66th PGA Winter Championships start Wednesday at PGA Golf Club

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Top PGA Professionals from around the U.S. will display their skills during the next five weeks at PGA Golf Club during the 66th PGA Winter Championships.

 

The competitions start Wednesday with the Quarter Century Championship and Half Century Championship, where players must be members of the PGA of America for at least 25 years and 50 years, respectively. The 36-hole events will be played on the Wanamaker and Ryder courses.

 

Last year’s Quarter Century Champions were Fran Marrello of Plymouth, Ct., (ages 50-64) and James Mason of Dillard, Ga., (65 and older). Nunzio Ciampi of Palm City won the Half Century Championship. The three defending champions are in this week’s fields.

 

Oher events in the PGA Winter Championships, with defending champions, are the PGA Senior Stroke Play Championship (Jan. 13-15, Mark Mielke and Mason), the PGA Senior-Junior Team Championship (Jan. 28-31, Darrell Kestner and Sean Quinlivan), the PGA Four-Ball Stableford Team Championship (Feb. 3-5, Mark Brown and Joshua Rackley), the Stroke Play Championship (Feb. 10-12, Frank Esposito) and the Women’s Stroke Play Championship (Feb. 10-12, Lisa Grimes).

 

The PGA Winter Championships began in 1954 at PGA National Golf Club in Dunedin, Fla., to provide additional playing opportunities for PGA Professionals. It has been held at PGA Golf Club since 2000.

 

The PGA Winter Championships are presented by GolfAdvisor.com and PrimeSport.