Sometimes, it’s all about timing.
Senior PGA Championship officials spoke Wednesday at the PGA Show about the major championship moving to The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton in mid-April for the start of a three-year run. The Senior PGA Championship has been around longer than any senior major – this is the 86th edition.
Wednesday also happened to be the 86th birthday of golf legend Jack Nicklaus, who co-designed The Concession with Tony Jacklin. The Concession is a nod to Nicklaus’ conceding Jacklin’s putt on the 18th green of the 1969 Ryder Cup, ensuring the matches would end in a tie.
Something else magical happened in 1986 for Nicklaus, who unexpectedly won his sixth Masters at 46. The Senior PGA Championship likely won’t match that drama, but the meaning of the course remains timeless.
“It’s something that we really value at The Concession. It’s not just a logo on our shirt or the name of the club,” said Brian Weimann, the club’s general manager. “It was named after a moment in time, which is pretty special. It really went down to one as one of the greatest moments of sportsmanship in history.”
The Senior PGA Championship returns to Florida for the first time since 2000, after ending a 19-year run at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, when PGA of America officials made the wise decision to move the tournament around the country. Having it held at The Concession for at least the next three years should help build momentum.
“It provides us an opportunity to get the community involved,” said Eric Nuxol, the Senior PGA Championship’s Director. “For us to continue to build year over year over year is a luxury that we don't always have with a major championship.”
To show the importance of a golf championship returning to the state, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made an appearance at the press conference.
Built in 2006, The Concession has already held two notable events: The 2021 WGC-Workday Championship and the 2023 World Champions Cup.
The 2021 World Golf Championship event was won by two-time major champion Collin Morikawa, who finishes three ahead at 18-under 270.
“It’s a second-shot course,” said Rod Perry, a PGA Professional who qualified for the event. “I hope my irons are sharp that week. If not, we might be saying 86 for another reason.”
That number again.
