SPRINGFIELD, N.J. – Facts and figures for the 98th PGA Championship, which starts Thursday:
Site: Baltusrol Golf Club (Lower Course)
Length: 7,428 yards.
Par: 34-36–70.
Field: 156 players (136 tour pros, 20 club pros).
Prize money: TBA ($10 million in 2015).
Defending champion: Jason Day.
Major champions at Baltusrol: Phil Mickelson (2005 PGA), Lee Janzen (1993 U.S. Open), Jack Nicklaus (1980, 1967 U.S. Open), Ed Furgol (1954 U.S. Open), Tony Manero (1936 U.S. Open), Jerome Travers (1915 U.S Open), Willie Anderson (1903 U.S. Open).
Check the calendar: The PGA Championship was moved to the last week in July because of golf being on the Olympic program for the first time since 1904. The last time the PGA was not played in August was in 1971, when it was held at PGA National in Florida in February. The last time it was held in July was in 1968 at Pecan Valley Country Club in San Antonio.
Key statistic: Eleven of the last 12 winners of the PGA Championship had already won a tournament earlier in the year.
Noteworthy: Americans have won all but the first major played at Baltusrol.
Quoteworthy: “Winning a major seems to make or break the entire year, no matter what you’ve done before or after, how many times you’ve won or not won, a major makes it a great year.” – Phil Mickelson.
Television: Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., TNT. Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon, TNT Sports; noon to 5 p.m. CBS. Sunday, 9 a.m. to noon, TNT; noon to 5 p.m., CBS.
Associated Press
