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In this quiz we consider The PGA Championship. You may have had a go at naming the Open winners of the 21st Century or winners of The U.S. Open since 2000. Here, we’ll give you four minutes to try and name every PGA champion of the 21st century. Good luck.
More Quizzes to try:Can You Name Ever Open Champion Of The 20th Century?Can You Name Ever Open Winner This Century?Can You Name Every Winner Of The Masters?Can You Name Every Ryder Cup Venue Since 1980?Can You Name Every U.S. Open Winner This Century?
Early in 1916 department store owner Rodman Wanamaker organised a meeting of leading golfers and other important golf industry figures to discuss the formation of a professional golfers’ association. As a result of this get together, the PGA of America was founded and, just seven months later, the organisation contested its inaugural ‘Championship’ at Siwanoy Country Club. Wanamaker stumped up the prizemoney and donated the trophies for that first tournament and suggested the event should be similar to the British ‘News of the World’ tournament – a matchplay event. From 1916 until 1957, the USPGA Championship was played as matchplay.
British born professional Jim Barnes captured the first title, beating Jock Hutchison, originally from St Andrews, Scotland, in the final. After the First World War, Walter Hagen emerged as a USPGA specialist. He won five championships, including four in a row from 1924-1927. He had won 22 consecutive matches before Leo Diegel took the title in 1928. Gene Sarazen was a permanent fixture at the championship through much of the 20th century. He won for the first time in 1922 and made his last appearance in 1972 at the age of 70.
In 1958, the first USPGA Championship to be played to a strokeplay format was won by Dow Finsterwald. In the last matchplay final, the previous year, he had been beaten by Lionel Hebert. American players continued to dominate in strokeplay, as they had in the matchplay era. In 1962 Gary Player of South Africa became only the fifth foreign-born player to win the title. Through the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s, Player, who won again in 1972 and Australia’s David Graham, winner in 1979, were the only overseas golfers to triumph. During those decades, Jack Nicklaus was the man to beat. The Golden Bear claimed five championships between 1963 and 1980 and finished in the top-10 a further 10 times. As with the other three Major championships, recent winners have reflected the increasing globalisation of golf – Since 1990 players hailing from five different continents have taken the title.