2009 US PGA Championship

The US PGA Championship is the last of the four majors contested annually by the members of the PGA Tour, European PGA Tour and Japanese Golf Tour. The event is played in August and is hosted by some of the top golf courses in the United States.

The US PGA features a field of 156 of the top golfers of the world. Qualification for the tournament is subject to position in the world rankings, performances in majors championships over the past five years and results at the previous US PGA Championship. The tournament also offers places to a large number of professionals affiliated with whichever club hosts the event.

Located in Chaska, Minnesota, the Hazeltine National Golf Club is one of the most highly rated golf clubs in the North of the United States. The 7 360 yard, par 72 course is notoriously difficult, with hilly, narrow fairways, small greens and water hazards at nine of the holes. Due to severe winter weather conditions the course is open only 8 months of the year.

The Hazeltine National Golf Club has undergone consistent renovations since it opened in 1962. The course was initially considered to be one of the most challenging in the country, and hosted its first major, the US Open, in 1970. The course has since hosted two more majors, and is also scheduled to host the 2016 Ryder Cup.

The US PGA Championship is the most recently introduced of the majors, with the first event having been played in 1916. The tournament was organised by the PGA to provide professional golfers in the United States with a quality annual tournament at a time when professionals were discouraged from participating in the most prestigious golf tournaments.

The US PGA Championship originally featured a match play format, but the format was changed to stroke play by the US PGA in 1958, to broaden the appeal of the event and attract the interest of television networks.

Read up on more US PGA Championship history

The year 2008 was a great year for major championship golf, and the 2008 US PGA Championship continued the trend. Although world number one Tiger Woods was absent from the event, golf fans looked forward to some great golf, as a selection of Europe's form golfers took on the PGA Tour's emerging talent at Oakland Hills Country Club.

Harrington Wins 2008 US PGA Championship:

Padraig Harrington clearly demonstrated that he is a world beater over the final 3 holes of the 2008 Open Championship, and carried his success at Royal Birkdale over to one of the United States' biggest golf tournaments. The Irishman made history at the event and became the first European in 78 years to win the PGA Championship!

"I like the fact no other European has won two majors consecutively," Harrington said. "I obviously hold a lot of European players who I grew up watching in high esteem. To achieve something that they hadn't is very special."

After missing the 2008 PGA Championship due to injury, Tiger Woods is likely to headline the PGA Championship in 2009. The world's best player is also likely to dominate the outright betting markets for the 2009 PGA Championship.

With Woods back in the mix as a likely short odds favourite, golf fans who enjoy testing their knowledge of the game by staking money on the US PGA Championship betting markets,will be looking for value in other betting markets put up by bookmakers during the event.

4-ball betting is likely to be one of the most popular betting options during the event, where golf fans are given the opportunity to bet on the 4-balls for each day of play. Not only does this betting option give fans the opportunity to back a wide variety of players in the various 4-balls, but it can also offer great value in the form of excellent odds. Be sure to check out the USPGA Championships odds and the golf betting guide before placing a bet.

Tiger Woods: All eyes will be on Tiger Woods at the 2009 PGA Championship as he returns to an event he has won four times during his career. With the event scheduled at the close of the golf season, Woods will have ample time to build-up to top form.

Padraig Harrington: The only European to ever have won two consecutive majors, will know that his ultimate test lies ahead of him. To be remembered as one of the all-time greats, Harrington will need to win a major with Woods in the field, and he'll have no better opportunity to do this than when he defends his PGA Championship title in 2009.

Ernie Els: For the past two years the Big Easy has entered each of the majors priced as a genuine contender in the betting markets, only to fail to make any impression at all. As Ernie Els heads into the twilight of his career, he'll be intending to put on a big performance at one of the two majors which he has never won.

The top 10 golf players to watch at the PGA Championship

1. Phil Mickelson


2. Padraig Harrington (US PGA Championship winner 2008)


3. Sergio Garcia


4. Lee Westwood


5. Jim Furyk


6. Anthony Kim


7. Kenny Perry


8. Adam Scott


9. KJ Choi


10. Justin Rose

The US PGA Championship offers a prize fund of $7 million - one of the richest purses in world golf.

The oldest player ever to win a major achieved this feat at the 1968 PGA Championship. Julius Boros won that year's tournament at the age of 48.

Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus share the record for most US PGA Championship wins, having claimed 5 titles apiece.

The biggest comeback in the US PGA Championship took place in 1978 when John Mahaffey won the tournament in a playoff against Tom Watson and Jerry Pate, after coming into the final round 7 shots off the lead.