January 26, 2021 | BY AAGD STAFF
The PGA Championship will be returning to Southern Hills in 2022 where the Oklahoma course will reap the benefits of the split of the PGA of America from Trump Nation. This major championship for the course comes surprising earlier than anticipated and much-welcomed by the City of Tulsa.
Previously, the 2022 PGA Championship was to be played at Trump National in Bedminster, New Jersey. However, following the Jan. 6 riot on the U.S. Capitol during the election certifying process for the election victory of President Joe Biden. The insurrection led the House to impeach Trump for a second time and prompted the PGA of America board to review its contract and it ultimately voted to leave Trump National.
Southern Hills was not scheduled to host the PGA Championship until 2030. When the PGA announced it would be parting ways with Trump National, the PGA of America received invitations from about 30 golf clubs wanting to host the PGA Championship next year, said Kerry Haig, chief championships officer for the PGA of America
The announcement came on Monday and this means that the club will see back-to-back big events for the property beginning with the Senior PGA Championship this May. This May event at Southern Hills was attractive for the PGA opportunity because the PGA of America already has staff on site in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in addition to an operations blueprint that won’t need much tweaking.
Haigh also confirms that the contract with Southern Hills for 2022 replaces the one for 2030. He said Southern Hills would remain in the mix to also host in 2030. It is not unusual for the PGA Championship to return to a course in eight years or fewer.
“We have a Senior PGA Championship there this year. We also have a staff onsite for Southern Hills, who now will be able to stay on through for the PGA Championship,” Haigh said. “All of these are important factors when we’re less than 16 months away from playing. And we think Southern Hills is a wonderful golf course. It always has been.”
Over the years, Southern Hills has hosted the PGA Championship in 1970, 1982, 1994, and most recently in 2007. In 2007 Tiger Woods won his 13th major there — and fourth PGA title.
Southern Hills opened its doors in 1935 and has underwent a recent restoration project the focused on bunkering and course greens. The project was led by Gil Hanse, centered on upgrading the original Perry Maxwell design.
During Trump’s administration, this action by the PGA of America is the second time that the organization has left one of his courses. In 2015, after he announced to run for President, the PGA mutually agreed with the Trump Organization to cancel the PGA Grand Slam of Golf at Trump National LA.
