The Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA of America) was founded in 1916

Good to know U.S. PGA:

The Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA of America) was founded in 1916 with the aim to organize tournaments on the West Coast, Texas and Florida, and was structured in the 1940s. This is one of the largest sport organizations in the world with over 30 000 members for most professionals (men / women) teachers in golf clubs. Its headquarters are located in Florida, Palm Beach Gardens. The PGA of America holds about 40 tournaments including the Ryder Cup in cooperation with the PGA European Tour, PGA Championship (one of the four Grand Slams), PGA Championship among seniors (over 50), PGA Grand Slam of Golf that is played between the winners of the Grand Slam tournaments.

Do not confuse the PGA of America with the American Tour (PGA Tour) which was founded in 1968 by the Players Association the PGA of America after a dispute with the parent, the PGA. Today, the PGA Tour runs a schedule of 45 official tournaments (including the FedEx Cup tournaments and World Golf Chamionships) with approximately 60 million dollars of premium. Its headquarters is in Ponte Vedra Beach in the state of Florida.

The annual awards:

- Order of Merit American introduced in 1934 (Arnold Palmer Award since 1981)

- PGA Player of the Year (Player of the Year) award from the PGA since 1948

- PGA Tour Player of the Year (Jack Nicklaus Trophy) awarded by the PGA Tour since 1990

- Rookie of the Year (best newcomer of the year) awarded by the PGA Tour since 1990

The Vardon Trophy is awarded since 1937 by the American PGA golfer who has achieved the highest average score on a year on the PGA Tour (in 60 games).

The Byron Nelson Award is awarded since 1980 by the American Tour golfer who achieved the best average score over a year but in 50 games.

- The record of victories in tournaments:
81 won by Sam Snead *, 73 Jack Nicklaus, 71 Tiger Woods, 64 Ben Hogan, 62 Arnold Palmer, 52 Byron Nelson, 51 Billy Casper, 44 Walter Hagen, 40 Cary Middlecoff, 39 Gene Sarazen and Tom Watson, 37 Phil Mickelson, 36 Lloyd Mangrum,  34 Vijay Singh, 32 Horton Smith, 31 Harry Cooper, Jimmy Demaret, 30 Leo Diegel.
* Other sources put it at 82 or 84

- The record of victories in a year:
18 tracks: Byron Nelson in 1945 - 13 titles: Ben Hogan in 1948 - 11 titles: Sam Snead in 1950 - 10 titles: Ben Hogan in 1948 - 9 tracks: Paul Runyan 1933, 2000 Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh in 2004 -- 8 titles: Tiger Woods in 1999 and 2006, Johnny Miller in 1974, Arnold Palmer in 1960 and 1962 Byron Nelson 1944 Henry Picard in 1939, Sam Snead in 1938, Harry Cooper in 1937, Gene Sarazen in 1930, Horton Smith 1929.

* Jack Nicklaus has managed to win two times 7 wins in a season in 1972 and 1973.

Record consecutive wins: 11 by Byron Nelson in 1945.

Number of weeks atop the world rankings:
- Tiger Woods 496 weeks (late May 2008 and will be absent from the circuit for a year following a opérartion)
- 331 weeks Greg Norman
- 97 weeks: Nick Faldo
- 61 weeks: Seve Ballesteros
- 50 weeks: Ian Woosnam
- 44 weeks: Nick Price
 

Other records to beat in U.S. PGA
- 358: the number of times that Sam Snead finished in the top 10 of a tournament.
- 53: The age of the oldest winner in PGA, Sam Snead in 1965 by winning the Greater Greensboro.
- 19: Age of youngest winner of a major tournament: Johnny McDermott, winning the U.S. Open in 1911.
- 18: the number of years that Jack Nicklaus finished in the top 10 of the money list (1962-1978) whose 17 years in a row.
- 17: the number of years Jack Nicklaus (1962-1978) and Arnold Palmer (1955-1971) have won at least one tournament per year.

Four men and a woman have accomplished the feat of completing a course in less than 60 strokes for a par 72 by scoring  59: Al  Geiberger USA in 1977, Chip Beck USA in 1991 and David Duval USA in 1999, Adrien Mörk FRA in 2006 (2nd round of Marroccan Classic) and the only woman, the Swede Annika Sörenstam in 2001!

Annika Sörenstam beat several other major female record: the lowest total (-27) and the highest score on a 36-hole (124), both in 2001 that the highest score on a 54-hole (-24) in 2004.

Sixteen players in history have managed to make a card to 60 players including four Europeans: Jamie Spence ENG in 1992 in Crans-sur-Sierre, Bernhard Langer ALL in 1997 in Berlin, Darren Clark IRL in 1999 Dublin and Ernie Els at Heineken Classic at Royal Melbourne in 2004.

The Thai Chapchai Nirat set a new record for lowest score in the history of professional golf on a course of 72 holes (tours European, American and Asiancombined). In winning the Sail Open in the Classic Golf Resort in Gurgaon, India March 2009 (a tournament in New Delhi marked on the Asian Tour), he has completed four  rounds in 256 strokes (62-62-65-67) was 32 strokes under par. It has established the lowest score ever achieved in competition.

PGA All-Time Record

SCORING RECORDS

72 holes (most strokes under par):
31 - by Ernie Els, shooting in 261 (64-65-65-67), to win the 2003 Mercedes Championship.

72 holes (lowest score):
254 - by Tommy Armor III (64-62-63-65), to win the 2003 Valero Texas Open (26 under par).

54 holes (most strokes under par):
25 - by Gay Brewer, shot 191 (66-64-61), in the opening rounds in winning the 1967 Pensacola Open.

54 holes (lowest score):
189 - by Chandler Harper (63-63-63), in last three rounds of the 1954 Texas Open (24 under par).
189 - by John Cook, (64-62-63), in first three rounds of the 1996 FedEx St. Jude Classic (24 under par).
189 - by Mark Calcavecchia, (65-60-64), in first three rounds of the 2001 Phoenix Open (24 under par).
189 - by Tommy Armor III (64-62-63), in the opening rounds of the 2003 Valero Texas Open (21 under par).

36 holes (most strokes under par):
19 - by Gay Brewer, shot 125 (64-61), in middle rounds of the 1967 Pensacola Open.
19 - by John Cook, shot 125 (62-63), in last two rounds of 1997 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
19 - by Tom Lehman, shot 125 (63-62), in opening rounds of the 2001 Invensys Classic.
19 - by Tim Herron, shot 125 (64-61), rounds 2 & 3 of the 2003 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

36 holes (lowest score):
124 - by Mark Calcavecchia (60-64), in middle rounds of the 2001 Phoenix Open (18 under par).

18 holes (most strokes under par):
13 - by Al Geiberger, shot 59 (29-30), in 2nd round in winning the 1977 Memphis Classic. 1 eagle, 11 birdies.
13 - by Chip Beck, shot 59 (30-29), in the 3rd round of the 1991 Las Vegas Invitional. 13 birdies. Finished tied for 3rd place.
13 - by David Duval, shot 59 (31-28), in the final round in winning the 1999 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. 1 eagle, 11 birdies. Made six-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole. Won by one stroke.

18 holes (lowest score):
59 - Al Geiberger (29-30), 1977 Memphis Open.
59 - Chip Beck (30-29), 1991 Las Vegas Invitational.
59 - David Duval (31-28), 1999 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

9 holes (most strokes under par):
9 - by Billy Mayfair, in shooting 27 on the back nine at Warwick Hills G & CC, in the 2001 Buick Open.

9 holes (lowest score):
26 - by Corey Pavin, first nine of the first round in the 2006 U.S. Bank Championship, (8 under par). Pavin's first round score was 61, 9 under par.

Lowest single-season scoring average:
68.17 - by Tiger Woods in 2000 (5.181 strokes, 76 rounds).

Most Consecutive Birdies In One Round:
8 - by Bob Goalby during fourth round 65 in winning the 1961 St. Petersburg Open.
8 - by Fuzzy Zeoller during first round 63 in winning the 1976 Quad Cities Open.
8 - by Dewey Arnette during first round 65 in the 1987 Buick Open. Finished T47.
8 - Edward Fryatt during second round 62 in the 2000 Doral-Ryder Open. Finished T9.
8 - by JP Hayes during first round 65 in the 2002 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. Finished T16.

Longest Streak Eagle Birdie In One Round:
8 holes (9 under) - by Billy Mayfair, 7 birdies and 1 eagle during the final round of the 2001 Buick Open.
8 holes (9 under) - by Briny Baird, 7 birdies and 1 eagle during 2nd round of the 2003 FUNAI Classic at Walt Disney World Resort.

Most Consecutive Rounds For Better Or:
52 - Tiger Woods, from the third round of the 2000 GTE Byron Nelson Classic, through the first round of the 2001 Phoenix Open.

Most Consecutive Rounds In 60s:
19 - by Byron Nelson in 1945.

Most Top 10 Finishes In Single Season:
31 - by Harold (Jug) McSpaden in 1945.

Most Top 10 Finishes Career:
358 - by Sam Snead.

Most Consecutive Tour Events Without Missing Cut:
142 - by Tiger Woods. From the Buick Invitational, February, 1998, through the Wachovia Championship, May, 2005. Tiger missed the cut at the 2005 EDS Byron Nelson Championship, May 13th, 2005, (yes, it was Friday the 13th). Ironically, Byron Nelson held the previous record of 113 consecutive cuts made in the 1940's.

Hole In One By Four were:
Andrew Magee, with a driver, one 332-yard par-4 17th hole, TPC of Scottsdale, Arizona in the first round of the 2001 Phoenix Open.

Youngest Professional Shooting Age:
Sam Snead age 67, shot 66 (4 under), 4th round of the 1979 Quad Cities Open.
Sam Snead age 67, shot 67 (3 under), 2nd round of the 1979 Quad Cities Open.

VICTORY RECORDS

Official Tournament Most Career Victories:
82 - by Sam Snead.

Most Official Tournament Victories In Single Season:
18 - Byron Nelson during 1945 season.

Most Consecutive Victories:
11 - Byron Nelson, from Miami Four Ball, March 8-11, through Canadian Open, August 2-4, 1945. Winnings streak for the $ 30,250.

Most Consecutive Years Winning At Least One Tournament:
17 - by Jack Nicklaus (1962-78).
17 - by Arnold Palmer (1955-71).

Most Career Majors Won:
18 - by Jack Nicklaus:

• 6 Masters: 1963,65,66,72,75,86. (finished 2nd 4 times).
• 4 U.S. Opens: 1962,67,72,80. (finished 2nd 4 times).
• 3 British Opens: 1966,70,78. (finished 2nd 7 times).
• 5 PGA Championships: 1963,71,73,75,80. (finished 2nd 4 times).

Largest Margin Of Victory (72-Hole) Event:
16 - by JD Edgar, 1919 Canadian Open.
16 - by Joe Kirkwood, Sr., 1924 Corpus Christi Open.
16 - by Bobby Locke, 1948 Chicago Victory National Championship.

Longest Sudden Death Playoff:
11 holes - Cary Middlecoff and Lloyd Mangrum were declared co-winners by mutual agreement in the 1949 Motor City Open.

Longest Period Between Wins:
15 years, 5 months, 10 days - Butch Baird (1961-1976).

Youngest Winner:
Johnny McDermott - 19 years, 10 months, 1911 U.S. Open.

Oldest Winner:
Sam Snead - 52 years, 10 months, 8 days, 1965 Greater Greensboro Open.
 

MONEY RECORDS

Most Money Won In Single Season:
$ 10,905,166 by Vijay Singh in 2004. Vijay Singh was the first PGA Tour player to reach 10 million dollars in official winnings in a single season.

Most Money Won By First Year Player:
$ 3,844,189 by Trevor Immelman in 2006.

Most Times Finishing First Season Ending On the Money List:
8 - by Jack Nicklaus, (1964,65,67,71,72,73,75,76), runner-up 4 times.

Most Consecutive Years Finishing First Season Ending On the Money List:
4 - by Tom Watson (1977-80).
4 - by Tiger Woods (1999-2002).

Most Years Season Ending Top 10 Money List:
18 - Jack Nicklaus.

Most Consecutive Years Season Ending Top 10 Money List:
17 - Jack Nicklaus (1962-1978).

First To Reach $ 100,000 In Single Season Earnings:
Arnold Palmer - 1963.

First To Reach $ 500,000 In Single Season Earnings:
Tom Watson - 1980.

First To Reach $ 1,000,000 In Single Season Earnings:
Curtis Strange - 1988.

First To Reach $ 2,000,000 In Single Season Earnings:
Tiger Woods - 1997.

Youngest Player To Win $ 1,000,000 In Single Season:
Tiger Woods - 21 years, 5 months, 21 days. 1997.
 

The oldest tournaments in the U.S. PGA (excluding Grand Slams)

Example of a regular season on the PGA Tour (by 2008)