The PGA Championship will be held in May at the Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, which is about 30 minutes west of Philadelphia. The event is held at a different venue each year and is one of the four major golf tournaments. Golf fans in Pennsylvania are excited, as the last time the PGA Championship was hosted at this venue was in 1962, when Gary Player took home the trophy.
The dates
Before 2019, the PGA Championship was held in August, but it now takes place in May to make the golfing calendar more consistent. This year, the practice rounds will begin on May 11, and the tournament itself will be from May 14 to 17.
For Pennsylvanians, it’s a rare opportunity to see elite golf right in their own backyard. In Pennsylvania sports betting is legal, so golf fans will be able to place their bets in person and online.
The venue
The Aronimink Golf Club was designed by Donald Ross, a legendary architect, and the bunkering is famously strategic. It challenges every aspect of a golfer’s game in the par-70 setup. For example, a dozen bunkers on both sides of the fairway protect hole 3, which makes the decision of where to hit a tee shot a difficult one.
Hole 17 can bring a dramatic shift, as any ball that goes to the left is likely to end up in the pond, which runs down the left of the green. Thoughtful shot-making is something purists in the Keystone State truly appreciate.
Tickets
With about 200,000 spectators last year, even more could watch this year. Tickets vary in price from the cheapest for watching the practice rounds to the most expensive for Sunday’s championship round.
Tickets are already sold out, but SeatGeek is the official resale platform for the event. The most common pass includes access to the grounds, public grandstands, and PGA shops. With a Club PGA pass, spectators have a premium experience.
The players
The PGA Championship has the largest field of all four majors, with more than 150 players. It is the sole event where only professional players can take part. After the first two rounds, many of the players are eliminated.
Jack Nicklaus was a five-time winner of the event, followed by Tiger Woods with four wins. Brooks Koepka, the 2023 champion, is a three-time winner.
This year, the players will include top PGA of America and PGA Tour professionals. Pennsylvanians will be rooting for Braden Shattuck, a professional based in the state who has qualified to play. Scottie Scheffler was the PGA winner last year and will be returning to defend his title.
The trophy
Rodman Wanamaker, a Philadelphian, funded the inaugural PGA tournament and commissioned the Wanamaker trophy, which goes to the tournament winner. Tiger Woods and Brooks Koepka are the only players to successfully defend the trophy in the stroke play era.
Today, fans can watch winners of the Wanamaker trophy in golf-related posts on Instagram. The winners’ names are engraved on the trophy, and they keep it for a year before returning it so that the next winner can receive the prize.
An extra layer of festivity
The tournament coincides with the U.S. 250th anniversary celebrations, and many festivities are likely to take place in Philadelphia, the ‘birthplace of America.’ One celebration will be a Flag Fest at the Betsy Ross House. Many events will be part of the ‘Ring it On’ initiative, which brings community-centered celebrations to local neighborhoods. Weekly community celebrations will focus on different milestones in Philadelphia’s history.
Why it matters for Pennsylvania
Hosting the event reinforces Pennsylvania’s place on the global sports map. It shows its ability to host world-class events. Besides the positive impact on the economy and the global attention the PGA Championship brings, it allows Pennsylvania fans to witness top-class golf without traveling too distant.
