PGA Professional Championship PGA Professional Championship The PGA Professional Championship is a golf tournament for golf club professionals and teachers who are members of the Professional Golfers' Association of America. It has been held by the PGA of America since 1968, when touring professionals split off to found the PGA Tour. The PGA Professional Championship was known as the PGA Club Professional Championship until 2006 and as the PGA Professional National Championship from 2007 through 2015. Since 1997, the tournament has usually been played in late June, six to seven weeks before the PGA Championship in mid-August. Previously, the club pro tournament had
PGA Grand Slam of Golf original "World Series of Golf," played from 1962 through 1975 at the South Course of Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. Held in early September, Jack Nicklaus won four of the fourteen events, including the first two, and was runner-up in six. All editions had a winner's share of $50,000, a substantial prize in its early years, significantly more than a major. The event changed to a limited field PGA Tour event in 1976 and continues as the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. "Note: a=alternate"<br> b=Mike Ditka replaced Curtis Strange due to illness. Five golfers have won the event more than once: PGA