69th PGA Winter Championships Begin Wednesday At PGA Golf Club

It takes more than talent to compete in the PGA Winter Championships at PGA Golf Club.

It also takes decades of service to golf.

The 69th PGA Winter Championships open Wednesday with the Quarter Century Championship and Half Century Championship. Contestants must be a member of the PGA of America for 25 or 50 years, respectively, to compete.

Last year’s Quarter Century Champions were Sonny Skinner of Sylvester, Georgia, (ages 50-64) and Dick Mast of Forest, Virginia, (65 and older). Jim Logue of Canton, Ohio, won the Half Century Championship. This week’s event will be held on the Wanamaker and Ryder courses.

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

Other events in the PGA Winter Championships, with defending champions, are the PGA Senior Stroke Play Championship (Jan. 9-11, Omar Uresti, 50-59, and Kirk Stauffer, 60 and older); the PGA Senior-Junior Team Championship (Jan. 17-20, Bob Sowards and Ben Kern; the PGA Four-Ball Stableford Team Championship (Jan. 30-Feb. 1, Ben Kern and Ben Cook); the Stroke Play Championship (Feb. 6-8, Brett Walker) and the Women’s Stroke Play Championship (Feb. 16-18, Sandra Changkija).

The PGA Winter Championships are Presented by GolfPass and On Location.