1971 PGA Championship 1971 PGA Championship The 1971 PGA Championship was the 53rd PGA Championship, played February 25–28 at the original PGA National Golf Club, presently known as BallenIsles Country Club (East Course) in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Jack Nicklaus won the second of his five PGA Championships, two strokes ahead of Billy Casper, the reigning Masters champion. Nicklaus led wire-to-wire, and held a four-stroke lead over Gary Player after 54 holes, with Casper seven shots back. The two were pre-tournament favorites, along with Arnold Palmer, who shot an opening round 75 and finished at 289 (+1), eight strokes back. Nicklaus became the
1930 PGA Championship Meadow; he previously won the PGA Championship in 1922 and 1923. During the 36-hole Monday qualifier, Diegel shot 81 in the morning round and was in danger of not advancing to match play. He followed up with a 69 (–1) in the afternoon and his 150 (+10) put him only five strokes behind the medalists, in a tie for 8th place, easily within the top 32. Starting in 1931, the defending champion was exempt from qualifying. The course where this PGA Championship was played in Queens no longer exists. Designed by A. W. Tillinghast, it opened in 1923 and also