PGA Tour

Tournament Types

• Majors (US Masters, The Open Championship, US Open, PGA Championship).

• Team Events: Ryder Cup (US vs. Europe) and The President’s Cup (US vs. International excluding Europe).

• Invitational tournaments• Weekly tournaments

There are 45 official money tournaments in 41 weeks this year. There is a break in November and December. However there are tournaments still going on in November and December but they don’t count for the money list.

Some tournament names

• The Players Championship• AT&T National• World Golf Championship-Bridgestone

Invitational• The Greenbrier Classic• The Barclays• Northern Trust Open• Sony Open in Hawaii

Comparison between the team events

THE PRESIDENTS CUP• US vs. International excluding

Europe• Every even numbered years (due

to the cancellation of the 2001 Ryder Cup, both events moved back a year).

• 5 sessions (as of 2011)• Less captain’s picks (two each)

THE RYDER CUP• US vs. Europe• Every odd numbered years

(previously even numbered years but due to the 9/11 terror attacks, both tournaments got moved back a year).

• 4 sessions (as of 2010)• More captain’s picks (four US and

three European)

Current Top PlayersOrdered in World Rankings Week 47

• No.1 Luke Donald (ENG)• No.2 Rory McIlroy (IRE) • No.3 Lee Westwood (ENG)• No.4 Martin Kaymer (GER)• No.5 Steve Stricker (USA)• No.6 Dustin Johnson (USA)• No.7 Adam Scott (AUS) • No.8 Jason Day (AUS) • No.9 Webb Simpson (USA)• No.10 Matt Kuchar (USA)

Tiger Woods- Got started golf at the age of two- No. 1 spot for the most consecutive weeks and the most weeks as No. 1- won the second most major championships with 14 wins- only golfer to have won the ‘Tiger Slam’ winning all the majors in two calendar years (PGA Champ., US Open, Open Champ. 2000, Masters 2001)- won a career grand slam three times- won 71 PGA Tour events (3rd best of all time)- won PGA Player of the Year 10 times awarded by the PGA of America and PGA Tour Player of the Year 10 times - Has a record of the most consecutive cuts made with 142 from 1998 to 2005

SOME PGA TOUR COURSES

TPC (Tournament Players Club) at Sawgrass (Florida)The Player’s Stadium Course.

Hole 17, Par 3. The signature hole known as the ‘Island Green’.The Player’s Stadium Course is designed by Pete and Alice Dye. The Player’s Stadium Course was designed in 1980. The length is 7215 yards. It has a reputation of being one of the toughest courses in the world.

Pebble Beach Golf LinksHole 18, Par 5.Pebble Beach was designed by Jack Neville and Douglas Grant. It was open on 22 February 1919. It’s first professional tournament was the Monterey Peninsula Open in 1926.

The Old Course At St Andrews LinksHole 18, Par 4.The oldest golf course in the world. Seven greens are shared by two greens added to make 18 (2nd & 16th, 3rd & 15th, 4th & 14th up to 8th and 10th). It was established in 1552 from the earliest written evidence. The first record of golf played on the Old Course was 1574.

How did the PGA Tour start?• It was founded in 1916 by the Professional

Golfers’ Association of America. In 1968, it was made into a separate organization based for tournament players. It adopted the name “PGA Tour” in 1975.

Other Tours

• Nationwide Tour: Professional golfers that haven’t qualified to be in the PGA Tour.

• Champions Tour: For golfers 50 and older

How do you get on the PGA Tour from the Nationwide Tour?

• At the end of the year, there is a PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament or Q-School. As of 2009, there are four stages: Pre-Qualifying Stage, First Stage, Second Stage and Final Stage. The top 25 players including ties gets to play in the PGA Tour the following year.

• If you win three tournaments in one year on the Nationwide Tour, you get an automatic entry into the PGA Tour for the rest of the year and the following year.

• Ending near the top of the money list or the Order Of Merit.