Home > Golf > Events > US PGA Championship

The US PGA Championship

14^th-20^th August 2006

The US PGA Golf Championship

The US PGA Championship is a tournament run by the Professional Golfers Association of America and is part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major golf championships, ranking alongside The British Open, The US Masters and The US Open. As a major championship, the event will attract plenty of people willing to place a bet.

The 2006 US PGA Championship will take place on the 14^th-20^th August at the Medinah Country Club, Medinah, Illinois.

The prize money is considerable, with the 2005 winner Phil Mickelson pocketing $1.17 million.

You can find out more about the event's history on our History of The US PGA Championship page.

Qualifying for the US PGA Championship

The championship's origins of being a strictly ‘professionals-only' competition are still represented by the qualification criteria. It is the only major that does not invite amateurs to compete. However it reserves a large number of places, 25 out of 150, for club professionals to take up. The US PGA is also the only tournament that does not automatically allow entry to the top fifty in the world rankings (although it does tend to invite those in the top fifty who have not qualified).

US PGA Qualification criteria:

• All former US PGA champions.

• The winners of the last five US Open.
• The winners of the last five Masters.
• The winners of the last five British Opens.
• The last Senior PGA Champion.
• The low 15 scorers and ties from the last PGA championship.
• The 25 low scorers in the PGA Club Professional championship.
• The 70 leaders in the official money standings.
• Members of the last United States Ryder Cup team.
• Winners of PGA approved or sponsored tournaments since the last US PGA Championship.
• The organisers also reserve the right to invite additional players not included in the above.
• 150 players make up the field. Should any vacancies arise, then they are filled by the first available player from the alternates list (those below 70^th place in the official money standings).

Format of the US PGA Championship

The US PGA was originally a match play competition, but converted to the stroke play format in 1958. Like the other majors, the players complete four rounds over four days of an 18-hole golf course, with the lowest scorer declared the winner.

The US PGA Championship - Previous Winners

Initially conceived as a high profile competition for American Professional golfers at a time when they tended to be looked down upon by the wealthy amateurs who ran the game, the tournament has remained an American preserve (and is usually won by a previously unknown player). Mark Elkington and Vijay Singh being the only foreign players to have won the event in the last ten years.

Winning the tournament can grant you privileges that will make your career more secure. Upon winning the US PGA, you automatically receive an invitation to take part in the other three major championships for the next five years. The winner is also exempt from US PGA qualifying for life. Additionally he will receive free membership of the PGA tour and an invitation to the Players Championship for the next five seasons.

Here are the last five winners of the US PGA Championship:

2001: David Toms (USA)

2002: Rich Beam (USA)

2003: Shaun Micheel (USA)

2004: Vijay Singh (Fiji)

2005: Phil Mickelson (USA).

Betting on the US PGA Championship

This is an odd event, and all logic should be thrown out the window, as the winner is often an unknown player. The constant surprises this event throws up means that checking form etc is not really applicable.

Commentators believe that the reason for this is due to the event being seen by many as the least important major and is therefore not taken as seriously. So if there is a chance for an unknown pro to make his name, this is it.

Of course, this makes betting on the US PGA Championship all the more exciting, and means that the event is particularly attractive to novice gamblers as they will stand as much chance of winning as more experienced golf gamblers.

For the latest odds on the 2006 US PGA, from a range of bookmakers and betting exchanges, visit our Latest Odds section.

The US PGA is only one of many events in the golfing calendar. Check out other golf events!

If you are new to betting and want to bet on the US PGA, be sure to check out our Golf - How To Bet section for some betting hints and tips.

Add to del.icio.us