2001 Senior PGA Championship
The year 2001 marked the first time the PGA took its Senior PGA
Championship outside Florida since 1940. The tournament’s first
two editions were held in 1937–1938 at Augusta National Golf
Club; the championship had been played at PGA National since
1945. Following Ridgewood as hosts have been Firestone,
Aronimink, Valhalla, Laurel Valley, and Oak Tree, all of which
have hosted the PGA Championship as well.
The composite course used started with the first six holes on the
Center Nine, followed by the fifth through seventh holes on East.
The back nine started with the ninth hole on Center, and then
finished with the second through ninth holes on West. This
routing utilized three difficult holes from East, created an easier
transition from 9 Center to 2 West, and relieved congestion
around 1 and 9 West.
The tournament provided everything a Senior PGA Tour
championship should – great golf and a trip down memory lane.
The first day’s play found golf’s great “triumvirate” of the 1960s,
Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player all playing superb
golf, and all in close contention behind Jim Thorpe, who shot fiveunder 67. Palmer, in fact, shot his age, 71.
Thorpe continued his fine play with a second-round 69 for a onestroke lead over Bob Gilder. The legends fell back, however,
especially Palmer, who took an 8 on his first hole, hitting his first
two shots into the pond at 1 Center.
Tom Watson -­‐ Winner 2001 Senior PGA Championship The New York Times filed the following report on the sad turn of events on Friday:
For spending his time wisely, instead of spending his money, Jim Thorpe was rewarded with another good day. Instead of going to a
casino after Thursday’s round, Thorpe, who enjoys gambling, changed his mind, practiced at the driving range, then got a good
night’s sleep. Thorpe, who shot a 69 today and is eight under par (136), holds a one-stroke lead over Bob Gilder (68-69) heading
into Saturday’s third round.
It was a damp, dreary day, and the heavier air coupled with moist conditions
made an already difficult course play longer than normal. For Arnold Palmer,
the day was too long. A day after shooting his age (71), Palmer shot himself
out of the tournament, missing the six-over-par cut with a second-round 83 to
finish 10 over for the tournament. The first hole set the tone for Palmer, when
he snap hooked his tee shot into the water, took a drop, then hit his next shot
into the water again, leading to a quadruple-bogie 8. Palmer never regrouped.
“It took all the pizzazz out of me. I’m embarrassed by the way I played, but
I’ve done it before, and I hope that I have the opportunityto do it again,” said
Palmer. Other players who went the wrong way included Jack Nicklaus, who
shot a 75 and fell one under for the tournament, leaving him tied with Gary
Player, who shot a second-round 73.
The highlight of Thorpe’s day came at the par-5 No. 13, when he holed a 25foot bunker shot for an eagle. (Thorpe had chipped in for an eagle in the first
round.) – May 26, 2001
With one generation of Hall of Famers fading, up stepped Tom
Jack Nicklaus putting on number 17 8 West
Watson, who finished his third round with five consecutive birdies
for a sparkling 66 to make up six strokes on the back nine and tie
Thorpe. Watson's stirring round was described as follows in the
New York Times:
As his final putt of the day made the 45-foot journey across the green, it was almost as if Tom Watson had journeyed back in
time. After the ball disappeared into the cup, Watson lifted his cap, smiled broadly, and celebrated one of the best five-hole runs of
his legendary career. Looking like the Watson who won eight major championships,and putting a charge into the Senior PGA
Championship, Watson ended today’s third round with five consecutive birdies, an unexpected surge that helped him overcome a
six-stroke deficit on the back nine. Not only did Watson shoot the day’s best round, a six-under-par 66, but he climbed into a
three-way tie for the lead. It was Watson’s show today, as he struck the ball with familiar precision and putted with a confidence he
had not shown in recent years. When the round ended, Watson said, “My long putting has been good, but my short putting is more
than a little suspect. That was fun, to feel that way with the putter.” – May 27, 2001
Runner-up Jim Thorpe had a birdie putt to tie Watson on the 72nd
hole.Watson then out-dueled Thorpe through the final eighteen
holes to win the first “PGA” championship of his splendid career
– Watson had never won the PGA Championship itself. Watson
birdied four of five holes in the middle of the round, then matched
Thorpe’s birdie at the sixteenth to maintain his lead. A description
of the tournament's conclusion follows from the New York Times:
A riveting, day-long duel between Tom Watson and Jim Thorpe ended
abruptly today at the 18th green. For Thorpe it ended in disappointment. For
Watson, it ended in fulfillment.
Needing to make a 6-foot putt for birdie to force a playoff at the Senior PGA
Championship, Thorpe watched in despair when his putt slipped past the hole,
and his chance to win slipped away. At that moment, Watson accomplished
something on the Senior Tour that he had never achieved during his legendary
career on the PGA Tour. Watson had never won the PGA Championship in
28 attempts. But today at Ridgewood Country Club, Watson finally captured
a trophy from the PGA of America, capping a brilliant weekend of
shotmaking, winning the Senior PGA Championship.
Watson finished at 14-under-par for the tournament (274) one stroke ahead of
Thorpe and three strokes ahead of Bob Gilder, who shot a final-round 70.
Throughout the weekend at Ridgewood, Watson played at age 51 as he did at
age 31, hitting radar-like iron shots, relying on a 3-wood off the tee for control,
and managing a challenging course like a maestro. – May 28, 2001
Runner up Jim Thorpe had a birdie putt to tie
Watson on the 72nd hole.
All pictures compliments of the PGA of America.