship
The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship is one of the annual World Golf Championships. It is a knockout event and is staged in January or February each year...
. A tournament in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
was introduced in 2008 as an alternate event staged opposite the WGC-CA Championship
WGC-CA Championship
The WGC-Cadillac Championship is one of the four annual World Golf Championships tournaments for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
.
Tournaments
The 2011 season includes 45 official money events in 41 weeks, including four alternate events played the same week as a higher status tournament. The other three events are:- The biennial Presidents CupPresidents CupThe Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world less Europe. Europe competes against the U.S. in a similar but considerably older event, the Ryder Cup. The Presidents Cup is held biennially...
, matching teams of golfers representing the USA and other nations outside Europe. - The CIMB Asia Pacific Classic MalaysiaCIMB Asia Pacific Classic MalaysiaThe CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia is a golf tournament co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour. It is played at The Mines Resort & Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the first event ever sanctioned by the PGA Tour in Southeast Asia...
, an event to be held in Malaysia; in 2011, it will end on October 30. The field will be limited to 40 players—the top 25 available players in the final FedEx Cup standings, the top 10 available Asian players, and five sponsor's exemptions, with at least one place reserved for a Malaysian player. Although it will not be an official money event, it will be the tour's first sanctioned event in Southeast Asia. - The HSBC Champions, held the week after the Malaysia tournament. Despite its elevation to World Golf ChampionshipsWorld Golf ChampionshipsThe World Golf Championships are a group of four annual events for male professional golfers created by the International Federation of PGA Tours, with a fifth to be added in 2012...
status in 2009, it is not an official money event, although it is also sanctioned by the PGA Tour. Starting in 2010, if the event is won by a PGA Tour member, it will count as an official win and carry the three year exemption of the other WGCs.
Most members of the tour play between 20 and 30 tournaments in the season. The geography of the tour is determined by the weather. It starts in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in January and spends most of its first two months in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
during what is known as the "West Coast Swing," and then moves to the American Southeast for the "Southern Swing." Each swing culminates in a significant tour event. In April, tour events begin to drift north. The summer months are spent mainly in the Northeast and the Midwest, and in the fall (autumn) the tour heads south again.
In most of the regular events on tour, the field is either 132, 144 or 156 players, depending on time of year (and available daylight hours). All players making the cut earn money for the tournament with the winner usually receiving 18% of the total purse.
In 2008, the PGA Tour Policy Board approved a change in the number of players that will make the cut. The cut will continue to be low 70 professionals and ties, unless that results in a post-cut field of more than 78 players. Under that circumstance, the cut score will be selected to make a field as close to 70 players as possible without exceeding 78. Players who are cut in such circumstances but who have placed 70th or better will get credit for making the cut and will earn official money and FedEx Cup points. This policy affected two of the first three events with cuts, the Sony Open in Hawaii
Sony Open in Hawaii
The Sony Open in Hawaii is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, and is part of the tour's FedEx Cup Series. It has been contested at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, Hawaii since the event's modern-day inception as the Hawaiian Open in 1965. Starting in 1971, the tournament was held...
and the Buick Invitational
Buick Invitational
The Farmers Insurance Open is a PGA Tour professional golf tournament played in the San Diego, California area in the early part of the Tour season, known as the "West Coast Swing." The tournament was noted for having singer-actor Andy Williams as a celebrity host from 1968 to 1988. The tournament...
. In late February, the Policy Board announced a revised cut policy, effective beginning with the Honda Classic
Honda Classic
The Honda Classic is a PGA Tour golf tournament that is played each March in Florida. It was founded in 1972 as the Jackie Gleason's Inverrary Classic. In 1981, American Motors backed the tournament. Since 1982, American Honda Motor Co., Inc...
. The new policy calls for 36-hole cut to the low 70 professionals and ties and, if that cut results in more than 78 players, a second 54-hole cut to the low 70 professionals and ties.
Event categories
- MajorsMen's major golf championshipsThe men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
: The four leading annual events in world golf are the Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, The (British) Open Championship, and the PGA Championship. These events each automatically receive 100 OWGR points. - World Golf ChampionshipsWorld Golf ChampionshipsThe World Golf Championships are a group of four annual events for male professional golfers created by the International Federation of PGA Tours, with a fifth to be added in 2012...
(WGC): A set of events co-sanctioned by the International Federation of PGA Tours which attract the leading golfers from all over the world, including those who are not members of the PGA Tour. Note that the HSBC Champions was made a WGC event in the middle of the 2009 season. Because it takes place after The Tour Championship, it does not count as an official money event or an official win, but the winner is invited to the following season's edition of the winners-only Hyundai Tournament of Champions. Beginning in 2010, if the winner is a PGA Tour member, the victory will count as an official win and the winner will receive a three-year Tour exemption (as with other WGC winners). - Unique: Two tournaments rate as unique, for different reasons:
- The Hyundai Tournament of Champions, the first tournament of the season, has a field consisting of winners from the previous season's competition only. This results in a field much smaller than any other tournament except for The Tour Championship, with no cut after 36 holes of play.
- The Players ChampionshipThe Players ChampionshipThe Players Championship is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour.Originally known as the Tournament Players Championship, the inaugural event in 1974 was played at Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, Georgia before moving to the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas in 1975 and Inverrary...
is the only event, apart from the majors and the World Golf Championships, which attracts entries from almost all of the world's elite golfers. Official recognition is given to its unique position in the sport by the Official World Golf RankingsOfficial World Golf RankingsThe Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
. Like a major tournament, it is allocated a fixed number of OWGR points (80), albeit 20% less than for a major. (The number of points allocated to "regular" events is dependent on the rankings of the players who enter each year, and is only determined once the entry list is finalized.) For purposes of the FedEx CupFedEx CupThe FedEx Cup is a championship trophy for the PGA Tour. Its introduction marked the first time that men's professional golf had a playoff system. Announced in November 2005, it was first awarded in 2007 after a NASCAR-like points race. Bill Haas is the current champion...
standings, The Players has had an identical point allocation to that of the majors since the Cup was instituted in 20072007 PGA TourThe 2007 PGA Tour season ran from January 4, 2007 to November 4, 2007. The season consisted of 47 official money events. This included four major championships and three World Golf Championships, which are also sanctioned by the European Tour. There were also five unofficial events played in...
. In North America, some people would like to make the tournament an official major with a ranking equal to the current majors in the OWGR. However there is little support for this in the rest of the world, and any revision to the points system for the world rankings would require a global consensus.
- Playoff event: The last four tournaments of the FedEx Cup have fields based on the FedEx Cup rankings. The top 125 players on the points list are entered in the Barclays Classic. Each week after that fields are cut: Deutsche Bank Championship to the top 100 players; BMW Championship to 70 players; The Tour Championship to 30 players.
- Team: A United States team of 12 elite players competes in the Ryder CupRyder CupThe Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
and the Presidents CupPresidents CupThe Presidents Cup is a series of men's golf matches between a team representing the United States and an International Team representing the rest of the world less Europe. Europe competes against the U.S. in a similar but considerably older event, the Ryder Cup. The Presidents Cup is held biennially...
in alternate years. The Ryder Cup, pitting a team of U.S. golfers against a European team, is arguably the highest profile event in golf, outranking the majors. The Presidents Cup, which matches a team of U.S. golfers against an international team of golfers not eligible for the Ryder Cup, is less well established, but is still the main event of the week when it is played. There is no prize money in these events, so they are irrelevant to the money list, but an immense amount of pride rides on the results. - Regular: Routine weekly tour events. The "regular" events vary somewhat in status, but this is fairly subjective and not usually based on the size of the purse. Some of the factors which can determine the status of a tournament are:
- Its position in the schedule, which influences the number of leading players that choose to enter.
- Its age and the distinction of its past champions.
- The repute of the course on which it is played.
- Any associations with "legends of golf." Six events in particular have such associations:
- The HP Byron Nelson Championship, named after Byron NelsonByron NelsonJohn Byron Nelson, Jr. was an American PGA Tour golfer between 1935 and 1946.Nelson and two other well known golfers of the time, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, were born within seven months of each other in 1912...
, was until 2007 the only current event named after a PGA Tour golfer. - The Arnold Palmer Invitational, formerly the Bay Hill Invitational, closely identified with Arnold PalmerArnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
and played at a resort he owns. - The Northern Trust Open and Crowne Plaza Invitational at ColonialCrowne Plaza Invitational at ColonialThe Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It has been played annually in May in Fort Worth, Texas on the course at the Colonial Country Club. It is one of five invitational tournaments held on the PGA Tour...
, both identified with Ben HoganBen HoganWilliam Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
, although the Colonial is more closely identified with him since he won that tournament five times. - The Memorial TournamentMemorial TournamentThe Memorial Tournament is a PGA Tour golf tournament founded by Jack Nicklaus. It is played on a Nicklaus-designed course at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, a suburb of Nicklaus' home town of Columbus. The golf course passes through a large neighborhood called Muirfield Village...
, founded by Jack NicklausJack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
, played on a course he designed, and annually honoring a selected "legend." - The AT&T NationalAT&T NationalThe AT&T National is a professional golf tournament held in the Washington D.C. area during the Fourth of July weekend. The PGA Tour event is hosted by Tiger Woods and benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation. The first AT&T National was held July 5–8, 2007, at the Blue Course of the Congressional...
, while not hosted by a "legend," was able to gather a strong field because it was hosted by "future-legend" Tiger WoodsTiger WoodsEldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
.
- The HP Byron Nelson Championship, named after Byron Nelson
- Invitational: These events are similar to the regular ones, but have a slightly smaller (around 100–120 players), selective field. The top 70 on the previous year's money list can automatically take part in invitationals, as well as past champions of the event. There is an increased amount of sponsor's exemptions as well, and some invitationals allow the defending champion to invite one or several amateurs to compete. Invitational tournaments include the Crowne Plaza Invitational at ColonialCrowne Plaza Invitational at ColonialThe Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It has been played annually in May in Fort Worth, Texas on the course at the Colonial Country Club. It is one of five invitational tournaments held on the PGA Tour...
, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the Verizon HeritageVerizon HeritageThe RBC Heritage, known for much of its history as the Heritage Classic, is a PGA Tour FedEx Cup event, first played in 1969. The venue has been the Harbour Town Golf Links at the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina...
, the Memorial TournamentMemorial TournamentThe Memorial Tournament is a PGA Tour golf tournament founded by Jack Nicklaus. It is played on a Nicklaus-designed course at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, a suburb of Nicklaus' home town of Columbus. The golf course passes through a large neighborhood called Muirfield Village...
and the AT&T NationalAT&T NationalThe AT&T National is a professional golf tournament held in the Washington D.C. area during the Fourth of July weekend. The PGA Tour event is hosted by Tiger Woods and benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation. The first AT&T National was held July 5–8, 2007, at the Blue Course of the Congressional...
. The tournaments usually do have an association with a golf legend, or in the case of the Verizon Heritage, a famous course. - Alternate: Events which are played in the same week as a higher status tournament and therefore have weakened fields and reduced prize money. They are often considered an opportunity for players on the bubble (near or below 125th or 150th) in the money list to move up more easily or to attempt an easier two-year exemption for winning a tournament. Because of their weaker fields, these events usually receive the minimum amount of points reserved for PGA Tour events (24 points).
- Fall Series: After the final playoff event of the FedEx Cup season (The Tour Championship), the season concludes with this series of events, usually passed on by the higher-status players. This provides an opportunity for players low on the Money List to increase their season's earnings enough to rank in the "magic" 125 and thus secure their "card" for the following season without having to re-qualify through Q-School.
There are also a number of events which are recognized by the PGA Tour, but which do not count towards the official money list. Most of these take place in the off season (November and December). This slate of unofficial, often made-for-TV events (which includes the PGA Grand Slam of Golf
PGA Grand Slam of Golf
The PGA Grand Slam of Golf is an annual off-season golf tournament contested by the year's winners of the four major championships of regular men's golf, which are the Masters Tournament, the U.S. Open, The Open Championship , and the PGA Championship...
, the Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge
Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge
The Wendy's 3-Tour Challenge is an unofficial golf event held every November at the Lake Las Vegas Resort in Henderson, Nevada. The tournament is a unique stroke play event, and, as the name suggests, pits three-member teams from the PGA Tour, the LPGA Tour, and Champions Tour against each other...
, the Franklin Templeton Shootout, the Skins Game
Skins Game
A skins game is a type of scoring for various sports, most notably golf but also for curling and bowling.-LG Skins Game:There was an annual skins game for male professional golfers which takes place in November or December each year after the end of the official PGA Tour season. It is recognized by...
, etc.) is referred to as the "Challenge Season" or more disapprovingly as the "Silly Season."
Money winners and most wins leaders
Players who lead the money list on the PGA Tour win the Arnold Palmer Award (since 1981).| Year | Money winner | Earnings (US$) | Most wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 2011 in golf -Men's professional golf:Major championships*7–10 April: The Masters - South African Charl Schwartzel won his first major title with a two stroke margin over Australians Adam Scott and Jason Day.*16–19 June: U.S... |
 Luke DonaldLuke Donald Luke Campbell Donald is an English professional golfer who is the current World Number One. He plays mainly on the U.S. based PGA Tour but is also a member of the European Tour. In 2006 he reached the top ten in the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time in his career. In January 2007, he... |
6,683,214 | 2: 7 players (note 1) |
| 2010 2010 in golf -Men's professional golf:Major championships*8–11 April: The Masters - American Phil Mickelson defeated Englishman Lee Westwood by three strokes. The event also marked Tiger Woods' return from a self-imposed absence after revelations of marital infidelity; he finished tied for fourth.*17–20 June: U.S... |
 Matt KucharMatt Kuchar Matthew Gregory Kuchar is an American professional golfer who has played on both the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. He has ranked as high as number six in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Early career:... |
4,910,477 | 3: Jim Furyk Jim Furyk James Michael Furyk is an American professional golfer, 2010 FedEx Cup champion, and 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year. He has won one major championship, the 2003 U.S. Open. Furyk is known for consistently playing at the top level and for a visibly unconventional, looping golf swing... |
| 2009 2009 in golf -Men's professional golf:Major championships*9–12 April: The Masters - Argentina's Ángel Cabrera won his second major in a sudden death playoff over Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell .*18–22 June: U.S... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
10,508,163 | 6: Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
| 2008 2008 in golf -Men's professional golf:Major championships*10–13 April: The Masters - South African Trevor Immelman won his first major by a three-stroke margin.... |
 Vijay SinghVijay Singh Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008... |
6,601,094 | 4: Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
| 2007 2007 in golf -Men's professional golf:Major championships*5-8 April: The Masters - American Zach Johnson won his first major tournament, in a high scoring week at Augusta.*14-17 June: U.S. Open - Ángel Cabrera became Argentina's first U.S... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
10,867,052 | 7: Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
| 2006 2006 in golf -Men's professional golf:Major championships*6–9 April: The Masters - Winner: Phil Mickelson The Augusta National course was lengthened to 7,445 yards for the tournament, generating some advance controversy. For the first time since 1954 neither Jack Nicklaus nor Arnold Palmer played... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
9,941,563 | 8: Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
| 2005 2005 in golf -Men's professional golf:Major championships*7-10 April: Masters Tournament - Tiger Woods defeated fellow American Chris DiMarco at the first playoff hole to claim his 4th Masters title, and his 9th major. He temporarily returned to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings.*16-19 June: U.S... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
10,628,024 | 6: Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
| 2004 | Vijay Singh Vijay Singh Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008... |
10,905,166 | 9: Vijay Singh Vijay Singh Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008... |
| 2003 | Vijay Singh Vijay Singh Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008... |
7,573,907 | 5: Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
| 2002 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
6,912,625 | 5: Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
| 2001 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
5,687,777 | 5: Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
| 2000 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
9,188,321 | 9: Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
| 1999 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
6,616,585 | 8: Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
| 1998 | David Duval David Duval David Robert Duval is an American professional golfer and former World No. 1 who competes on the PGA Tour.-Early years:... |
2,591,031 | 4: David Duval David Duval David Robert Duval is an American professional golfer and former World No. 1 who competes on the PGA Tour.-Early years:... |
| 1997 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
2,066,833 | 4: Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
| 1996 | Tom Lehman Tom Lehman Thomas Edward Lehman is an American professional golfer.Lehman was born in Austin, Minnesota, but Alexandria, Minnesota is credited as his official Minnesota hometown. He attended the University of Minnesota, graduating with a degree in Business/Accounting and turned professional in 1982. It took... |
1,780,159 | 4: Phil Mickelson Phil Mickelson Philip Alfred Mickelson is an American professional golfer. He has won four major championships and a total of 39 events on the PGA Tour. He has reached a career high world ranking of 2nd in multiple years. He is nicknamed "Lefty" for his left-handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed... |
| 1995 |  Greg NormanGreg Norman Gregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s... |
1,654,959 | 3: Lee Janzen Lee Janzen Lee McLeod Janzen is an American golfer who is best known for twice winning the U.S. Open, in 1993 and 1998.-Early years and amateur career:... , Greg Norman Greg Norman Gregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s... |
| 1994 |  Nick PriceNick Price Nicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:... |
1,499,927 | 6: Nick Price Nick Price Nicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:... |
| 1993 | Nick Price Nick Price Nicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:... |
1,478,557 | 4: Nick Price Nick Price Nicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:... |
| 1992 | Fred Couples Fred Couples Frederick Steven Couples is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. A former World No. 1, he has won numerous events, most notably the 1992 Masters Tournament. In August 2011 he won his maiden senior major at the Senior Players Championship... |
1,344,188 | 3: John Cook John Cook (golfer) John Neuman Cook is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour.... ; Fred Couples Fred Couples Frederick Steven Couples is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. A former World No. 1, he has won numerous events, most notably the 1992 Masters Tournament. In August 2011 he won his maiden senior major at the Senior Players Championship... ; Davis Love III Davis Love III Davis Milton Love III is an American professional golfer.Love was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He attended the University of North Carolina before turning professional in 1985. He earned his PGA Tour card in the fall of 1985, on his first attempt. He quickly established himself on the PGA... |
| 1991 | Corey Pavin Corey Pavin Corey Allen Pavin is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He spent over 150 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1986 and 1997.-Biography:... |
979,430 | 2: 8 players (note 2) |
| 1990 | Greg Norman Greg Norman Gregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s... |
1,165,477 | 4: Wayne Levi Wayne Levi Wayne John Levi is an American golfer.Levi was born in Little Falls, New York and attended high school in Herkimer, New York. He enrolled at Oswego State University for two years and then the University of South Florida briefly, before turning professional in 1973.Levi went on to win 12 times on... |
| 1989 | Tom Kite Tom Kite Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994.... |
1,395,278 | 3: Tom Kite Tom Kite Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994.... ; Steve Jones Steve Jones (golfer) Steven Glen Jones is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the U.S. Open in 1996.- Early life and education :Jones was born in Artesia, New Mexico. He was a semi-finalist at the U.S. Junior Amateur in 1976... |
| 1988 | Curtis Strange Curtis Strange Curtis Northrup Strange is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between their debut in 1986 and 1990.-Early years through college:Strange and his... |
1,147,644 | 4: Curtis Strange Curtis Strange Curtis Northrup Strange is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between their debut in 1986 and 1990.-Early years through college:Strange and his... |
| 1987 | Curtis Strange Curtis Strange Curtis Northrup Strange is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between their debut in 1986 and 1990.-Early years through college:Strange and his... |
925,941 | 3: Paul Azinger Paul Azinger Paul William Azinger is an American professional golfer and occasional on air golf analyst. He spent almost 300 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1988 and 1994.-Early years:... ; Curtis Strange Curtis Strange Curtis Northrup Strange is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between their debut in 1986 and 1990.-Early years through college:Strange and his... |
| 1986 | Greg Norman Greg Norman Gregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s... |
653,296 | 4: Bob Tway Bob Tway Robert Raymond Tway IV is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments including eight PGA Tour victories. He spent 25 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings in 1986-87.... |
| 1985 | Curtis Strange Curtis Strange Curtis Northrup Strange is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between their debut in 1986 and 1990.-Early years through college:Strange and his... |
542,321 | 3: Curtis Strange Curtis Strange Curtis Northrup Strange is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between their debut in 1986 and 1990.-Early years through college:Strange and his... ; Lanny Wadkins Lanny Wadkins Jerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988.... |
| 1984 | Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
476,260 | 3: Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... ; Denis Watson Denis Watson Denis Leslie Watson is a professional golfer from Zimbabwe.Watson was born in Salisbury, Rhodesia and educated at Oriel Boys High School, Chisipite... |
| 1983 | Hal Sutton Hal Sutton Hal Evan Sutton is an American professional golfer.Sutton was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. A promising golfer at the Centenary College of Louisiana, he was named Golf Magazines 1980 College Player of the Year... |
426,668 | 2: 8 players (note 3) |
| 1982 | Craig Stadler Craig Stadler Craig Robert Stadler is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level.... |
446,462 | 4: Craig Stadler Craig Stadler Craig Robert Stadler is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level.... , Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... , Calvin Peete Calvin Peete Calvin Peete is an American professional golfer. He was the most successful African-American on the PGA Tour, with 12 wins, before the emergence of Tiger Woods.... |
| 1981 | Tom Kite Tom Kite Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994.... |
375,699 | 4: Bill Rogers Bill Rogers (golfer) William Charles Rogers is an American professional golfer who is best known as the winner of the 1981 Open Championship.... |
| 1980 | Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
530,808 | 7: Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
| 1979 | Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
462,636 | 5: Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
| 1978 | Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
362,429 | 5: Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
| 1977 | Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
310,653 | 5: Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
| 1976 | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
266,439 | 3: Ben Crenshaw Ben Crenshaw Ben Daniel Crenshaw is an American professional golfer.Crenshaw was born in Austin, Texas. He attended and played golf at Austin High School and the University of Texas, where he won three NCAA Championships from 1971 to 1973... , Hubert Green Hubert Green Hubert Myatt Green is an American professional golfer who has won numerous professional golf tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level.... |
| 1975 | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
298,149 | 5: Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
| 1974 | Johnny Miller Johnny Miller John Laurence Miller is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s; he ranked second in the world on Mark McCormack's world golf rankings in both 1974 and 1975 behind Jack Nicklaus. He is currently the lead golf... |
353,022 | 8: Johnny Miller Johnny Miller John Laurence Miller is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s; he ranked second in the world on Mark McCormack's world golf rankings in both 1974 and 1975 behind Jack Nicklaus. He is currently the lead golf... |
| 1973 | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
308,362 | 7: Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
| 1972 | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
320,542 | 7: Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
| 1971 | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
244,491 | 6: Lee Trevino Lee Trevino Lee Buck Trevino is an American professional golfer. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "The Merry Mex" and "Supermex". He won six major championships over the course of his career.-Early life:... |
| 1970 | Lee Trevino Lee Trevino Lee Buck Trevino is an American professional golfer. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "The Merry Mex" and "Supermex". He won six major championships over the course of his career.-Early life:... |
157,037 | 4: Billy Casper Billy Casper William Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:... |
| 1969 | Frank Beard |
164,707 | 3: 4 players (note 4) |
| 1968 | Billy Casper Billy Casper William Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:... |
205,169 | 6: Billy Casper Billy Casper William Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:... |
| 1967 | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
188,998 | 5: Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
| 1966 | Billy Casper Billy Casper William Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:... |
121,945 | 4: Billy Casper Billy Casper William Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:... |
| 1965 | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
140,752 | 5: Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
| 1964 | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
113,285 | 5: Tony Lema Tony Lema Anthony David "Tony" Lema was an American professional golfer, who rose to fame in the beginning of golf's modern era, but had his young life and career cut short in an aircraft accident. His most prestigious victory was the 1964 British Open.-Biography:Lema was born in Oakland, California, to... |
| 1963 | Arnold Palmer Arnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955... |
128,230 | 7: Arnold Palmer Arnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955... |
| 1962 | Arnold Palmer Arnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955... |
81,448 | 8: Arnold Palmer Arnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955... |
| 1961 |  Gary PlayerGary Player Gary Player DMS; OIG is a South African professional golfer. With his nine major championship victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of golf. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Player has won 165 tournaments on six continents over six... |
64,540 | 6: Arnold Palmer Arnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955... |
| 1960 |  Arnold PalmerArnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955... |
75,263 | 8: Arnold Palmer Arnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955... |
| 1959 |  Art Wall, Jr.Art Wall, Jr. Arthur Jonathan Wall, Jr. was an American golfer.Wall was born in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. He attended Duke University, graduating in 1949 with a business degree.... |
53,168 | 5: Gene Littler Gene Littler Gene Alec Littler is an American professional golfer. Known for a solid temperament and nicknamed "Gene the Machine" for his smooth rhythmical swing, he once said that, "Golf is not a game of great shots. It's a game of the best misses. The people who win make the smallest mistakes."-Early years... |
| 1958 | Arnold Palmer Arnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955... |
42,608 | 4: Ken Venturi Ken Venturi Kenneth Venturi is an American former professional golfer and golf broadcaster.-Early years and amateur career:Venturi was born in San Francisco, California. He learned golf from an early age, and developed his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the area... |
| 1957 | Dick Mayer Dick Mayer Alvin Richard Mayer was an American professional golfer.Mayer was born in Stamford, Connecticut. He apprenticed with renowned player and teacher Claude Harmon at the Winged Foot Golf Club in suburban New York City.... |
65,835 | 4: Arnold Palmer Arnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955... |
| 1956 | Ted Kroll |
72,836 | 4: Mike Souchak Mike Souchak Michael Souchak was an American professional golfer who won 15 times on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s, and played for the 1959 and 1961 Ryder Cup teams.-Early years, college:... |
| 1955 | Julius Boros Julius Boros Julius Nicholas Boros was a Hungarian-American professional golfer.-Early years:Boros was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut... |
63,122 | 6: Cary Middlecoff Cary Middlecoff Emmett Cary Middlecoff was a dentist who gave up his practice to become a professional golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1940s.... |
| 1954 | Bob Toski Bob Toski Robert John Toski, born Algustoski , is an American golfer and teacher.He was born in Haydenville, Massachusetts of Polish descent. He learned to play at Northampton Country Club, where he caddied and two of his elder brothers were assistant professionals... |
65,820 | 4: Bob Toski Bob Toski Robert John Toski, born Algustoski , is an American golfer and teacher.He was born in Haydenville, Massachusetts of Polish descent. He learned to play at Northampton Country Club, where he caddied and two of his elder brothers were assistant professionals... |
| 1953 | Lew Worsham Lew Worsham Lewis Elmer Worsham, Jr. was an American professional golfer.Worsham was born in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. In 1947, he won the U.S. Open by defeating Sam Snead in an 18-hole playoff at the St. Louis Country Club in Clayton, Missouri after the two men had finished tied at 282 in regulation.... |
34,002 | 5: Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
| 1952 | Julius Boros Julius Boros Julius Nicholas Boros was a Hungarian-American professional golfer.-Early years:Boros was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut... |
37,033 | 5: Jack Burke, Jr., Sam Snead Sam Snead Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S... |
| 1951 | Lloyd Mangrum Lloyd Mangrum Lloyd Eugene Mangrum was an American professional golfer. He was known for his smooth swing and his relaxed demeanour on the course, which earned him the nickname "Mr. Icicle".Mangrum was born in Trenton, Texas... |
26,089 | 6: Cary Middlecoff Cary Middlecoff Emmett Cary Middlecoff was a dentist who gave up his practice to become a professional golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1940s.... |
| 1950 | Sam Snead Sam Snead Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S... |
35,759 | 11: Sam Snead Sam Snead Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S... |
| 1949 | Sam Snead Sam Snead Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S... |
31,594 | 7: Cary Middlecoff Cary Middlecoff Emmett Cary Middlecoff was a dentist who gave up his practice to become a professional golfer on the PGA Tour in the 1940s.... |
| 1948 | Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
32,112 | 10: Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
| 1947 | Jimmy Demaret Jimmy Demaret James Newton Demaret was an American professional golfer. He won 31 PGA Tour events in a long career between 1935 and 1957, and was the first three-time winner of the Masters.... |
27,937 | 7: Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
| 1946 | Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
42,556 | 13: Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
| 1945 | Byron Nelson Byron Nelson John Byron Nelson, Jr. was an American PGA Tour golfer between 1935 and 1946.Nelson and two other well known golfers of the time, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, were born within seven months of each other in 1912... |
63,336 | 18: Byron Nelson Byron Nelson John Byron Nelson, Jr. was an American PGA Tour golfer between 1935 and 1946.Nelson and two other well known golfers of the time, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, were born within seven months of each other in 1912... |
| 1944 | Byron Nelson Byron Nelson John Byron Nelson, Jr. was an American PGA Tour golfer between 1935 and 1946.Nelson and two other well known golfers of the time, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, were born within seven months of each other in 1912... |
37,968 | 8: Byron Nelson Byron Nelson John Byron Nelson, Jr. was an American PGA Tour golfer between 1935 and 1946.Nelson and two other well known golfers of the time, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, were born within seven months of each other in 1912... |
| 1943 | No records kept | ||
| 1: Sam Byrd, Harold McSpaden, Steve Warga | |||
| 1942 | Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
13,143 | 6: Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
| 1941 | Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
18,358 | 7: Sam Snead Sam Snead Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S... |
| 1940 | Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
10,655 | 6: Jimmy Demaret Jimmy Demaret James Newton Demaret was an American professional golfer. He won 31 PGA Tour events in a long career between 1935 and 1957, and was the first three-time winner of the Masters.... |
| 1939 | Henry Picard Henry Picard Henry Gilford Picard was an American professional golfer.Picard was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learned to play golf while caddying at the Plymouth Country Club. Picard, already a talented player by his early 20s, came to prominence after coaching from the leading instructor Alex Morrison... |
10,303 | 8: Henry Picard Henry Picard Henry Gilford Picard was an American professional golfer.Picard was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learned to play golf while caddying at the Plymouth Country Club. Picard, already a talented player by his early 20s, came to prominence after coaching from the leading instructor Alex Morrison... |
| 1938 | Sam Snead Sam Snead Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S... |
19,534 | 8: Sam Snead Sam Snead Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S... |
| 1937 | Harry Cooper Harry Cooper (golfer) Harry E. Cooper was a prominent PGA Tour golfer of the 1920s and 1930s. After he retired from competitive golf, he became a well-regarded instructor, into his 90s.... |
14,139 | 8: Harry Cooper Harry Cooper (golfer) Harry E. Cooper was a prominent PGA Tour golfer of the 1920s and 1930s. After he retired from competitive golf, he became a well-regarded instructor, into his 90s.... |
| 1936 | Horton Smith Horton Smith Horton Smith was an American professional golfer, who is best known as the first man to win the Masters Tournament.- Tournament career :... |
7,682 | 3: Ralph Guldahl Ralph Guldahl Ralph J. Guldahl was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the sport for three years in the late 1930s.-Early life until 1939:Guldahl was born in Dallas, Texas... , Jimmy Hines Jimmy Hines James J. Hines was an American professional golfer.Hines was born in Mineola, New York. He won nine times on the PGA Tour and was selected to the 1939 Ryder Cup team but the event was cancelled due to World War II.... , Henry Picard Henry Picard Henry Gilford Picard was an American professional golfer.Picard was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learned to play golf while caddying at the Plymouth Country Club. Picard, already a talented player by his early 20s, came to prominence after coaching from the leading instructor Alex Morrison... |
| 1935 | Johnny Revolta |
9,543 | 5: Henry Picard Henry Picard Henry Gilford Picard was an American professional golfer.Picard was born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and learned to play golf while caddying at the Plymouth Country Club. Picard, already a talented player by his early 20s, came to prominence after coaching from the leading instructor Alex Morrison... , Johnny Revolta |
| 1934 | Paul Runyan Paul Runyan Paul Scott Runyan was an American professional golfer. He was among the world's best players in the mid-1930s, won two PGA Championships, and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Runyan was also a golf instructor.... |
6,767 | 7: Paul Runyan Paul Runyan Paul Scott Runyan was an American professional golfer. He was among the world's best players in the mid-1930s, won two PGA Championships, and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Runyan was also a golf instructor.... |
| 1933 | N/A | N/A | 9: Paul Runyan Paul Runyan Paul Scott Runyan was an American professional golfer. He was among the world's best players in the mid-1930s, won two PGA Championships, and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Runyan was also a golf instructor.... |
| 1932 | N/A | N/A | 4: Gene Sarazen Gene Sarazen Gene Sarazen was an American professional golfer, one of the world's top players in the 1920s and 1930s. He is one of five golfers to win all the current major championships in his career, the Career Grand Slam:U.S... |
| 1931 | N/A | N/A | 4: Wiffy Cox Wiffy Cox Wilfred Hiram "Wiffy" Cox was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1930s.... |
| 1930 | N/A | N/A | 8: Gene Sarazen Gene Sarazen Gene Sarazen was an American professional golfer, one of the world's top players in the 1920s and 1930s. He is one of five golfers to win all the current major championships in his career, the Career Grand Slam:U.S... |
| 1929 | N/A | N/A | 8: Horton Smith Horton Smith Horton Smith was an American professional golfer, who is best known as the first man to win the Masters Tournament.- Tournament career :... |
| 1928 | N/A | N/A | 7: Bill Mehlhorn Bill Mehlhorn William Earl Mehlhorn was an American golfer who played on the PGA Tour in its early days, and was at his best in the 1920s.... |
| 1927 | N/A | N/A | 7: Johnny Farrell Johnny Farrell John Joseph Farrell was an American professional golfer, best known for winning the 1928 U.S. Open.Farrell was born in White Plains, New York. He turned professional in 1922.In 1928, Farrell won the U.S. Open... |
| 1926 | N/A | N/A | 5: Bill Mehlhorn Bill Mehlhorn William Earl Mehlhorn was an American golfer who played on the PGA Tour in its early days, and was at his best in the 1920s.... , Macdonald Smith Macdonald Smith Macdonald "Mac" Smith was one of the top golfers in the world from about 1910 to the mid 1930s. He was a member of a famous Scottish golfing family.... |
| 1925 | N/A | N/A | 5: Leo Diegel |
| 1924 | N/A | N/A | 5: Walter Hagen Walter Hagen Walter Charles Hagen was a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of eleven professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods . He won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, which he went on... |
| 1923 | N/A | N/A | 5: Walter Hagen Walter Hagen Walter Charles Hagen was a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of eleven professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods . He won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, which he went on... , Joe Kirkwood, Sr. Joe Kirkwood, Sr. Joseph Henry Kirkwood, Sr. was a professional golfer who is acknowledged as having put Australian golf on the world map.... |
| 1922 | N/A | N/A | 4: Walter Hagen Walter Hagen Walter Charles Hagen was a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of eleven professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods . He won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, which he went on... |
| 1921 | N/A | N/A | 4: Jim Barnes |
| 1920 | N/A | N/A | 4: Jock Hutchison Jock Hutchison Jack Fowler "Jock" Hutchison was a Scottish-American professional golfer.Hutchison was born in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland but later moved to the United States and became a U.S. citizen in 1920. He won two major championships, the 1920 PGA Championship and the 1921 Open Championship at the St Andrews... |
| 1919 | N/A | N/A | 5: Jim Barnes |
| 1918 | N/A | N/A | 1: Patrick Doyle, Walter Hagen Walter Hagen Walter Charles Hagen was a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of eleven professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods . He won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, which he went on... , Jock Hutchison Jock Hutchison Jack Fowler "Jock" Hutchison was a Scottish-American professional golfer.Hutchison was born in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland but later moved to the United States and became a U.S. citizen in 1920. He won two major championships, the 1920 PGA Championship and the 1921 Open Championship at the St Andrews... |
| 1917 | N/A | N/A | 2: Jim Barnes, Mike Brady Mike Brady (golfer) Michael Joseph Brady was an American professional golfer. He was born in Brighton, Massachusetts. He lost in a three-way playoff to John McDermott in the 1911 U.S. Open. He lost to Walter Hagen in a celebrated playoff in the 1919 U.S. Open at the Brae Burn Country Club... |
| 1916 | N/A | N/A | 3: Jim Barnes |
Notes:
- Players with 2 wins in 2011: Keegan BradleyKeegan BradleyKeegan Bradley is an American professional golfer who is a rookie on the PGA Tour. He has won two tour events, most notably the 2011 PGA Championship...
, Luke DonaldLuke DonaldLuke Campbell Donald is an English professional golfer who is the current World Number One. He plays mainly on the U.S. based PGA Tour but is also a member of the European Tour. In 2006 he reached the top ten in the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time in his career. In January 2007, he...
, Webb SimpsonWebb SimpsonJames Frederick "Webb" Simpson is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.-Amateur career:Simpson was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. He played high school golf at Broughton High before his collegiate golf career at Wake Forest University. He was a three-time All-American and...
, Steve StrickerSteve StrickerSteven Stricker is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He has won 11 tournaments on the PGA Tour including the 2001 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and two FedEx Cup playoff events. His most successful season on tour came in 2009, when he had three tournament victories...
, Nick WatneyNick WatneyNicholas Alan Watney is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. The highlight of Watney's career to date is his victory at the 2011 WGC-Cadillac Championship....
, Bubba WatsonBubba WatsonGerry "Bubba" Watson is an American professional golfer. Watson is one of the few left-handed golfers on tour and is known for his tremendous length. The longest driver on the PGA Tour, in 2007 he had an average drive of 315.2 yards and is capable of generating a ball speed of 194 mph, being...
, Mark WilsonMark Wilson (golfer)Mark Joseph Wilson is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.Wilson was born in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin and currently resides in Elmhurst, Illinois.-Professional career:... - Players with 2 wins in 1991: Billy AndradeBilly AndradeWilliam Thomas Andrade is an American professional golfer.Andrade was born in Bristol, Rhode Island. He attended Wake Forest University where he helped lead the Demon Deacons to the 1986 NCAA Championship. He played on the U.S. team in the 1987 Walker Cup, and turned professional in the same year...
, Mark BrooksMark Brooks (golfer)Mark David Brooks is an American professional golfer.Brooks was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a three-time All-American as a member of the golf team. He turned professional in 1983.Brooks has seven wins on the PGA Tour, including one major,...
, Fred CouplesFred CouplesFrederick Steven Couples is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. A former World No. 1, he has won numerous events, most notably the 1992 Masters Tournament. In August 2011 he won his maiden senior major at the Senior Players Championship...
, Andrew MageeAndrew MageeAndrew Donald Magee is an American professional golfer who played for more than 20 years on the PGA Tour.Magee was born in Paris, France, where his father, a Texas oil man, was working at the time. He grew up in Dallas, Texas. Magee attended the University of Oklahoma from 1981–1984...
, Corey PavinCorey PavinCorey Allen Pavin is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He spent over 150 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1986 and 1997.-Biography:...
, Nick PriceNick PriceNicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:...
, Tom PurtzerTom PurtzerThomas Warren Purtzer is an American professional golfer who has won tournaments on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour....
, Ian WoosnamIan WoosnamIan Harold Woosnam OBE is a Welsh professional golfer.Nicknamed 'Woosie', 'Woosers', or the 'Wee Welshman', Woosnam was one of the "Big Five" generation of European golfers, all born within 12 months of one another, all of whom have won majors, and made Europe competitive in the Ryder Cup... - Players with 2 wins in 1983: Seve Ballesteros, Jim ColbertJim ColbertJames Joseph Colbert is an American professional golfer.Colbert was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He attended Kansas State University, where he finished second in the NCAA golf championships in 1964, before graduating and turning professional in 1965.Colbert won eight times on the PGA Tour,...
, Mark McCumberMark McCumberMark Randall McCumber is an American golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour.McCumber was born in Jacksonville, Florida. He turned professional in 1974 and joined the PGA Tour in 1978. McCumber won ten times on the PGA Tour between 1979 and 1994 including the prestigious Players...
, Gil MorganGil MorganGilmer Bryan Morgan II, OD is an American professional golfer.Morgan was born in Wewoka, Oklahoma. He graduated from East Central State College in Ada, Oklahoma in 1968. In 1972, Morgan earned a Doctor of Optometry degree from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tennessee before turning...
, Calvin PeeteCalvin PeeteCalvin Peete is an American professional golfer. He was the most successful African-American on the PGA Tour, with 12 wins, before the emergence of Tiger Woods....
, Hal SuttonHal SuttonHal Evan Sutton is an American professional golfer.Sutton was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. A promising golfer at the Centenary College of Louisiana, he was named Golf Magazines 1980 College Player of the Year...
, Lanny WadkinsLanny WadkinsJerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988....
, Fuzzy ZoellerFuzzy ZoellerFrank Urban "Fuzzy" Zoeller, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He is one of three golfers to have won The Masters in his first appearance in the event. He also won the 1984 U.S. Open, which earned him the 1985 Bob Jones Award.... - Players with 3 wins in 1969: Billy CasperBilly CasperWilliam Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:...
, Raymond FloydRaymond FloydRaymond Loran "Ray" Floyd is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour....
, Dave HillDave Hill (golfer)James David Hill was an American professional golfer. He was the brother of golfer Mike Hill.Hill was born in Jackson, Michigan. He attended the University of Detroit, where he played on the golf team. Hill won 13 times on the PGA Tour, three of which came during his career year of 1969, when he...
, Jack NicklausJack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
Multiple money list titles
The following players have won more than one money list title through 2011:- 9: Tiger WoodsTiger WoodsEldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
- 8: Jack NicklausJack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
- 5: Ben HoganBen HoganWilliam Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
, Tom WatsonTom Watson (golfer)Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... - 4: Arnold PalmerArnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
- 3: Sam SneadSam SneadSamuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S...
, Curtis StrangeCurtis StrangeCurtis Northrup Strange is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between their debut in 1986 and 1990.-Early years through college:Strange and his...
, Greg NormanGreg NormanGregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s...
, Vijay SinghVijay SinghVijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008... - 2: Byron NelsonByron NelsonJohn Byron Nelson, Jr. was an American PGA Tour golfer between 1935 and 1946.Nelson and two other well known golfers of the time, Ben Hogan and Sam Snead, were born within seven months of each other in 1912...
, Julius BorosJulius BorosJulius Nicholas Boros was a Hungarian-American professional golfer.-Early years:Boros was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut...
, Billy CasperBilly CasperWilliam Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:...
, Tom KiteTom KiteThomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994....
, Nick PriceNick PriceNicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:...
Player and rookie of the year awards
PGA Tour players compete for two player of the year awards. The PGA Player of the Year award dates back to 1948 and is awarded by the PGA of America. Since 1982 the winner has been selected using a points system with points awarded for wins, money list position and scoring average. The PGA Tour Player of the Year award, also known as the Jack Nicklaus Trophy, is administered by the PGA Tour and was introduced in 1990; the recipient is selected by the tour players by ballot, although the results are not released other than to say who has won. More often than not the same player wins both awards; in fact, as seen in the table below, the PGA and PGA Tour Players of the Year have been the same every year from 1992 through 2010. The Rookie of the Year award was also introduced in 1990. Players are eligible in their first season of PGA Tour membership; several of the winners had a good deal of international success before their PGA Tour rookie season, and some have been in their thirties when they won the award.| Year | PGA Player of the Year | PGA Tour Player of the Year | PGA Tour Rookie of the Year | Comeback Player of the Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Luke Donald Luke Donald Luke Campbell Donald is an English professional golfer who is the current World Number One. He plays mainly on the U.S. based PGA Tour but is also a member of the European Tour. In 2006 he reached the top ten in the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time in his career. In January 2007, he... |
None | ||
| 2010 | Jim Furyk Jim Furyk James Michael Furyk is an American professional golfer, 2010 FedEx Cup champion, and 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year. He has won one major championship, the 2003 U.S. Open. Furyk is known for consistently playing at the top level and for a visibly unconventional, looping golf swing... |
Jim Furyk Jim Furyk James Michael Furyk is an American professional golfer, 2010 FedEx Cup champion, and 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year. He has won one major championship, the 2003 U.S. Open. Furyk is known for consistently playing at the top level and for a visibly unconventional, looping golf swing... |
Rickie Fowler Rickie Fowler Rick Yutaka Fowler is an American professional golfer. He was the number one ranked amateur golfer in the world for 36 weeks in 2007 and 2008.-Amateur career:... |
Stuart Appleby Stuart Appleby Stuart Appleby is an Australian professional golfer.-Early life:Appleby was born in Cohuna in rural northern Victoria, and grew up on a nearby dairy farm. He began in golf by hitting balls from paddock to paddock after his farm chores were completed... |
| 2009 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Marc Leishman Marc Leishman Marc Leishman is an Australian professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.Leishman was born in Warrnambool, Victoria. He had a very successful amateur career in Australia, winning many junior tournaments. He turned professional in 2005. His victory on the Nationwide Tour at the 2008... |
None |
| 2008 |  Pádraig HarringtonPadraig Harrington Pádraig P. Harrington is an Irish professional golfer who plays on The European Tour and The PGA Tour. He has won three major championships: The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship, also in 2008.-Background:... |
Pádraig Harrington Padraig Harrington Pádraig P. Harrington is an Irish professional golfer who plays on The European Tour and The PGA Tour. He has won three major championships: The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship, also in 2008.-Background:... |
 Andrés RomeroAndres Romero For the Chilean footballer with the same name see Andrés Romero Andrés Fabián Romero is an Argentine professional golfer who plays on both the PGA Tour and European Tour.... |
Dudley Hart Dudley Hart Howard Dudley Hart is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.-Early years:Hart was born in Rochester, New York... |
| 2007 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Brandt Snedeker Brandt Snedeker Brandt Snedeker is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.-Early years through College:Snedeker was born in Nashville, Tennessee. He was introduced to golf by his maternal grandmother, who managed a golf course in Missouri... |
Steve Stricker Steve Stricker Steven Stricker is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He has won 11 tournaments on the PGA Tour including the 2001 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and two FedEx Cup playoff events. His most successful season on tour came in 2009, when he had three tournament victories... |
| 2006 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
 Trevor ImmelmanTrevor Immelman Trevor John Immelman is a South African professional golfer and winner of the 2008 Masters Tournament.-Early years:Immelman was born in Cape Town, South Africa. Born into a golfing family , he took up golf at the age of five. He attended Hottentots Holland High School... |
Steve Stricker Steve Stricker Steven Stricker is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He has won 11 tournaments on the PGA Tour including the 2001 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and two FedEx Cup playoff events. His most successful season on tour came in 2009, when he had three tournament victories... |
| 2005 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Sean O'Hair Sean O'Hair Sean M. O'Hair is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.-Early life:O'Hair was born in Lubbock, Texas... |
Jay Haas Jay Haas Jay Dean Haas is an American professional golfer.Haas was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in Belleville, Illinois. He attended Wake Forest University and was a member of the NCAA Championship team of the middle 1970s with Curtis Strange and Bob Byman that Golf World has called "the... |
| 2004 | Vijay Singh Vijay Singh Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008... |
Vijay Singh Vijay Singh Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008... |
Todd Hamilton Todd Hamilton William Todd Hamilton is an American professional golfer.Hamilton was born in the small west-central Illinois city of Galesburg. He grew up in an even smaller Henderson County town on the Mississippi called Oquawka. He attended Union High School in Biggsville, Illinois and played golf regularly on... |
John Daly John Daly (golfer) John Patrick Daly is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour.Daly is known primarily for his driving distance off the tee , his non-country club appearance and attitude, and his rough-and-tumble personal life. Daly remains one of the most popular and intriguing figures on the PGA Tour... |
| 2003 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Ben Curtis Ben Curtis (golfer) Ben Clifford Curtis is an American professional golfer best known for winning the 2003 Open Championship.-Early career:Curtis was born in Columbus, Ohio and grew up in Ostrander, Ohio. His family runs the , also in Ostrander... |
Peter Jacobsen Peter Jacobsen Peter Erling Jacobsen is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. He has won seven events on the PGA Tour and two events on the Champions Tour, both majors.-Early years:... |
| 2002 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Jonathan Byrd Jonathan Byrd (golfer) Jonathan Currie Byrd is an American professional golfer. He was the 2002 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, and has won five times on the PGA Tour.-Biography:... |
Gene Sauers Gene Sauers Gene Craig Sauers is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Sauers was born in Savannah, Georgia. His father started him playing golf at the age of 9. He attended Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, Georgia... |
| 2001 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Charles Howell III Charles Howell III Charles Gordon Howell III is an American golfer. He has been featured in the top 15 of the Official World Golf Rankings.-Early years and amateur career:... |
Joe Durant Joe Durant Joseph Scott Durant is an American professional golfer.Durant was born in Pensacola, Florida. He attended Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama, where he majored in Marketing and graduated in 1987. At Huntingdon, he was a three-time NAIA All-American and won the 1987 NAIA Championship.Durant... |
| 2000 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Michael Clark II Michael Clark II Michael Clark II is an American professional golfer.Clark was born in Kingsport, Tennessee. He attended Georgia Tech and turned professional in 1992. He won two events on the PGA Tour's official developmental tour in the 1990s, but it took him some years to win a place on the PGA Tour itself... |
Paul Azinger Paul Azinger Paul William Azinger is an American professional golfer and occasional on air golf analyst. He spent almost 300 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1988 and 1994.-Early years:... |
| 1999 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
 Carlos FrancoCarlos Franco Carlos Daniel Franco is a Paraguayan professional golfer. He is the brother of golfer Angel Franco.Franco was born in Asunción, Paraguay. He comes from a poor background and grew up in a one-room, dirt-floor home. His father was a greenkeeper and caddy, and he has five brothers, all of whom... |
Steve Pate Steve Pate Stephen Robert Pate is an American professional golfer who has played on both the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour.Pate was born in Ventura, California. He attended UCLA and was a member of the golf team; one teammate was Corey Pavin, who joined Pate on the PGA Tour. Pate helped lead the team to... |
| 1998 | Mark O'Meara Mark O'Meara Mark Francis O'Meara is an American professional golfer who was a prolific tournament winner on the PGA Tour and around the world from the mid 1980s to the late 1990s... |
Mark O'Meara Mark O'Meara Mark Francis O'Meara is an American professional golfer who was a prolific tournament winner on the PGA Tour and around the world from the mid 1980s to the late 1990s... |
Steve Flesch Steve Flesch Stephen J. Flesch is an American professional golfer, competing on the PGA Tour.Flesch was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and attended Covington Catholic High School in Park Hills, Kentucky. After graduation he played golf at the University of Kentucky and turned professional in 1990.Flesch finished in... |
Scott Verplank Scott Verplank Scott Rachal Verplank is an American professional golfer.Verplank was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He was a leading member of the W.T. White High School Golf Team and a regular at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas... |
| 1997 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Stewart Cink Stewart Cink Stewart Ernest Cink is an American professional golfer who won the 2009 Open Championship. He has spent over 40 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings from 2004 to 2009.-Early years and education:... |
Bill Glasson |
| 1996 | Tom Lehman Tom Lehman Thomas Edward Lehman is an American professional golfer.Lehman was born in Austin, Minnesota, but Alexandria, Minnesota is credited as his official Minnesota hometown. He attended the University of Minnesota, graduating with a degree in Business/Accounting and turned professional in 1982. It took... |
Tom Lehman Tom Lehman Thomas Edward Lehman is an American professional golfer.Lehman was born in Austin, Minnesota, but Alexandria, Minnesota is credited as his official Minnesota hometown. He attended the University of Minnesota, graduating with a degree in Business/Accounting and turned professional in 1982. It took... |
Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
Steve Jones Steve Jones (golfer) Steven Glen Jones is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the U.S. Open in 1996.- Early life and education :Jones was born in Artesia, New Mexico. He was a semi-finalist at the U.S. Junior Amateur in 1976... |
| 1995 | Greg Norman Greg Norman Gregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s... |
Greg Norman Greg Norman Gregory John Norman AO is an Australian professional golfer and entrepreneur who spent 331 weeks as the world's Number 1 ranked golfer in the 1980s and 1990s... |
Woody Austin Woody Austin Albert Woody Austin II is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.Austin was born in Tampa, Florida. He attended the University of Miami, where he was a member of the golf team coached by Norman C. Parsons Jr... |
Bob Tway Bob Tway Robert Raymond Tway IV is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments including eight PGA Tour victories. He spent 25 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings in 1986-87.... |
| 1994 | Nick Price Nick Price Nicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:... |
Nick Price Nick Price Nicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:... |
Ernie Els Ernie Els Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing... |
Hal Sutton Hal Sutton Hal Evan Sutton is an American professional golfer.Sutton was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. A promising golfer at the Centenary College of Louisiana, he was named Golf Magazines 1980 College Player of the Year... |
| 1993 | Nick Price Nick Price Nicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:... |
Nick Price Nick Price Nicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:... |
Vijay Singh Vijay Singh Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008... |
Howard Twitty Howard Twitty Howard Allen Twitty is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s; and who currently plays on the Champions Tour.... |
| 1992 | Fred Couples Fred Couples Frederick Steven Couples is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. A former World No. 1, he has won numerous events, most notably the 1992 Masters Tournament. In August 2011 he won his maiden senior major at the Senior Players Championship... |
Fred Couples Fred Couples Frederick Steven Couples is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. A former World No. 1, he has won numerous events, most notably the 1992 Masters Tournament. In August 2011 he won his maiden senior major at the Senior Players Championship... |
Mark Carnevale Mark Carnevale Mark Kevin Carnevale is an American professional golfer.Carnevale was born in Annapolis, Maryland, where his father, Ben, was the head basketball coach at the United States Naval Academy. He attended Lafayette High School in Williamsburg, Virginia, and later was a standout golfer at James Madison... |
John Cook John Cook (golfer) John Neuman Cook is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour.... |
| 1991 | Corey Pavin Corey Pavin Corey Allen Pavin is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour. He spent over 150 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1986 and 1997.-Biography:... |
Fred Couples Fred Couples Frederick Steven Couples is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. A former World No. 1, he has won numerous events, most notably the 1992 Masters Tournament. In August 2011 he won his maiden senior major at the Senior Players Championship... |
John Daly John Daly (golfer) John Patrick Daly is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour.Daly is known primarily for his driving distance off the tee , his non-country club appearance and attitude, and his rough-and-tumble personal life. Daly remains one of the most popular and intriguing figures on the PGA Tour... |
Bruce Fleisher Bruce Fleisher -Early years and amateur career:Fleisher was born in Union City, Tennessee. He became involved in golf at age 7 by working as a caddie with his two brothers. Fleisher attended Miami-Dade Junior College and Furman University. In 1968 at age 19, he became the third youngest player to win the U.S.... , D. A. WeibringD. A. Weibring Donald Albert "D.A." Weibring, Jr. is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments including several on the PGA Tour and Champions Tour.... |
| 1990 | Nick Faldo Nick Faldo Sir Nicholas Alexander "Nick" Faldo, MBE is an English professional golfer on the European Tour who now mainly works as an on air golf analyst. Over his career, he has won six majors: three Open Championships and three Masters. He was ranked the World No... |
Wayne Levi Wayne Levi Wayne John Levi is an American golfer.Levi was born in Little Falls, New York and attended high school in Herkimer, New York. He enrolled at Oswego State University for two years and then the University of South Florida briefly, before turning professional in 1973.Levi went on to win 12 times on... |
Robert Gamez |
|
| Year | PGA Player of the Year |
|---|---|
| 1989 | Tom Kite Tom Kite Thomas Oliver Kite, Jr. is an American professional golfer and golf course architect. He spent 175 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1989 and 1994.... |
| 1988 | Curtis Strange Curtis Strange Curtis Northrup Strange is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between their debut in 1986 and 1990.-Early years through college:Strange and his... |
| 1987 | Paul Azinger Paul Azinger Paul William Azinger is an American professional golfer and occasional on air golf analyst. He spent almost 300 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings between 1988 and 1994.-Early years:... |
| 1986 | Bob Tway Bob Tway Robert Raymond Tway IV is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments including eight PGA Tour victories. He spent 25 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings in 1986-87.... |
| 1985 | Lanny Wadkins Lanny Wadkins Jerry Lanston "Lanny" Wadkins, Jr. is an American professional golfer. He ranked in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for 86 weeks from their debut in 1986 to 1988.... |
| 1984 | Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
| 1983 | Hal Sutton Hal Sutton Hal Evan Sutton is an American professional golfer.Sutton was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. A promising golfer at the Centenary College of Louisiana, he was named Golf Magazines 1980 College Player of the Year... |
| 1982 | Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
| 1981 | Bill Rogers Bill Rogers (golfer) William Charles Rogers is an American professional golfer who is best known as the winner of the 1981 Open Championship.... |
| 1980 | Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
| 1979 | Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
| 1978 | Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
| 1977 | Tom Watson Tom Watson (golfer) Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour.... |
| 1976 | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
| 1975 | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
| 1974 | Johnny Miller Johnny Miller John Laurence Miller is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s; he ranked second in the world on Mark McCormack's world golf rankings in both 1974 and 1975 behind Jack Nicklaus. He is currently the lead golf... |
| 1973 | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
| 1972 | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
| 1971 | Lee Trevino Lee Trevino Lee Buck Trevino is an American professional golfer. He is an icon for Mexican Americans, and is often referred to as "The Merry Mex" and "Supermex". He won six major championships over the course of his career.-Early life:... |
| 1970 | Billy Casper Billy Casper William Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:... |
| 1969 | Orville Moody Orville Moody Orville James Moody was an American professional golfer who won numerous tournaments in his career. He won the 1969 U.S. Open, the last champion in the 20th century to win through local and sectional qualifying.... |
| 1968 | No award |
| 1967 | Jack Nicklaus Jack Nicklaus Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a... |
| 1966 | Billy Casper Billy Casper William Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:... |
| 1965 | Dave Marr Dave Marr David Francis Marr, Jr. was an American professional golfer and sportscaster, best known for winning the 1965 PGA Championship.-Early years:... |
| 1964 | Ken Venturi Ken Venturi Kenneth Venturi is an American former professional golfer and golf broadcaster.-Early years and amateur career:Venturi was born in San Francisco, California. He learned golf from an early age, and developed his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the area... |
| 1963 | Julius Boros Julius Boros Julius Nicholas Boros was a Hungarian-American professional golfer.-Early years:Boros was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut... |
| 1962 | Arnold Palmer Arnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955... |
| 1961 | Jerry Barber Jerry Barber Carl Jerome "Jerry" Barber was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour.Barber was born in Woodson, Illinois, and was one of nine children raised on a Jacksonville, Illinois farm. He turned professional in 1942. Among his seven tour victories, was the 1961 PGA Championship at... |
| 1960 | Arnold Palmer Arnold Palmer Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955... |
| 1959 | Art Wall, Jr. Art Wall, Jr. Arthur Jonathan Wall, Jr. was an American golfer.Wall was born in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. He attended Duke University, graduating in 1949 with a business degree.... |
| 1958 | Dow Finsterwald Dow Finsterwald Dow Henry Finsterwald, Sr. is an American professional golfer who is best known for winning the 1958 PGA Championship. He won 11 Tour titles between 1955 and 1963, played on four Ryder Cup teams, and served as non-playing captain for the 1977 U.S. Ryder Cup team.Finsterwald was born and raised in... |
| 1957 | Dick Mayer Dick Mayer Alvin Richard Mayer was an American professional golfer.Mayer was born in Stamford, Connecticut. He apprenticed with renowned player and teacher Claude Harmon at the Winged Foot Golf Club in suburban New York City.... |
| 1956 | Jack Burke, Jr. |
| 1955 | Doug Ford Doug Ford (golfer) Douglas Michael Ford, Sr. born Fortunato is an American professional golfer and two-time major golf champion.Ford was born in West Haven, Connecticut. He turned professional in 1949 and won for the first time in 1952 at the Jacksonville Open.The win in Jacksonville was an unusual one... |
| 1954 | Ed Furgol Ed Furgol Edward Joseph Furgol was an American professional golfer.When he was twelve years of age, Furgol injured his left elbow when he fell off a set of parallel bars. The elbow never healed correctly and Furgol was left with a crooked arm as a result... |
| 1953 | Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
| 1952 | Julius Boros Julius Boros Julius Nicholas Boros was a Hungarian-American professional golfer.-Early years:Boros was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut... |
| 1951 | Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
| 1950 | Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
| 1949 | Sam Snead Sam Snead Samuel Jackson Snead was an American professional golfer who was one of the top players in the world for most of four decades. Snead won a record 82 PGA Tour events including seven majors. He failed to win a U.S... |
| 1948 | Ben Hogan Ben Hogan William Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game... |
Multiple Player of the Year Awards
The following players have won more than one PGA Player of the Year Award through 2011:- 10: Tiger WoodsTiger WoodsEldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
- 6: Tom WatsonTom Watson (golfer)Thomas Sturges Watson is an American professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour and now mostly on the Champions Tour....
- 5: Jack NicklausJack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
- 4: Ben HoganBen HoganWilliam Ben Hogan was an American golfer, generally considered one of the greatest players in the history of the game...
- 2: Julius BorosJulius BorosJulius Nicholas Boros was a Hungarian-American professional golfer.-Early years:Boros was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut...
, Billy CasperBilly CasperWilliam Earl Casper, Jr. is an American professional golfer who was one of the most prolific tournament winners on the PGA Tour from the mid 1950s to the mid 1970s.-Early years:...
, Arnold PalmerArnold PalmerArnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
, Nick PriceNick PriceNicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:...
The following players have won more than one PGA Tour Player of the Year Award through 2011:
- 10: Tiger WoodsTiger WoodsEldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
- 2: Fred CouplesFred CouplesFrederick Steven Couples is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. A former World No. 1, he has won numerous events, most notably the 1992 Masters Tournament. In August 2011 he won his maiden senior major at the Senior Players Championship...
, Nick PriceNick PriceNicholas Raymond Leige Price is a South African-Zimbabwean Professional golfer and an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame. In the mid-1990s, Price reached number one in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Background:...
Career money leaders
The top ten career money leaders on the tour as of the 2011 season are as follows:| Rank | Player | Country | Prize money ($ United States dollar The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies.... ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No... |
94,817,542 | |
| 2 | Vijay Singh Vijay Singh Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008... |
65,691,439 | |
| 3 | Phil Mickelson Phil Mickelson Philip Alfred Mickelson is an American professional golfer. He has won four major championships and a total of 39 events on the PGA Tour. He has reached a career high world ranking of 2nd in multiple years. He is nicknamed "Lefty" for his left-handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed... |
63,440,877 | |
| 4 | Jim Furyk Jim Furyk James Michael Furyk is an American professional golfer, 2010 FedEx Cup champion, and 2010 PGA Tour Player of the Year. He has won one major championship, the 2003 U.S. Open. Furyk is known for consistently playing at the top level and for a visibly unconventional, looping golf swing... |
49,095,654 | |
| 5 | Ernie Els Ernie Els Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing... |
41,318,291 | |
| 6 | Davis Love III Davis Love III Davis Milton Love III is an American professional golfer.Love was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. He attended the University of North Carolina before turning professional in 1985. He earned his PGA Tour card in the fall of 1985, on his first attempt. He quickly established himself on the PGA... |
41,218,723 | |
| 7 | David Toms David Toms David Wayne Toms is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He has won a total of thirteen events on the PGA Tour including the 2001 PGA Championship... |
37,207,350 | |
| 8 | Kenny Perry Kenny Perry James Kenneth Perry is an American professional golfer who currently plays on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour, for which he became eligible following his 50th birthday.-Early years:... |
31,720,992 | |
| 9 | Steve Stricker Steve Stricker Steven Stricker is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He has won 11 tournaments on the PGA Tour including the 2001 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and two FedEx Cup playoff events. His most successful season on tour came in 2009, when he had three tournament victories... |
31,659,540 | |
| 10 | Justin Leonard Justin Leonard Justin Charles Garrett Leonard is an American professional golfer.Leonard was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Lake Highlands High School and graduated in 1990. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and was the individual NCAA champion in 1994. He was a two-time All-American... |
31,321,245 |
There is a full list on the PGA Tour's website here.
Due to increases in prize funds over the years, this list consists entirely of current players; the only player who is eligible for the Champions Tour is Kenny Perry
Kenny Perry
James Kenneth Perry is an American professional golfer who currently plays on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour, for which he became eligible following his 50th birthday.-Early years:...
, who turned 50 in August 2010 and is competing on both tours in 2011. The figures are not the players' complete career prize money as they do not include FedEx Cup
FedEx Cup
The FedEx Cup is a championship trophy for the PGA Tour. Its introduction marked the first time that men's professional golf had a playoff system. Announced in November 2005, it was first awarded in 2007 after a NASCAR-like points race. Bill Haas is the current champion...
bonuses, winnings from unofficial money events, or earnings on other tours such as the European Tour. In addition, elite golfers often earn several times as much from endorsements and golf-related business interests as they do from prize money.
See also
- Professional golf toursProfessional golf toursProfessional golf tours are the means by which otherwise unconnected professional golf tournaments are organised into a regular schedule. There are separate tours for men and women, with each tour being based in a specific geographical region, although some of their tournaments may be held in other...
- Golfers with most PGA Tour winsGolfers with most PGA Tour winsThis is a list of golfers who have won five or more official money events on the PGA Tour.Players under 50 years of age are shown in bold. On his 50th birthday a golfer becomes eligible to compete on the Champions Tour, and he is unlikely to add to his tally of PGA Tour wins after that date This is...
- Most PGA Tour wins in a yearMost PGA Tour wins in a yearThe following is a list of all occasions on which a golfer has won eight or more tournaments on the PGA Tour in a year. It is complete through 2010.Byron Nelson's record 18 victories came in a year when many potential rivals would have been in the armed forces...
- Most wins in one PGA Tour eventMost wins in one PGA Tour eventThe following are the golfers who have won at least five times in a single PGA Tour event.Source: Official website Notability: -Multiple winners:The following golfers have won more than one event at least five times.5 events...
- Vardon TrophyVardon TrophyThe Vardon Trophy is awarded annually by the PGA of America to the PGA Tour's leader in scoring average. When the award was first given in 1937, it was awarded on the basis of a points system. No award was given from 1942–1946 due to World War II. In 1947, the PGA began awarding it for low...
External links
- PGA Tour.com – official site
- PGA.com – PGA of America – official site
- Satellite Images of all PGA Tour golf courses