1971 PGA Championship


The 1971 PGA Championship was the 53rd PGA Championship, played February 25–28 at the original PGA National Golf Club, presently known as BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Jack Nicklaus won the second of his five PGA Championships, two strokes ahead of Billy Casper, the reigning Masters champion. Nicklaus led wire-to-wire, and held a four-stroke lead over Gary Player after 54 holes, with Casper seven shots back. The two were pre-tournament favorites, along with Arnold Palmer, who shot an opening round 75 and finished at 289, eight strokes back.
Nicklaus became the first in history to complete the modern career Grand Slam for a second time; two victories in each of the four major championships. He completed his third career grand slam at the 1978 Open Championship.
The championship was played in February rather than August, due to anticipated oppressive summer weather in Florida. The rescheduling changed the PGA Championship from the fourth and final major of the calendar year to the first in 1971, and the 1970 and 1971 editions were consecutive majors. It returned to August in 1972 at Oakland Hills in Michigan.

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

PlayerCountryYear wonR1R2R3R4TotalTo parFinish
Jack Nicklaus196369697073281−71
Gary Player196271736873285−3T4
Bob Rosburg195974727071287−1T9
Al Geiberger196674697772292+4T30
Julius Boros196871747276293+5T34
Sam Snead1942, 1949, 195171747474293+5T34
Dave Stockton197073737573294+6T40
Bobby Nichols196474727475295+7T46
Chandler Harper1950737680WD
Lionel Hebert19577270WD

Missed the cut

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Round summaries

First round

Thursday, February 25, 1971
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Jack Nicklaus69−3
T2Bob Charles70−2
T2Bob Goalby70−2
T2Bobby Mitchell70−2
T5Bradley Anderson71−1
T5Deane Beman71−1
T5Julius Boros71−1
T5Billy Casper71−1
T5Bruce Devlin71−1
T5Larry Hinson71−1
T5Johnny Miller71−1
T5Gary Player71−1
T5Sam Snead71−1
T5Lee Trevino71−1
T5Bert Yancey71−1

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Second round

Friday, February 26, 1971
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Jack Nicklaus69-69=138−6
2Miller Barber72-68=140−4
3Gibby Gilbert74-67=141−3
T4Gene Borek72-70=142−2
T4Bruce Devlin71-71=142−2
T4Lionel Hebert72-70=142−2
T4Bob Lunn72-70=142−2
T4Bob Murphy74-68=142−2
T4Tom Weiskopf72-70=412−2
T4Larry Ziegler74-68=412−2

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Third round

Saturday, February 27, 1971
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo par
1Jack Nicklaus69-69-70=208−8
2Gary Player71-73-68=212−4
3Gibby Gilbert74-67-72=213−3
T4Miller Barber72-68-75=215−1
T4Tommy Bolt72-74-69=215−1
T4Gene Borek72-70-73=215−1
T4Billy Casper71-73-71=215−1
T4Bob Charles70-75-70=215−1
T4Bob Lunn72-70-73=215−1
T4Bert Yancey71-74-70=215−1

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Final leaderboard

Sunday, February 28, 1971
PlacePlayerCountryScoreTo parMoney
1Jack Nicklaus69-69-70-73=281−740,000
2Billy Casper71-73-71-68=283−522,800
3Tommy Bolt72-74-69-69=284−414,200
T4Miller Barber72-68-75-70=285−38,800
T4Gary Player71-73-68-73=285−38,800
T6Gibby Gilbert74-67-72-73=286−26,500
T6Dave Hill74-71-71-70=286−26,500
T6Jim Jamieson72-72-72-70=286−26,500
T9Jerry Heard73-71-72-71=287−14,800
T9Bob Lunn72-70-73-72=287−14,800
T9Fred Marti72-71-74-70=287−14,800
T9Bob Rosburg74-72-70-71=287−14,800

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