After the emergence of LIV Golf, there had been some doubt as as to if its gamers could be eligible for the second Main of 2023, the PGA Championship.
That each one modified in February when the PGA of America confirmed they might be allowed to play on this yr’s match.
Meaning the likes of Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and the person who missed out on the title in heartbreaking circumstances final yr, Mito Pereira, can all tee it up at Oak Hill Nation Membership thanks to varied qualifying standards.
A type of methods to qualify is as a former champion, and three LIV Golf gamers fall into that class. Listed below are the tales on how they claimed the Wanamaker Trophy.
Phil Mickelson – 2005 and 2021
Phil Mickelson turned the oldest Main winner in historical past when he gained the PGA Championship aged 50
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Mickelson is certainly one of two LIV Golf gamers who has gained the PGA Championship twice. He first lifted the Wanamaker Trophy at New Jersey’s Baltusrol Golf Membership in 2005.
No fewer than 27 gamers have been inside two pictures of the lead after the opening spherical, with Mickelson certainly one of six on the high following a 3 underneath 67. Nonetheless, following the second spherical, the route of journey turned clearer. Mickelson impressed once more, this time with a 65 to guide by three pictures over Jerry Kelly going into the weekend.
All through the match, Davis Love III had been a mannequin of consistency. His third successive spherical of 68 drew him degree with Mickelson going into the ultimate spherical after Lefty struggled on Shifting Day. Thomas Bjorn, in the meantime, matched the report of 63 for the match to enter the ultimate spherical only one behind the leaders.
After a rain-delayed ultimate spherical, play resumed on Monday, the place Mickelson accomplished his second successive spherical of 72 with a birdie putt on the 18th to edge out Bjorn and Steve Elkington and declare his second Main title.
It could be 16 years till Mickelson gained the trophy once more. This time, the situation was Kiawah Island in South Carolina. After a gap spherical of 70 left Mickelson three pictures off chief Corey Conners, he made 5 birdies over the past 9 holes in the course of the second spherical to tie the lead with Louis Oosthuizen. By the tip of Saturday, he had the outright lead, albeit by only one shot regardless of holding a commanding five-shot lead earlier within the spherical.
The ultimate spherical noticed Mickelson jostle with Brooks Koepka for the title earlier than he ultimately emerged the winner by one shot, making him the oldest Main champion in historical past, aged 50.
Martin Kaymer – 2010
Martin Kaymer’s sole Main win to this point got here in 2010
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5 years after Mickelson’s first win, German Martin Kaymer claimed his maiden Main title at Whistling Straits. After a gap spherical of 72 left Kaymer 5 off the lead, he improved on Friday with a 68 that left him 4 pictures adrift.
Kaymer maintained his bid for the title on Saturday when a powerful 5 underneath 67 saved him to inside 4 pictures of in a single day chief Nick Watney. Kaymer then took benefit of a considerably chaotic ultimate spherical, which noticed the lead held by seven gamers at numerous phases. Certainly, Watney fell out of the reckoning fully following a disastrous 9 over 81.
In distinction, Kaymer held his nerve to share the clubhouse lead with Bubba Watson. Rory McIlroy almost joined them however missed a 15-foot putt for birdie, whereas Dustin Johnson got here even nearer. His bogey on the ultimate gap appeared to safe him a playoff, however he was deemed to have “grounded his membership” in a bunker close to the 18th and suffered a two-shot penalty.
Kaymer and Watson returned for the three-hole playoff. After falling one behind following the primary, Kaymer drew degree with a birdie on the second playoff gap earlier than closing out the win after Watson bogeyed the par 4 that adopted.
Brooks Koepka – 2018 and 2019
Brooks Koepka has claimed the Wanamaker Trophy twice
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Bellerive Nation Membership in Missouri was the venue as Koepka gained his third Main. After a gap spherical of 69 left him 5 off the lead, he made vital inroads on Friday, sharing a joint-record spherical of 63 with Charl Schwartzel to depart him third behind Kevin Kisner and Gary Woodland.
Koepka’s bid to grow to be the primary participant since Tiger Woods in 2000 to win the US Open and PGA Championship in the identical yr appeared much more seemingly after Saturday when a 66 gave him a two-shot lead over Adam Scott. He repeated the rating on Sunday to see him maintain off the charging Woods, whose 64 wasn’t fairly sufficient.
In 2019, Koepka claimed his fourth and most up-to-date Main title to this point at Bethpage Black. This time, he acquired off to a quick begin and led by a shot after his opening spherical course report of 63. By the tip of Friday, that lead had stretched to an already ominous-looking seven following one other wonderful spherical, this time of 65, with Adam Scott and Jordan Spieth the closest challengers. Koepka maintained that benefit within the third spherical with a 70, however there was some drama to come back.
Within the ultimate spherical, the chief bogeyed 5 of his final eight holes. Dustin Johnson even acquired inside a shot of him with three to play, however Koepka held on to win by two after Johnson had a wobble of his personal with bogeys at 16 and 17.
