The 1995 PGA Championship was the 77th PGA Championship, held August 10–13 at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, California. Steve Elkington shot a final round 64 (−7) and won his only major championship in a sudden-death playoff. Elkington sank a 20-foot (6 m) birdie putt on the first playoff hole (par 4, 18th) to defeat Colin Montgomerie.[2][3] Ernie Els, the third round leader, shot 72 (+1) and finished two strokes back, in a tie for third with Jeff Maggert. His 197 after 54 holes was the lowest-ever for a major championship.[4]

1995 PGA Championship
Tournament information
DatesAugust 10–13, 1995
LocationLos Angeles, California
Course(s)Riviera Country Club
Organized byPGA of America
Tour(s)PGA Tour
Statistics
Par71
Length6,956 yards (6,361 m)
Field150 players, 72 after cut[1]
Cut142 (E)
Prize fund$2.0 million
Winner's share$360,000
Champion
Australia Steve Elkington
267 (−17), playoff
← 1994
1996 →
Riviera CC is located in the United States
Riviera CC
Riviera CC

A new 72-hole scoring record for the PGA Championship was set at 267, the second straight year for a new low. Bobby Nichols' 271 in 1964 stood for thirty years, until Nick Price had 269 in 1994.[5] The record was lowered by two strokes in 2001.

Elkington became the fourth Australian-born player to win the PGA Championship, preceded by Jim Ferrier in 1947, David Graham in 1979, and Wayne Grady in 1990. The next was Jason Day in 2015.

Brad Faxon shot a final round 63 to climb to fifth place and earned a spot on the Ryder Cup team. His record was 1–2–0 in his first Ryder Cup, as the U.S. team narrowly lost at home.

This was the third major championship at Riviera, which previously hosted the U.S. Open in 1948 and the PGA Championship in 1983.[6] It was the fourth PGA Championship in California (1929, 1977, 1983), and the last until 2020.

Round summaries

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Finishing hole at Riviera Country Club

First round

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Thursday, August 10, 1995

Place Player Score To par
1   Michael Bradley 63 −8
T2   Jim Gallagher Jr. 64 −7
  Mark O'Meara
4   John Adams 65 −6
T5   Chip Beck 66 −5
  Ernie Els
  Lee Janzen
  Jeff Maggert
  Gil Morgan
  Greg Norman

Second round

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Friday, August 11, 1995

Place Player Score To par
T1   Ernie Els 66-65=131 −11
  Mark O'Meara 64-67=131
3   Justin Leonard 68-66=134 −8
T4   Brian Claar 68-67=135 −7
  Steve Elkington 68-67=135
  Jeff Maggert 66-69=135
  Colin Montgomerie 68-67=135
  Greg Norman 66-69=135
T9   Michael Bradley 63-73=136 −6
  Michael Campbell 71-65=136
  Jim Gallagher Jr. 64-72=136
  Peter Jacobsen 69-67=136
  Lee Janzen 66-70=136
  Billy Mayfair 68-68=136
  Jeff Sluman 69-67=136

Third round

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Saturday, August 12, 1995

Place Player Score To par
1   Ernie Els 66-65-66=197 −16
T2   Jeff Maggert 66-69-65=200 −13
  Mark O'Meara 64-67-69=200
4   Colin Montgomerie 68-67-67=202 −11
T5   Steve Elkington 68-67-68=203 −10
  Craig Stadler 71-66-66=203
T7   Jay Haas 69-71-64=204 −9
  Justin Leonard 68-66-70=204
  Jeff Sluman 69-67-68=204
T10   Bob Estes 69-68-68=205 −8
  Miguel Ángel Jiménez 69-69-67=205
  Steve Lowery 69-68-68=205
  Greg Norman 66-69-70=205
  Duffy Waldorf 69-69-67=205

Final round

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Sunday, August 13, 1995

Place Player Score To par Money ($)
T1   Steve Elkington 68-67-68-64=267 −17 Playoff
  Colin Montgomerie 68-67-67-65=267
T3   Ernie Els 66-65-66-72=269 −15 116,000
  Jeff Maggert 66-69-65-69=269
5   Brad Faxon 70-67-71-63=271 −13 80,000
T6   Bob Estes 69-68-68-68=273 −11 68,500
  Mark O'Meara 64-67-69-73=273
T8   Jay Haas 69-71-64-70=274 −10 50,000
  Justin Leonard 68-66-70-70=274
  Steve Lowery 69-68-68-69=274
  Jeff Sluman 69-67-68-70=274
  Craig Stadler 71-66-66-71=274

Source:[3][7]

Playoff

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The sudden-death playoff began on the par-4 18th hole, where both drove into the fairway and reached the green in regulation. Elkington was away and birdied from twenty feet (6 m). Montgomerie was slightly closer, but missed his putt to extend the playoff.[2][3]

Place Player Score To par Money ($)
1   Steve Elkington 3 −1 360,000
2   Colin Montgomerie 4 E 216,000

References

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  1. ^ "Tournament Info for: 1995 PGA Championship". PGA.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2015. Retrieved July 29, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Parascenzo, Marino (August 14, 1996). "Elkington wins PGA in playoff". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. C1.
  3. ^ a b c Bonk, Thomas (August 14, 1995). "Elkington claims PGA for first major title". Eugene Register-Guard. (Los Angeles Times). p. 1C.
  4. ^ Bonk, Thomas (August 13, 1995). "Riviera yields to a PGA record assault by Els". Eugene Register-Guard. (Los Angeles Times). p. 1F.
  5. ^ "How low can they go?". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. August 14, 1995. p. C-3.
  6. ^ Reilly, Rick (August 21, 1995). "Nothing to sneeze at". Sports Illustrated. p. 34.
  7. ^ "1995 PGA Championship". databasegolf.com. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
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34°03′00″N 118°30′04″W / 34.050°N 118.501°W / 34.050; -118.501