71st PGA Winter Championships Begin Wednesday at PGA Golf Club

The highly anticipated PGA Winter Championships kick off its 71st season of hosting national-level championships at PGA Golf Club this week, starting Wednesday with the 36-hole Quarter Century Championship and the Half Century Championship.

The PGA Winter Championships began in 1954 at PGA National Golf Club in Dunedin, Florida, to provide additional playing opportunities for PGA of America Golf Professionals during a time of the year when many of the northern clubs are closed because of cold weather.

The PGA Winter Championships have grown in popularity to a point where nearly all six events have waiting lists to enter. More than 700 players competed last year for approximately $375,000 in purses.

The opening championship may be just as hard to enter as to win: Players must be a PGA of America member for 25 or 50 years, respectively, to compete in the Quarter Century Championship and the Half Century Championship.

Last year’s winners in the Quarter Century were John Hickson of Melbourne, Florida, who shot a bogey-free, 5-under 66 on the Ryder Course to come from three shots back and win the 64-and-under division by two shots at 8-under 134; 2004 Senior British Open champion Pete Oakley, who drove the par-4 10th hole on the Wanamaker Course for an eventual birdie to beat Darrell Kestner of Glen Cove, New York, in a playoff to win the 65-and-older division (Kestner’s second consecutive playoff loss); and Chuck Milne (Vancouver, Washington) won the Half Century Championship.

There are five additional championships held during the next six weeks, with a break allowed for the PGA Show from Jan. 20-23. Here are the other championships along with the defending champions, dates and courses:

The Senior Stroke Play Championship, Jan. 11-13, on the Wanamaker and Ryder courses (Sean McCarty, 50-59; Gary Robison, 60-and-older).

The Senior-Junior Team Championship, Jan. 26-29, on the Ryder, Wanamaker and Dye courses (Mike Stone of Perrysburg, Ohio, and Patrick Wilkes-Krier of Ann Arbor, Michigan).

The Four-Ball Stableford Team Championship, Feb. 1-3, on the Wanamaker and Ryder courses (Vince Drahman of Fortville, Indiana, and Timothy Wiseman of Louisville, Kentucky).

The Stroke Play Championship, Feb. 8-10, Wanamaker and Dye courses (Domenico Geminiani of Italy, who won’t defend).

The Women’s Stroke Play Championship, Feb. 15-17, on the Wanamaker and Ryder courses (Katelyn Sepmoree of Tyler, Texas).

The PGA Winter Championships have been held at PGA Golf Club since 2000 and are presented by GolfPass, On Location.

For additional information on the PGA Winter Championships, visit here.