Grand Slam Essentials
Date Posted: Sunday, October 14, 2007Author: Bermuda Network News
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History
The PGA Grand Slam of Golf was established in 1979 as an 18-hole, single day event. In 1991 the format was changed to a two-day, 36-hole event pits four of the world’s best golfers against each other in front of a worldwide television audience.
The winners of the four major championships – the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship – are invited to take part in the tournament. If one of the players is unavailable, an alternative will be chosen from the Major Champions Points List.
The first Grand Slam saw 1978 U.S.Open winner Andy North sharing first place with 1978 Masters winner Gary Player. Over the years the tournament has been contested by golfing greats including Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Greg Norman and Tiger Woods, who won the tournament in 2006.
Prize
This year players will be competing for a $1.25 million purse, with $500,000 on offer to the winner. The winner will also be presented with the PGA Grand Slam of Golf Trophy. First presented in 1994, it features four crystals representing each of the major championships and a fifth, larger crystal, representing the Grand Slam.
Course
This year the Grand Slam is being held outside the United States for the first time in its history. The Mid Ocean Club was designed by leading U.S. golf architect Charles Blair Macdonald in 1921 and revised by Robert Trent Jones in 1953.
“I can assure my golfing friends, a more fascinating, more picturesque course than the Mid-Ocean will not be found in a pilgrimage around the world. There is nothing commonplace about it,” said Macdonald.
The 6,520-yard, par-70 course is located in picturesque Tucker’s Town and has a reputation as one of the finest venues in the world.It has attracted legendary figures such as President Eisenhower, Winston Churchill, the Duke of Windsor and Babe Ruth.
The Players
Zach Johnson, Masters winner
Zach Johnson became the first player to earn a place in the Grand Slam after defeating Tiger Woods by two strokes at the Masters.
The Masters was a breakthrough victory for the 32-year-old American, whose previous best major finish was 15th at the 2005 PGA Championships.
Johnson, a devout Baptist, won his first PGA Tour event at the 2004 BellSouth Classic and qualified for the 2006 U.S. Ryder Cup team when he finished 9th on the U.S. points. list.
Angel Cabrera, U.S. Open winner
Known affectionately as "El Pato" (The Duck), Angel Cabrera beat Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk to win last year’s U.S. Open by one stroke.
The Argentinian, who began playing golf while working as a caddy, is a veteran of the European Tour and has finished in the top 15 of the Order of Merit six times, achieving his highest ranking of fifth in 2005.
He is the top ranked Latin American player, reaching a top position of ninth un the World Golf Rankings in October 2005.
Padraig Harrington, British Open winner
Padraig Harrington won the British Open to become the third player to book a place in the PGA Grand Slam.
The British Open was the Irishman’s first major title and he is currently the highest ranked European in World Rankings at number seven.
He has finished in the top 10 of the European Tour Order of Merit seven times and won for the first time last year.
Jim Furyk
Jim Furyk, the world’s number three, took up his Grand Slam place as a replacement for PGA Championship winner Tiger Woods, who opted out in order to spend more time with his family.
Furyk, who is known for his unusual, looping swing, was runner-up to Woods in the 2006 PGA Grand Slam of Golf and won the 2003 title. He finished first in the Major Champions Points List this season with 214.5 points.
During the 2006 season he had 13 top 10 finishes, including two victories and four second place finishes.