AUSTRALIAN Jim Ferrier got the ball rolling for Australia at the US PGA Championship when he defeated American Chick Harbert 2&1 in the 1947 final played at Plum Hollow Golf Club in Michigan.
For the first 41 years (1916-1957) the tournament was a matchplay contest.
Since Ferrier’s famous victory in 1947, four other Aussies have lifted the Wanamaker Trophy – David Graham, Wayne Grady, Steve Elkington and Jason Day.
Can Day, who is in good form, become a dual US PGA Championship winner? Who knows, perhaps Cameron Smith will break through and win his second major.
This year’s championship will be played at Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, North Carolina from May 15-18. Xander Schauffele is the defending champion, the American beating Bryson DeChambeau by one shot at Valhalla Golf Club in Kentucky.
As for the Australians, teeing it up alongside Day and Smith will be Cameron Davis, Min Woo Lee and rookie Karl Vilips, the latter claiming his first PGA Tour title earlier this year.
As Inside Golf went to print Adam Scott was not officially in the field, however it’s expected he will be granted a special exemption, afforded annually to players inside the top 100 on the Official World Golf Rankings. Before the start of the US Masters Scott was ranked 32nd on the official list.
Xander Schauffele.
See following, a few interesting US PGA Championship stats and facts.
Chief writer David Newbery has been living, breathing and writing and editing golf for more than 30 years. His extensive knowledge of the game comes from covering golf around the world. Hired by Inside Golf in 2009, David previously worked as the editor of The Golfer for 25 years and before that worked for numerous daily newspapers in Australia and overseas. The Brisbane-based journalist describes his golf game as “a work in progress”, but has had the privilege of playing golf with some of the game’s best players including nine-time major winner Gary Player. David enjoys travelling, reading, music, photography and spending time with family and friends – on and off the golf course. 
