After the emergence of LIV Golf, there had been some doubt as to whether its players would be eligible for the second Major of 2023, the PGA Championship.
That all changed in February when the PGA of America confirmed they would be allowed to play in this year’s tournament.
That means the likes of Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson and the man who missed out on the title in heartbreaking circumstances last year, Mito Pereira, can all tee it up at Oak Hill Country Club thanks to various qualifying criteria.
One of those ways to qualify is as a former champion, and three LIV Golf players fall into that category. Here are the stories on how they claimed the Wanamaker Trophy.
Phil Mickelson – 2005 and 2021
Phil Mickelson became the oldest Major winner in history when he won the PGA Championship aged 50
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Mickelson is one of two LIV Golf players who has won the PGA Championship twice. He first lifted the Wanamaker Trophy at New Jersey’s Baltusrol Golf Club in 2005.
No fewer than 27 players were within two shots of the lead after the opening round, with Mickelson one of six at the top following a three under 67. However, following the second round, the direction of travel became clearer. Mickelson impressed again, this time with a 65 to lead by three shots over Jerry Kelly going into the weekend.
Throughout the tournament, Davis Love III had been a model of consistency. His third successive round of 68 drew him level with Mickelson going into the final round after Lefty struggled on Moving Day. Thomas Bjorn, meanwhile, matched the record of 63 for the tournament to go into the final round just one behind the leaders.
After a rain-delayed final round, play resumed on Monday, where Mickelson completed his second successive round of 72 with a birdie putt on the 18th to edge out Bjorn and Steve Elkington and claim his second Major title.
It would be 16 years until Mickelson won the trophy again. This time, the location was Kiawah Island in South Carolina. After an opening round of 70 left Mickelson three shots off leader Corey Conners, he made five birdies over the last nine holes during the second round to tie the lead with Louis Oosthuizen. By the end of Saturday, he had the outright lead, albeit by just one shot despite holding a commanding five-shot lead earlier in the round.
The final round saw Mickelson jostle with Brooks Koepka for the title before he eventually emerged the winner by one shot, making him the oldest…
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