UPDATE: The 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Club has been voted as the greatest moment in Kentucky golf history. It defeated the 2000 PGA Championship, also contested at Valhalla, by a voting percentage margin of 79 to 21. While this moment has been voted as the best, we are very proud of all of Kentucky's golfers and its golf courses for their accomplishments and encourage everyone to continue learning about the state's history with the sport. Golf House Kentucky is excited to do its part to help create more memorable moments going forward.

1 Seeds

Brewer, Nichols finish 1-2 in the 1967 Masters Tournament. Kentucky took over Georgia’s Augusta National Golf Club in the 31st Masters Tournament when Kentuckians Gay Brewer and Bobby Nichols finished first and second respectively. Entering the final round, Nichols shared the 54-hole lead with Julius Boros and Bert Yancey while Brewer was two shots behind along with Ben Hogan. Boros, Yancey and Hogan faded during Sunday’s play, while Brewer and Nichols began to pull away. A 67 (-5) from Brewer and a 70 (-2) from Nichols were the only under-par scores on Sunday amongst the primary contenders. Nichols would have forced a playoff on the 18th hole with a birdie, but a par from Nichols locked up Brewer’s first and only major championship title.

Justin Thomas wins the 2017 PGA Championship. On August 13, 2017 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, Goshen native Justin Thomas captured the PGA Championship. Coming into the event having already won twice in 2017, Thomas mounted a final round comeback to capture his first major championship. Trailing Kevin Kisner by two strokes beginning Sunday play, Thomas shot a front-nine 34 (-1) before catching fire on the back nine. With a birdie putt hanging on the lip for several seconds before finally dropping on the 10th, a chip-in birdie on the 13th and a heroic birdie on the difficult 17th, Thomas would win by two shots off the strength of an inward nine of 34 (-2). The win highlighted a Player of the Year season for Thomas, as he totaled five wins across the globe in 2017. Thomas will enter as one of the favorites in this year’s Masters Tournament where he will seek his second major championship.

The United States wins the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Club. Kentucky hosted its first Ryder Cup in 2008 when golf’s premier team event came to Valhalla. The odds of an American victory seemed slim at the start of the week, as Tiger Woods was unable to participate due to a season-ending knee injury, while Europe had won five of the previous six Ryder Cups. The Americans rose to the occasion on home soil, however, as they won for the first time since 1999 with a 16 ½-11 ½ victory. Two native Kentuckians, J.B Holmes and Kenny Perry, were key members of the United States’ win, as both players each contributed 2 ½ points towards the winning total. Paul Azinger was praised for his performance as captain, as his pod strategy gained notoriety for its success and helped keep Europeans such as Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington and Lee Westwood from winning a single match throughout the event.

Tiger Woods wins 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. One of the most exciting victories in Tiger Woods’ career came at Louisville’s Valhalla Golf Club when he captured the 2000 PGA Championship. Woods was challenged by Bob May throughout the final round, an unlikely challenger to Woods while he was at the peak of his career. A thrilling duel between the two lifted them five shots ahead of their nearest challenger. Eighteen holes proved to be insufficient, and the two would go on to play a three-hole aggregate playoff. Woods’ birdie on the first playoff hole proved to be the difference-maker, as he would top May by a single stroke to capture his second of four PGA Championships. It was Woods’ third consecutive major victory, which was one of the titles that propelled Woods to his signature “Tiger Slam” ranging from the 2000 US Open through the 2001 Masters Tournament.

2 Seeds

Rory McIlroy wins 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. The next PGA Championship at Valhalla offered a similar amount of drama as 2000’s edition. Some of the game’s biggest names rose to the top of the leaderboard on Sunday afternoon in what turned into a wild final nine holes. Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, and Henrik Stenson all held at least a share of the lead at one point during the closing stretch, but it was McIlroy who ultimately prevailed. His bogey-free inward nine was highlighted by an eagle on the 10th and birdies on the 13th and 17th, which edged Mickelson by a stroke, while Fowler and Stenson finished two shots back in a tie for third. The win marked McIlroy’s third win in as many events, after he previously won The Open Championship and the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in his previous starts.

Tom Watson wins 2011 Senior PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. In between the United States’ Ryder Cup win and McIlroy’s PGA Championship victory, Valhalla hosted the Senior PGA Championship in 2011. One of the game’s all-time greats triumphed as Tom Watson beat David Eger in a playoff. It marked Watson’s sixth senior major championship and his second Senior PGA Championship, having previously won the 2011 edition. In all likelihood, this victory will go down as Watson’s final victory as the 69 year old has not won on the PGA Tour Champions since.

Justin Thomas shoots 59 on the PGA Tour. Justin Thomas recorded the seventh 59 in PGA Tour history during the 2017 Sony Open in Hawaii. Thomas shot an opening round 59 (-11) to kick off what turned into a seven-shot victory and his second consecutive win, after winning the Sentry Tournament of Champions on Maui the week prior. Thomas’ sub-60 round featured book-end eagles as he eagled his opening hole, the par 4 10th, in addition to the par 5 18th to seal the deal. Thomas’ game that week was arguably the best it’s ever been, as he shot 64-65-65 in the next three rounds to dominate the field and conclude a sweep of Hawaii’s PGA Tour events that season.

J.B Holmes wins his first PGA Tour event by seven strokes. Campbellsville’s J.B Holmes won his first PGA Tour event in dominant fashion when he took the 2006 Waste Management Phoenix Open by seven strokes. It was a stunning performance from the rookie, one that included domination of the par 5 15th. He eagled the hole twice, one of which came during the final round that ended up being the event’s signature moment. Holmes has added four PGA Tour trophies to his collection since then, one of which was a second title in Phoenix in 2008 when he defeated Phil Mickelson in a playoff, and another coming last month when he outdueled Justin Thomas to win the Genesis Open.

3 Seeds

Kenny Perry wins first PGA Tour event at 1991 Memorial Tournament. Elizabethtown native Kenny Perry launched an extremely successful PGA Tour career at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio when he brought in his first win on Tour at the 1991 Memorial Tournament. Perry first got a taste of the lead during the second round when he recorded a hole-in-one on the 16th hole. He would remain in contention and hold off stiff competition during the weekend, as Perry had to defeat three-time major champion Hale Irwin in a playoff to get it done. A birdie on the first hole of sudden-death for Perry secured the first of his fourteen PGA Tour victories. Perry would also go onto win The Memorial Tournament two more times, with wins in 2003 and 2008.

Bobby Nichols wins the 1964 PGA Championship. Before Nichols finished second in the 1967 Masters, the Louisville native won the 1964 PGA Championship at Columbus Country Club in Columbus, Ohio. Nichols went wire-to-wire with rounds of 64-71-69-67 for a four-day score of 271 (-9) and won by three strokes over the sport’s two biggest names at the time, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. It was Nichols’ only major championship victory, and the fourth of twelve wins on the PGA Tour.

Big Spring Country Club hosts the 1952 PGA Championship. Major championship golf first arrived in Kentucky when Louisville’s Big Spring Country Club hosted the 1952 PGA Championship. This was the sixth-to-last PGA Championship that was held in a match play format, before it permanently switched to stroke play in 1958. Jim Turnesa was the champion thanks to his win in the championship match against Chick Harbert. Sam Snead and Cary Middlecoff were among the notable players to play in the event.

Jodie Mudd wins the 1990 Players Championship. Louisville’s Jodie Mudd captured the PGA Tour’s flagship event in 1990 when he won The Players by a stroke over Mark Calcavecchia. The win was Mudd’s third of four career PGA Tour victories. Mudd’s victory was surprising to many, but Mudd had been no stranger to the winner’s circle. Along with the two PGA Tour events he won prior to The Players, he won the US Amateur Public Links Championship in consecutive years in 1980 and 1981. Mudd also found success at The Open Championship around the time of his Players victory; he recorded top 5 finishes in the 1989 and 1990 editions of The Open.

4 Seeds

Russ Cochran wins the 2011 Senior Open Championship. Russ Cochran may not have been able to close the deal on the first PGA Championship held at Valhalla, but he did secure a senior major championship in 2011 when he won the Senior Open at Walton Heath Golf Club outside of London, England. Cochran won by two strokes over Mark Calcavecchia for his only senior major victory, and one of five victories on the PGA Tour Champions.

Hale Irwin wins the 2004 Senior PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. Valhalla hosted its first senior major in 2004 with the Senior PGA Championship and further cemented its impressive list of champions when Hale Irwin was victorious. Irwin won three major championships along with seven senior major championships throughout his career. His win in 2004 was a one-stroke victory over Jay Haas, which ended up being the last of his senior major titles. He would, however, come close to winning at Valhalla again in 2011, finishing in fourth place to Tom Watson during that edition of the Senior PGA.

Valhalla Golf Club hosts the 1996 PGA Championship; its first major. Mark Brooks won Valhalla’s first major championship when he won the 1996 PGA Championship there. Along the way, two prominent Kentucky golfers gave themselves opportunities to win the hometown major. Paducah’s Russ Cochran held the 54-hole lead, but shot a final round 77 (+5) which took him out of contention during the closing stages. While Cochran faded, Kenny Perry leapt into contention with a 68 (-4) that led to a playoff between him and Brooks. At this time, the PGA Championship was a sudden-death playoff before its switch to a three-hole aggregate playoff that was first utilized during the aforementioned Woods-May playoff. As it was, Brooks needed only one hole to put the finishing touches on his win, making birdie on the 18th while Perry made par to finish in second place. The win was Brooks’ only major victory and the last of seven PGA Tour victories. As for Valhalla, it was a stellar introduction to golf’s biggest stage that launched the beginning of what has been a premier championship host venue.

Robert Damron wins the 2001 Byron Nelson Championship. Pikeville’s Robert Damron won the first of his two PGA Tour titles in the 2001 Byron Nelson Championship at TPC Four Seasons outside of Dallas, Texas. To do so, Damron had to take down Scott Verplank in a playoff, which he won with a birdie on the fourth hole of sudden death. Tiger Woods, David Duval and Nick Price were three shots out of the playoff, while Sergio Garcia and Kenny Perry also recorded top 10 finishes, so Damron had to hold off some of the best in the world to break through. Damron is now an analyst for Golf Channel and has been seen promoting Kentucky’s best courses on-air.

5 Seeds

Byron Nelson wins the 1943 Kentucky Open. One of the greatest to have ever played the game won our state’s biggest championship in 1943 at Fort Knox Lindsey Golf Course. Nelson wiped away the competition that year, winning by a dozen shots.

Myra Blackwelder wins 1980 LPGA Rookie of the Year. Lexington’s Myra Blackwelder quickly introduced herself to the LPGA Tour when she won Rookie of the Year in 1980. Her year was highlighted by a runner-up finish in the LPGA Corning Classic.

Larry Gilbert wins three PGA Professional Championships, the record for most wins of the event. Fort Knox native Larry Gilbert had one of the most decorated playing careers in PGA Professional history. He won the PGA Professional Championship in 1981, 1982, and 1991. Additionally, he won the Kentucky PGA Professional Championship eight times to go along with three Kentucky Open titles.

Don Fightmaster wins seven American One Arm Championships and two World Championships. Louisville’s Don Fightmaster sadly lost an arm while serving for the Air Force in the 1950s. When he returned home, his golf game seemed to be unaffected as he won the country’s championship for golfers with one arm several times, and the world’s tournament twice. Fightmaster’s legacy lives on through the Don Fightmaster Golf Outing, which you can learn more about here.

6 Seeds

Martha Leach wins 2009 US Women’s Mid-Am. Hebron’s Martha Leach won one of the most prestigious events in women’s amateur golf in 2009 in Ocala, Florida when she captured the US Women’s Mid-Am in what was her 22nd appearance. Leach is no stranger to the biggest events, as she has played in 60+ USGA Championships.

Frank Beard wins eleven PGA Tour events; plays in two Ryder Cups. After being born in Dallas, Beard and his family relocated to Louisville where he attended Saint Xavier in Louisville. Beard won elven times on the PGA Tour from 1963-1971, where on two of those occasions he beat Arnold Palmer by a stroke. Beard also played on the US Ryder Cup teams in 1969 and 1971, both of which saw the US take the Ryder Cup, however, 1969’s edition was a tie, leading the United States to retain the trophy. His record in those two competitions was 2-2-3.

Jack Ryan wins Kentucky Open ten times. A legend in the Kentucky PGA Section, Ryan spent time at Louisville Country Club and Big Spring Country Club and eventually became Vice President of the PGA of America in 1961-1964. From 1936-1959, he was a force to be reckoned with in the Kentucky Open, winning the title ten times. He also played in The Masters twice to go along with a number of appearances in the US Open and PGA Championship.

Marion Miley makes two Curtis Cup appearances. Miley built an impressive resume in the 1930s, highlighted by Curtis Cup appearances in 1936 and 1938. 1936’s edition was a tie that led to the US retaining the trophy, while 1938 was an outright victory for the US team. Beyond those appearances, she won the Women’s Kentucky Amateur twice in 1931 and 1932.

7 Seeds

Mary Lou Crocker wins 1962 US Girls Junior. Louisville’s Mary Lou Crocker first made history by becoming the first woman to attend the University of Kentucky on a men’s scholarship. She would do plenty more in her career, notably by winning the 1962 US Girls Junior in Williamsville, New York. She also captured an LPGA Tour win in 1973.

Steve Flesch wins on PGA Tour four times; wins Kentucky Open twice. Steve Flesch spent much of his childhood in Northern Kentucky after being born across the river in Cincinnati. After playing golf for the University of Kentucky, Flesch would win the Kentucky Open in 1991 and 1993 before making a mark on the PGA Tour, with four wins from 2003-2007. Flesch has been an analyst with FOX Sports since 2015 and will be heard once more during the USGA Championship season this summer.

Ted Schulz wins on PGA Tour four times. Ted is a legend in University of Louisville circles, having graduated from there and coaching golfers in recent years. Schulz won the 1983 Kentucky Amateur, the Kentucky Open in 1984 and 1988, four times on the PGA Tour, and once on the PGA Tour Champions.

Betty Rowland Probasco captains the 1982 Curtis Cup team. The 1982 US Curtis Cup team was led by Betty Rowland Probasco. She was the right lady for the job, as the US dominated en route to a 14 ½ - 3 ½ win in Denver, Colorado. She also made a mark locally, winning the Women’s Kentucky Amateur five times.

8 Seeds

Seneca Golf Course hosts Kentucky Derby Open on the PGA Tour. From 1957-1959, the PGA Tour made a visit to Seneca Golf Course for the Kentucky Derby Open. While the event was short-lived, it featured an impressive list of winners. Billy Casper and Gary Player won in 1957 and 1958, respectively, while Don Whitt won in 1959. Player’s victory was the first of his 24 PGA Tour wins.

Griffin Gate and Kearney Hill host the PGA Tour Champions. From 1983-1997, the PGA Tour Champions made an annual visit to Lexington for the Bank One Classic. Griffin Gate Golf Club hosted the event from 1983-1989, while Kearney Hill was the venue from 1990-1997. Don January, Gay Brewer and Gary Player (twice) were among some of the event’s champions.

Kearney Hill hosts US Public Links Championships. While now defunct, the US Public Links Championship was once one of the more unique championships in amateur golf. Kearney Hill Golf Links hosted the 1997 edition, which came down to a championship match between two PGA Tour winners, Tim Clark and Ryuji Imada. Clark would go on to take Imada down 7&6. Kearney Hill also hosted the Women's edition in 2007, which was won by Mina Harigae when she defeated Stephany Fleet.

Valhalla and Kearney Hill host the 2018 Junior PGA Championships. Last year, golf’s future stars came to the bluegrass for the Boys and Girls Junior PGA Championships. Akshay Bhatia won the Boys Junior PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, thanks in part to an eagle on Valhalla’s famous 18th hole. Over in Lexington, Yealimi Noh was victorious at Kearney Hill Golf Links following an impressive four-day score of 264 (-24).