PGA Championship: Top 5 Unforgettable Moments

The second major of the season is just a week away. The PGA Championship returns to Valhalla for the fourth time since 1996. Since its inception in 1916, the PGA Championship has never lacked drama. In fact, its history is steeped in surprising twists, with Walter Hagen once losing the famed Wanamaker trophy. 

As the 106th edition of the tournament draws near, we look at the five most memorable moments in its long history. From unlikely winners to thrilling playoffs, here are our picks.

John Daly’s miraculous victory at the 1991 PGA Championship

12 hours before the PGA Championship, John Daly was at home. He was, after all, the ninth alternate. Nick Price’s withdrawal opened the doors of Crooked Stick Golf Course for the PGA Tour rookie. Without a practice round on the course, Daly opened with a 69. 

Greg Norman. Nick Faldo. Seve Ballesteros. Fred Couples. There was no dearth of established and rising stars in the field. And there was John Daly, with only two top tens in the tour, bombing the course. His go-broke-or-go-home style of Golf was unconventional, but one that roused the crowd, which changed the 25-year-old’s name on Sunday. Daly won by three strokes.

Tiger Woods’s thrilling playoff in 2000

The 2000 PGA Championship was memorable for more than one reason. Tiger Woods was paired with Jack Nicklaus on Friday. And, then the famous walk-in putt on the playoff was another. Faced with a 20-foot birdie putt, Woods trotted, pointing his finger towards the hole as if telling the ball to follow his directives. It did, and that made the difference in the 3-hole playoff against Bob May. 

Phil Mickelson’s triumph at the 2021 PGA Championship

Phil Mickelson broke a 53-year-old record at the 2021 PGA Championship. T25. MC. T21. MC. 69. This was Mickelson’s form before landing on the Ocean Course. He hasn’t had a top-10 in any of the majors since 2016. Yet, Lefty, a month shy of 51, did the improbable task of fending off a threat from Brooks Koepka. 

Mickelson’s victory drew applause from Tom Brady, Stephen Curry, and his old foe, Tiger Woods. “Certainly, one of the moments I’ll cherish my entire life,” the 53-year-old said at that time. 

Block party at Oak Hill

A club professional his entire life, Michael Block was shot into fame last year. Paired with Rory McIlroy, Block made the only hole-in-one at Oak Hill last May, on his way to tie for the 15th. Top-20 on the leaderboard by a 46-year-old club professional was bound to cause chaos among fans. Two PGA Tour invitations followed. And a spot at the 2024 PGA Championship as well. ‘Block party,’ a term coined by fans last year, is expected to carry on at Valhalla as well. 

Tom Kim gets desperate to save a shot 

Tom Kim was knee-deep in trouble. Actually, the waist-deep trouble here was real. The 21-year-old almost got swallowed by mud at Allen’s Creek. The South Korean’s errant tee shot on the 6th was lost in the muck. But Kim wanted to fight for every stroke, and in a failed bid to find the ball, the youngster got caked in mud. 

The funny thing was that Tom Kim had no idea that broadcast cameras were following him. He went viral courtesy of that. And he went viral again when his reaction to going famous was also caught on camera.

The PGA Championship kicks off on May 16 at Valhalla Golf Course. Brooks Koepka will return to defend his title. Whereas, Scottie Scheffler, the current world no. 1 and reigning Masters champion, is expected to come back from his hiatus.