Senior Players Championship

Last updated
Kaulig Companies Championship
Tournament information
Location Akron, Ohio
Established1983
Course(s) Firestone Country Club
(South Course)
Par70
Length7,248 yards (6,628 m)
Tour(s) PGA Tour Champions
Format Stroke play
Prize fund US$3,500,000
Month playedJuly
Tournament record score
Aggregate261 Jack Nicklaus (1990)
261 Kenny Perry (2013)
Score−27 Jack Nicklaus (1990)
Current champion
Flag of Spain.svg Miguel Ángel Jiménez
Location map
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Icona golf.svg
Firestone CC
Location in the United States
USA Ohio relief location map.svg
Icona golf.svg
Firestone CC
Location in Ohio

The Kaulig Companies Championship, formerly known as the Senior Players Championship, stylised by the PGA Tour as The SENIOR PLAYERS, is one of the five major championships on golf's PGA Tour Champions. The inaugural event was played 42 years ago in 1983 and the age minimum is 50, [1] [2] [3] the standard for men's senior professional golf tournaments.

Contents

The winner gains entry into the following season's Players Championship on the PGA Tour (although Retief Goosen, the 2019 winner, was not allowed to play in the official subsequent Players Championship). In 2022, businessman Matt Kaulig, whose enterprises include LeafFilter and a NASCAR team, took over title sponsorship of the event, renaming it the Kaulig Companies Championship. [4]

Unlike the U.S. Senior Open, the Senior PGA Championship, and the Senior Open Championship, it is not recognized as a major by the European Senior Tour, and is not part of that tour's schedule.

Since 2019, the Senior Players championship has been held at the South course of the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio; it replaced the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational that had been held there before moving to Memphis, Tennessee. [5]

Course layout

Hole123456789Out101112131415161718InTotal
Yards3995264204502004602194704613,6054104181804504602216404004643,6437,248
Par454434344354434435443570

Early years

The first four editions were at Canterbury Golf Club near Cleveland; the inaugural in 1983 had fifty players, no cut, and a purse of $250,000; [2] Miller Barber won the title and $40,000, sinking a ten-foot (3 m) birdie putt on the final hole to finish one stroke ahead of runner-up Gene Littler. Arnold Palmer was seven strokes back, in a tie for fifth. [3]

Palmer won the next year by three strokes, [6] and successfully defended the title in 1985, winning by eleven strokes. [7] Heavy rains on Thursday afternoon reduced the tournament to 54 holes in 1986, [8] and Chi-Chi Rodríguez gained the first of his 22 wins on the senior tour, two strokes ahead of Bruce Crampton. [9]

Winners

YearWinnerScoreTo parMargin of
victory		Runner(s)-upWinner's
share ($)		VenueLocation
Kaulig Companies Championship
2025 Flag of Spain.svg Miguel Ángel Jiménez 270−10Playoff Flag of New Zealand.svg Steven Alker 525,000 Firestone
(South Course)		 Akron, Ohio
2024 Flag of South Africa.svg Ernie Els 270−101 stroke Flag of South Korea.svg Yang Yong-eun 525,000 Firestone
(South Course)		 Akron, Ohio
2023 Flag of the United States.svg Steve Stricker (2)269−113 strokes Flag of the United States.svg David Toms 525,000 Firestone
(South Course)		 Akron, Ohio
Bridgestone Senior Players Championship
2022 Flag of the United States.svg Jerry Kelly (2)269−112 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Steve Stricker 450,000 Firestone
(South Course)		 Akron, Ohio
2021 Flag of the United States.svg Steve Stricker 273−76 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Jerry Kelly 420,000 Firestone
(South Course)		 Akron, Ohio
2020 Flag of the United States.svg Jerry Kelly 277−32 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Scott Parel 420,000 Firestone
(South Course)		 Akron, Ohio
2019 Flag of South Africa.svg Retief Goosen 274−62 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Jay Haas
Flag of the United States.svg Tim Petrovic 		420,000 Firestone
(South Course)		 Akron, Ohio
Constellation Senior Players Championship
2018 Flag of Fiji.svg Vijay Singh 268−20Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Maggert 420,000 Exmoor Highland Park, Illinois
2017 Flag of the United States.svg Scott McCarron 270−181 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Brandt Jobe
Flag of Germany.svg Bernhard Langer 		420,000 Caves Valley Owings Mills, Maryland
2016 Flag of Germany.svg Bernhard Langer (3)281+11 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Joe Durant
Flag of Spain.svg Miguel Ángel Jiménez 		420,000 Philadelphia
(Wissahickon Course)		 Flourtown, Pennsylvania
2015 Flag of Germany.svg Bernhard Langer (2)265−195 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Kirk Triplett 405,000 Belmont Belmont, Massachusetts
2014 Flag of Germany.svg Bernhard Langer 265−15Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Jeff Sluman 405,000 Fox Chapel Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2013 Flag of the United States.svg Kenny Perry 261−195 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Fred Funk 405,000 Fox Chapel Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2012 Flag of the United States.svg Joe Daley 266−142 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Tom Lehman 405,000 Fox Chapel Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship
2011 Flag of the United States.svg Fred Couples 273−11Playoff Flag of the United States.svg John Cook 405,000 Westchester Harrison, New York
2010 Flag of the United States.svg Mark O'Meara 273−7Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Michael Allen 405,000 TPC Potomac Potomac, Maryland
2009 Flag of the United States.svg Jay Haas 267−131 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Tom Watson 405,000 Baltimore
(East Course)		 Timonium, Maryland
2008 Flag of the United States.svg D. A. Weibring 271−91 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Fred Funk 390,000 Baltimore
(East Course)		Timonium, Maryland
2007 Flag of the United States.svg Loren Roberts 267−136 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Tom Watson 390,000 Baltimore
(East Course)		Timonium, Maryland
Ford Senior Players Championship
2006 Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Wadkins 274−141 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Jim Thorpe 375,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
2005 Flag of the United States.svg Peter Jacobsen 273−151 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Hale Irwin 375,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
2004 Flag of England.svg Mark James 275−131 stroke Flag of Spain.svg José María Cañizares 375,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
2003 Flag of the United States.svg Craig Stadler 271−173 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Tom Kite
Flag of the United States.svg Jim Thorpe
Flag of the United States.svg Tom Watson 		375,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
2002 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Stewart Ginn 274−141 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Hubert Green
Flag of the United States.svg Mike McCullough
Flag of the United States.svg Jim Thorpe 		375,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
2001 Flag of the United States.svg Allen Doyle 273−15Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Doug Tewell 375,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
2000 Flag of the United States.svg Raymond Floyd (2)273−151 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Larry Nelson
Flag of the United States.svg Dana Quigley 		345,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
1999 Flag of the United States.svg Hale Irwin 267−217 strokes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Graham Marsh 300,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
1998 Flag of the United States.svg Gil Morgan 267−213 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Hale Irwin 300,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
1997 Flag of the United States.svg Larry Gilbert 274−143 strokes Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg Isao Aoki
Flag of the United States.svg Bob Dickson
Flag of the United States.svg Jack Kiefer
Flag of the United States.svg Dave Stockton 		270,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
1996 Flag of the United States.svg Raymond Floyd 275−132 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Hale Irwin 225,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
1995 Flag of the United States.svg J. C. Snead 272−16Playoff Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus 225,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
1994 Flag of the United States.svg Dave Stockton (2)271−176 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Jim Albus 210,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
1993 Flag of the United States.svg Jim Colbert 278−101 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Raymond Floyd 180,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
The Senior Players Championship
1992 Flag of the United States.svg Dave Stockton 277−111 stroke Flag of the United States.svg J. C. Snead
Flag of the United States.svg Lee Trevino 		150,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
1991 Flag of the United States.svg Jim Albus 279−93 strokes Flag of New Zealand.svg Bob Charles
Flag of the United States.svg Charles Coody
Flag of the United States.svg Dave Hill 		150,000 TPC of Michigan Dearborn, Michigan
Mazda Senior Tournament Players Championship
1990 Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus 261−276 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Lee Trevino 150,000 Dearborn Dearborn, Michigan
1989 Flag of the United States.svg Orville Moody 271−172 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Charles Coody 105,000 TPC at Sawgrass Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
1988 Flag of the United States.svg Billy Casper 278−102 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Al Geiberger 60,000 TPC at Sawgrass Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
1987 Flag of South Africa (1982-1994).svg Gary Player 280−81 stroke Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bruce Crampton
Flag of the United States.svg Chi-Chi Rodríguez 		60,000 Sawgrass Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Senior Tournament Players Championship
1986 Flag of the United States.svg Chi-Chi Rodríguez 206 [a] −102 strokes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bruce Crampton 45,000 Canterbury Beachwood, Ohio
1985 Flag of the United States.svg Arnold Palmer (2)274−1411 strokes Flag of the United States.svg Miller Barber
Flag of the United States.svg Lee Elder
Flag of the United States.svg Gene Littler
Flag of the United States.svg Charles Owens 		36,000 Canterbury Beachwood, Ohio
1984 Flag of the United States.svg Arnold Palmer 276−123 strokes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter Thomson 36,000 Canterbury Beachwood, Ohio
1983 Flag of the United States.svg Miller Barber 278−101 stroke Flag of the United States.svg Gene Littler 40,000 Canterbury Beachwood, Ohio

Multiple winners

Through 2023, six players had multiple wins in the Senior Players Championship:

Winners of both The Players and the Senior Players

Three have won both The Players Championship and the Senior Players Championship:

PlayerThe Players ChampionshipSenior Players Championship
Jack Nicklaus 1974, 1976, 19781990
Raymond Floyd 19811996, 2000
Fred Couples 1984, 19962011

Notes

  1. ↑ Shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

References

  1. ↑ "Snead takes aim". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). AP photo. June 10, 1983. p. 18.
  2. 1 2 "Miller Barber, Littler lead". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). Associated Press. June 11, 1983. p. 14.
  3. 1 2 "Barber wins seniors title". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). Associated Press. June 13, 1983. p. 17.
  4. ↑ Ridenour, Maria (June 15, 2022). "Kaulig Companies to become title sponsor for Senior Players Championship, which will stay at Firestone Country Club". Golfweek.
  5. ↑ Wright, Branson (April 12, 2018). "WGC-Bridgestone Invitational will leave Firestone in 2019 (photos)". cleveland.com.
  6. ↑ "Rested Palmer decides it helps to be inspired". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. June 25, 1984. p. 2B.
  7. ↑ "Refreshed Palmer sets senior mark". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. June 24, 1985. p. 2B.
  8. ↑ "Rain stops seniors". Toledo Blade. (Ohio). Associated Press. June 20, 1986. p. 19.
  9. ↑ "Rodriguez wins Senior TPC crown". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. June 24, 1985. p. 3B.

41°00′29″N81°30′29″W / 41.008°N 81.508°W / 41.008; -81.508

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