The PGA Championship has had its fair share of controversies over the years, with everything from disqualifications to arrests marring the prestigious major tournament
The PGA Championship descended upon Quail Hollow on Thursday, with a field of 156 PGA Tour, DP World, and LIV Golf professionals vying for the year’s second major.
Yet, this year’s tournament has been anything but smooth. From two-time champion Phil Mickelson shooting an eight-over-par in his opening round to earlier unfavorable conditions plaguing players with muddy balls, the 2025 race for the coveted Wanamaker Trophy has seen its share of highs and lows.
However, these incidents may seem mild compared to some of the events that have occurred in previous editions of the esteemed tournament. From one of the world’s top golfers being arrested at Valhalla last year to another being outright disqualified, there have certainly been some eyebrow-raising moments over the years.
A Tiger Woods mystery – 2000
One of the most hotly debated incidents in golf history is the claim that Tiger Woods’ 2000 PGA Championship victory was due to a spectator kicking a stray drive to safety during his Valhalla playoff with Bob May. Footage shows Woods’ shot falling from the sky as he launched it from the tee box, only to vanish near a grove of trees, reports the Mirror US.
The baffling moment on the course left fans and commentators perplexed as a golf ball reappeared, darting in a different direction at speed. Those watching from their homes across the globe were stumped, as CBS’ Jim Nantz said: “Do you think someone either kicked it or threw it back in that direction?” while Ken Venturi replied: “I don’t know. It, it didn’t…”
Nantz added: “I sure hope someone didn’t slap it back,” before Venturi responded: “It could have been someone jumped up and hit it with their hand.” Woods battled the elements to capture his second Wanamaker trophy, making par on the last hole to secure victory over may by a single stroke.
Dustin Johnson’s rule break – 2010
Dustin Johnson was a whisker away from his first major title with only a four-stroke 18th hole of Whistling Straits standing between him and the PGA Championship in 2010. However, fate had other ideas.
Johnson’s ball landed in a sandy area after a teeshot veered off to the right of the fairway, which was not surprising given that the prestigious course boasts over 1,000 bunkers. Johnson treated the spot as a waste area rather than a traditional bunker, grounding his club for his second shot.
However, PGA officials had previously circulated a memo stating that all sanded areas should be treated as bunkers, regardless of whether they had been raked or not. This information was also posted in the course’s locker room.
Johnson believed he had secured a spot in a three-way playoff with Martin Kaymer and Bubba Watson after making a bogey on the hole, however, officials quickly pointed out his mistake, resulting in a two-stroke penalty. Consequently, Kaymer faced Watson alone in the playoff, eventually winning the title, while Johnson tied for fifth place with Jason Dufner and Steve Elkington.
Cameron Tringale is disqualified – 2020
Cameron Tringale was casually checking the PGA Championship app during lunch at TPC Harding Park when he realized a major blunder. The 37-year-old had mistakenly signed for a par on the par-three eighth hole, when in reality, he’d made a bogey.
In an effort to correct his mistake, he returned to the scoring area to inform officials and adjust his score from 68 to 69. However, instead of simply amending the score and allowing him to continue with his remaining rounds, the organizers disqualified him under Rule 3.3b(3) for signing an incorrect scorecard.
