M

is for MATCH PLAY From the first championship in 1916 until 1957, the US PGA was a match play tournament. This all changed in 1958 when organizers, under pressure from the American television networks, switched to a stroke play format. In recent times there have been calls from some within the industry to return the championship to match play in order to differentiate what is arguably the weakest of the majors from the other three stroke play grand slam events.

N

is for NINTH ALTERNATE John Daly's victory at the 1991 championship, a win that launched his rollercoaster career, was arguably the most improbable in the tournament's history. As the ninth – and final – alternate for the event, Daly only got into the field after Nick Price pulled out the day before the first round and none of the other standby players could make it in time. Driving through the night from his home in Arkansas to the Crooked Stick Golf Club in Indiana, Daly, without the aid of a practice round ,managed to card a 69 on the day. Further rounds of 67, 69 and 71 gave him a three-stroke victory over Bruce Lietzke. The "Wild Thing" was born.

O

is for OLDEST WINNER. In 1968, Julius Boros, then 48, defied the Texas heat and a last-hole charge by Arnold Palmer to become the oldest major champion of all time, at Pecan Valley Country Club in San Antonio. Boros, who was of Hungarian descent, also won the 1952 and 1963 US Opens.

P

is for PLAY-OFFS Since becoming a stroke play tournament, there have been 16 play-offs at the US PGA, the last of which came in 2010 when Germany's Martin Kaymer overcame Bubba Watson at Whistling Straits. Play-offs at the tournament are no longer decided by sudden death; instead, the lowest three-hole aggregate score determines the winner.

Q

is for QUALIFICATION. The championship was established for the purpose of providing a high-profile tournament specifically for professional golfers at a time when they were generally not held in high esteem in a sport that was largely run by wealthy amateurs. This origin is still reflected in the entry system – it is the only major which does not explicitly invite leading amateurs to compete and the only one which reserves a large number of places – 20 out of 156 spots – for club professionals.

R

is for RODMAN WANAMAKER, the wealthy department store owner who is credited with helping to formulise the Professional Golfers' Association in 1916. The US PGA champion earns the Wanamaker Trophy, one of the largest trophies in golf.