2021 Senior PGA Championship at Southern Hills to remain in late May

By Ken MacLeod

The 2021 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship will be held the last weekend in May at Southern Hills Country Club, a date that was in question with the PGA of America’s announcement today that the PGA Championship would be moved to May beginning in 2019.

Also announced today was that the Players’ Championship will move from May to March. PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said much more work needs to be done before more expected changes are announced, such as shortening the Fed-Ex Cup playoffs to conclude in late August.

There had earlier been speculation that the PGA of America would move the Senior PGA to August so it would not have to put on two of its flagship events back-to-back, but that was not the case.

“We like the continuity and power in having those events back-to-back,” Bevacqua said.

Southern Hills General Manager Nick Sidorakis said he was glad the event is remaining in May. He said the PGA of America did an analysis and found the average temperature in May is 14 degrees cooler than in a typical August. And this will give Southern Hills a chance to have a major event in May prior to the PGA Championship, which has been announced as coming to Southern Hills by 2030 but no date has been confirmed.

“We’re glad to have it in May,” Sidorakis said. “It makes the most sense for our members and it will be great for the people coming out to watch the tournament. It’s a far more powerful date for us.”

The PGA Championship will be occupying the third weekend in May, moving the Senior PGA to the following weekend which is typically Memorial Day weekend. That weekend in 2021 is May 27-30.

“You’ve got to be up against something,” Sidorakis said. “We think that is a great date for us.”