Former PGA Prez: "PGA Championship in May? No way"

Former PGA of America president Ted Bishop pens an item for the Morning Read questioning the possible PGA Championship move to May?

Given Bishop's intimate working knowledge of the current PGA of America way of thinking, his insights are particularly impactful. If this were match play, Bishop sees PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan winning this one 5&4 over the PGA of America's Pete Bevacqua.

Bishop suggests agronomy as the main concern, especially in the greater New York area.

Worse yet, May virtually eliminates some of the classic PGA Championship venues such as Hazeltine, Medinah, Whistling Straits and Baltusrol. Because of climatic conditions, the PGA Championship map would shrink if the event were to move to May or earlier. 

Early spring jeopardizes even Valhalla in Louisville, Ky., a site owned by the PGA and one that Bevacqua seemingly has shunned. In 2012, the PGA spent $5.5 million in course renovations and delivered a memorable ’14 championship won by Rory McIlroy as darkness fell. There is nothing on the docket for Valhalla. It will be the first time since 1996 that the PGA has gone longer than four years in playing a PGA, Ryder Cup or Senior PGA at its own facility. Louisville is renowned for the Kentucky Derby in early May, so where does the PGA Championship fit in the corporate picture later in the month at Louisville? It fits nowhere.

As for the PGA of America's motive in listening to the PGA Tour on this, Bishop speculates...

Maybe it makes sense for Monahan to cough up the PGA’s purse of $10 million per year to cement his FedEx deal for the future. It still would be a bad deal for the PGA, which can own the August sports calendar for three out of every four years.