PGA of America Ends Grand Slam of Golf

Posted by Dan Hauser

Updated on March 17th, 2016

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Published in Golf

On Wednesday, the PGA of America, which keeps its offices at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, announced that they have permanently cancelled the PGA Grand Slam of Golf effective immediately.

The four man, 36 hole exhibition began in 1979 and typically had that year's four major winners compete against each other in tropical environements. However, in recent years, with the way the schedules have changed and golf is played close to year round, the PGA of America had trouble filling the spots, with major champions choosing to bow out more times then not.

The final straw seemed to come last year. After it being played for the previous eight years in Bermuda, the event was slated to head stateside, being held at Trump National Lost Angeles in 2015. It was pulled from the location following controversial remarks made by course owner and current presidential candidate Donald Trump, and when a new location couldn't be secured on short notice, was cancelled. 

The plan was to bring the event back in 2016, but ultimately the PGA of America decied to pull the plug on the event all together.

"When the PGA Grand Slam of Golf was launched in 1979, the golf world was much different than it is today," the PGA said in a statement. "The PGA Tour's wrap-around schedule, the European Tour's Race to Dubai, plus other important international events, make the fall schedule very busy and hectic for the top players in the world. It had also become challenging to attract fans, television viewership and media interest. While we have enjoyed staging the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, given those many factors, the timing is right to discontinue the event."

Since the 2015 event was never held, the final champion of the Grand Slam of Golf was Martin Kaymer in 2014. The U.S. Open winner that year beat Bubba Waton (Masters), Rory Mcllroy (Open Championship), and alternate Jim Furyk.