The 1959 PGA Championship was the 41st edition of the tournament, held at Minneapolis Golf Club in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. South African Gary Player won his first major championship with a record-setting score of 276, becoming the first international player to win the PGA Championship in the stroke-play era.
The 41st PGA Championship began at Minneapolis Golf Club in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. The tournament was played in stroke-play format over 72 holes, only the second year the PGA Championship used this format after switching from match play in 1958.
The opening round saw competitive scoring at Minneapolis Golf Club. A field of top professional golfers competed over the par-70 layout during the summer conditions in Minnesota.
After 36 holes, 23-year-old South African Gary Player positioned himself near the top of the leaderboard. Player, already an established international competitor, was seeking his first major championship victory on American soil.
Gary Player took the 54-hole lead, positioning himself for a historic victory. His consistent play through three rounds put him in position to challenge the PGA Championship scoring record and to become the first South African to win a major championship.
The 1959 PGA Championship was the first and only time Minneapolis Golf Club hosted the PGA Championship. The club, located in St. Louis Park, a suburb of Minneapolis, provided a par-70 layout that yielded record-low scoring for the championship.
Gary Player won the 1959 PGA Championship with a total score of 276, setting a new tournament scoring record. The victory marked Player's first major championship title and made him the first non-American born player to win the PGA Championship in the stroke-play era.
Gary Player's triumph at age 23 established him as a global golf star and was a pivotal moment in his career, which would eventually include nine major championships and a career Grand Slam. The win at Minneapolis Golf Club signaled the arrival of international golfers competing at the highest level in American major championships.
