USPGA Championship Facts and Figures

Steve Elkington shot the lowest-ever USPGA Championship final round en route to victory in 1995

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 23 July 2016

The USPGA Championship started life in 1916 in a matchplay format before switching to strokeplay in 1954. The 2016 PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey is the 98th installment of the year's final Major

The USPGA Championship started life in 1916 in a matchplay format before switching to strokeplay in 1958.

Did you know:

- The first USPGA Championship was contested at Siwanoy Country Club, New York, in 1916

- Gene Sarazen won the USPGA Championship aged 20 in 1922 and remains, to this day, the youngest ever winner of the Wanamaker Trophy

- Jason Day holds the record for the lowest-to-par winning score at the USPGA with his score of -20 in 2015.

- In 1968, Julios Boros became the oldest winner of the PGA at 48 years of age

- Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer hold the record for the highest number of appearances at the PGA Championship, with 37 each

- Nicklaus also holds the record for largest winning margin - seven shots in 1980

- The Golden Bear is also the most prolific winner of the PGA with five titles, matched only by Walter Hagen (although Hagen won all his tournaments in the matchplay era, before strokeplay commenced in 1958)

- Nicklaus has four runner-up finishes, a USPGA Championship record

- Steve Elkington holds the record for the lowest ever final round by the eventual winner, shooting a seven-under-par 65 to claim the 1995 championship

- Vijay Singh managed to win the 2004 USPGA Championship with a final round of four-over-par 76, the highest Sunday score by a winner

- Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma has hosted the most USPGA Championships (four)

- Six players have successfully defended the USPGA:

- Jim Barnes 1916-19 (not played in 1917-18) ; Gene Sarazen 1922-23; Walter Hagen 1924-27; Leo Diegel 1928-29; Densmore Shute 1936-37; Tiger Woods 1999-2000 and 2006-07

- Eight players have claimed the Wanamaker on debut:

- Jim Barnes (matchplay) 1916; Tom Creavy (matchplay) 1931; Bob Hamilton (matchplay) 1944; Doug Ford (matchplay) 1955; Bob Tway 1986; John Daly 1991; Shaun Micheel 2003; Keegan Bradley 2011

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x

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