In 1916, 56 years after the first Open Championship and 21 years after the inaugural U.S. Open, the PGA Championship was born. The same year, it also received the status of the third major in professional golf. Just like the iconic titles of every other major, the PGA Championship also needed a trophy that signified the prestige of winning the major. That’s what the Wanamaker Trophy was all about when it was first given to the winner of the inaugural event, Jim Barnes, who beat the field in a match-play format.
The trophy was named after one of the most influential individuals in the history of the PGA of America, Rodman Wanamaker. He was an established businessman back in the early 1900s and one of the founding members of the PGA. Wanamaker led the team of 35 charter members who formed the PGA of America in the same year as the major was established, 1916. Hence, the stature of his contribution was perfectly complemented by the huge Wanamaker Trophy that weighs 27 pounds. It’s also 28 inches in height and 10 1/2 inches in diameter.
Over the years, the Wanamaker Trophy has gone through a lot of challenges. It endured the First World War from its establishment till 1918, saw the launch of Yankee Stadium, and experienced the Great Depression. Yet, the biggest threat the trophy faced was from someone who won it most times alongside Jack Nicklaus, Walter Hagen. From 1921 to 1927, Hagen won the PGA Championship five times. And until 1926, the tournament officials allowed players to take the trophy home with them. However, the golf legend refused to return it to the PGA Championship in 1926. Eventually, the major officials had to get a replacement trophy from 1927 onwards.
The PGA of America posted an interesting story of how Walter Hagen managed to lose a 27-pound title. Immediately after winning it in 1925, the golf legend went on to celebrate with his fellow golfers in Waterloo, Iowa. Unfortunately, he couldn’t carry around the mammoth Wanamaker Trophy with him everywhere. So he decided to cut a deal with the taxi driver as he asked him to deliver the prestigious title to his cottage. For $5, that seemed like an outstanding idea to the enthusiastic Hagen back then. However, it turned into a huge mistake for him and the PGA of America.
After a night of drinks and entertainment, a worn-out Hagen returned to his cottage in the wee hours. While he hadn’t revealed it to anyone yet, the 5x PGA Championship winner had known that the Wanamaker Trophy had never been delivered to his cottage. A year went by, and when it was time for the 1926 PGA Championship, the tournament officials asked Hagen to present the title. Being the best golfer during that time, he confidently said, “I will win it anyway, so I didn’t bring it.” The tournament official let it go that year and the year after, as Hagen won his fourth and fifth PGA Championship titles. But on both occasions, he was pictured without holding the 27-pound title. It was only when he lost the PGA Championship in 1928 that he admitted to losing it altogether three years ago.
From then on till 1930, the PGA of America was awarding another trophy to the winners of the major. However, just days before the 1913 PGA Championship, an unknown individual delivered the surprise package at the doorstep of the Wannamoisett Country Club. The venue for that year’s PGA Championship had just received the original title back. The press release read, “The original Rodman Wanamaker Trophy… turned up again today as mysteriously as it disappeared six years ago.” This confirmed the return of the iconic Rodman Wanamaker Trophy to its home.
Since then, the original 27-pound trophy has been making an annual appearance during the PGA Championship. But it’s still safely kept at the Home of the PGA of America in Frisco, Texas, for the remainder of the year. So what do the champions take back with them back home?
Change of tradition in the PGA Championship after the drama from 1926
The entire Walter Hagen fiasco was a huge eye-opener for the PGA of America. They wanted to avoid putting themselves in such a situation ever again in the future. Even before Hagen confessed that he had lost the Wanamaker Trophy, the tournament officials had decided not to allow the champions to take the title back home.
Since 1926, the PGA of America has been giving the winners of the PGA Championship a replica of the Wanamaker Trophy. The winner is allowed to take home the replica and bring it back to the major in the following year. If the champion is not able to retain the title again, then they are awarded another smaller version of the Wanamaker Trophy as a souvenir. It’s about 10% smaller than the original trophy. After the roller coaster ride from its early years, it’s no surprise that the PGA of America has taken such drastic steps to protect the integrity and prestige of the Wanamaker Trophy.
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