PGA Championship: 10 greatest moments

Golf Monthly looks back at some of the greatest moments in the history of the PGA Championship

Bob Twat

1. Bob Tway - 1986   Greg Norman had been dominating the tournament, but Bob Tway emerged as a contender on day three. On the last hole of the final round, with Tway leading by one, Norman reached the green in two, but Tway's approach strayed into the bunker. No matter. Tway holed his third and secured his first and only major, heaping yet more misery on Norman, who had thrown away the Masters the very same year.

2. Tiger Woods - 2000

Normally when you finish on 18-under-par, you would expect to be lifting the trophy, but that was not the case in 2000. Woods was matched all the way by Bob May, but prevailed after a three-hole playoff, recording a third consecutive major victory.

3. Vic Ghezzi - 1941

Vic Ghezzi was matched up against Byron Nelson in the final, but when Nelson's foot accidentally nudged Ghezzi's ball on the final hole he refused to award a penalty shot to Nelson, stating he didn't want to win in that manner. Luckily for Ghezzi, he won the hole and the tournament after Nelson missed his putt.

4. John Daly - 1991

John Daly was ninth in reserve to play in the Championship, but in an extraordinary stroke of luck, nine players pulled out. Luckily Daly had made the trip to Memphis in good faith and was rewarded with victory, winning the event by three shots. 

5. Walter Hagen - 1927

Hagen secured his fourth PGA Championship in a row at Cedar Crest, achieving the same feat as legendary golfer Old Tom Morris, who won the Open four times in a row.

6. Bobby Cruickshank - 1932

Al Watrous was leading Bobby Cruickshank by nine holes with just 12 holes left. Undeterred by this mountain, Cruickshank proceeded to play some of the best golf of his career and level the match after normal play. After five extra holes, Cruickshank eventually defeated Watrous, but was knocked out later in the tournament.

7. David Toms - 2001

David Toms played better than anyone could have dreamed in Atlanta, positing all four rounds in the 60s and carding the lowest total aggregate for a major (265).

8. Phil Mickelson - 2005

Phil Mickelson needed a par on the last hole at Baltusrol to take the championship to a play-off. Despite an errant drive, he muscled his second to the greenside rough and chipped to tap-in range, leaving Thomas Bjorn and Steve Elkington speechless.  

9. Hubert Green - 1985

After Lee Trevino three-putted the 15th, Green held the lead, but put himself in danger after finding sand. He recovered amazingly, however, hitting his third to a foot for a simple tap in and a second major championship. 

10. Julius Boros - 1968

Boros became the oldest man, at 48 years of age, to win a major, finishing one shot ahead of both Bob Charles and Arnold Palmer.  

Nick Bonfield
Content Editor

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, commissioning and feature writing. 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