PGA MUSEUM OF GOLF UNVEILS 93rd PGA CHAMPIONSHIP EXHIBIT ON JULY 29

PGA MUSEUM OF GOLF UNVEILS
93^rdPGA CHAMPIONSHIP EXHIBIT ON JULY 29

Walter Hagen’s Driver; Dow Finsterwald’s Wanamaker Trophy; Dustin Johnson’s Scorecard;
War Relief Program from World War I Among Rare Memorabilia on Display

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – The 93^rd PGA Championship is being celebrated at the PGA Museum of Golf, in Port St. Lucie, Fla., with a special exhibit that debuts Friday, July 29.

The featured display traces the storied history of the PGA Championship, which was first contested at Siwanoy Country Club, in Bronxville, N.Y., and won by Jim Barnes in 1916. The Championship was staged at the suggestion of department store magnate Rodman Wanamaker, who also was instrumental in the founding of The PGA of America. Over the years, many of golf’s greatest names have captured the PGA Championship’s Wanamaker Trophy, including: Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Lee Trevino, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Defending Champion Martin Kaymer.

Admission to the PGA Museum of Golf is free and open to the public. The Museum is currently open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Fridays-Sundays.

The exhibit pays  tribute to the “Season’s Final Major, Glory’s Last Shot” and features extremely rare memorabilia, such as the actual driver used by Hagen in the 1920s en route to five PGA Championships (a record he shares with Nicklaus); a replica Wanamaker Trophy awarded to 1958 PGA Champion Dow Finsterwald;
Dustin Johnson’s controversial scorecard from 2010, which includes the eraser marks on his score on No. 18, following a two-shot penalty for grounding his club in a bunker on the 72^nd hole at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin; and a display of the four major Championship trophies in golf, including the actual Wanamaker Trophy, which is awarded annually to the PGA Champion.

The exhibit also features photographs from the Atlanta Athletic Club, site of the PGA Championship, Aug. 8-14, in Johns Creek, Ga.; and includes triumphs there by David Toms in 2001, and by this year’s PGA Distinguished Award honoree Larry Nelson, from 1981. Another photo highlights the 25^th Anniversary of Bob Tway’s famous hole-out birdie from a greenside bunker on the 72^nd hole to win the 1986 PGA Championship over Greg Norman at the Inverness Club, in Toledo, Ohio. A program from the 1917 War Relief Tournament will also be on display. The event was conducted as a fundraiser in place of the 2^nd PGA Championship, due to World War I.  
            “The PGA Museum of Golf carries a tradition of presenting one-of-a-kind memorabilia that showcases the proud 95-year history of The PGA of America and legends from the incredible drama that annually defines the PGA Championship,” said PGA President Allen Wronowski. “These rare artifacts trace the annals of golf and express why our game is so beloved by golf fans across the world.”
             In conjunction with the exhibit, the Museum will conduct an on-site trivia contest with prizes of a hardbound copy of the “The PGA Championship: The Season’s Final Major” to the first 50 correct entries. 

The PGA Museum of Golf has hosted several special exhibits in recent years including tributes to the Ryder Cup, Senior PGA Championship, PGA Grand Slam of Golf, African-American Golf Pioneers and PGA Honorary Members.

Additional Museum attractions include a workbench used by legendary course architect Donald Ross circa 1900; a tribute to Walter Hagen that includes his original birth certificate; and a display honoring PGA member Horton Smith, winner of the first Masters in 1934.

The 2011 PGA Championship will be televised live by CBS Sports and TNT.  Tickets are available by calling 800-PGA-GOLF (800-742-4653) or visiting www.pga2011.com.

The PGA Museum of Golf is located in PGA Village, which is ranked among the “75 Best Golf Resorts” by Golf Digest, and also encompasses the PGA Golf Club’s 54 holes of Championship golf by Tom Fazio and Pete Dye; and the adjacent PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance, a state-of-the-art, 35-acre golf learning, instruction, fitness and technology facility.

About PGA Village:

The Ryder, Wanamaker and Dye Courses form a trio of world-class courses at the PGA Golf Club, at PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Named by Golf Digest as one of the “75 Best Golf Resorts in North America,”PGA Village also features the award-winning, 35-acre PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance and the PGA Museum of Golf. PGA Golf Club exists to be one of the premier public-access resort facilities in America, complete with a Private Members Club, and also serves as the home club for our 27,000 PGA Professionals. For more information, please visit www.pgavillage.com.

About The PGA of America:

Celebrating its 95^th year, The PGA of America has maintained a twofold mission of its founders: to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf.

 By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, The PGA enables its professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in a multi-billion dollar golf industry.

 By creating and delivering dramatic world-class championships and exciting and enjoyable promotions that are viewed as the best of their class in the golf industry, The PGA of America elevates the public's interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere. The PGA of America brand represents the very best in golf.

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