Bernhard Langer recovered from 2011 thumb surgery and making his impact felt again in senior golf and heads a list of 36 international players, representing 18 countries, in the 73rd Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, from May 24 - 27 at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Begun in 1937, the Senior PGA Championship has featured six international Champions combining for nine titles. Denis Watson, a native of Zimbabwe, who triumphed in 2007, was the last international-born Champion of the most historic and prestigious event in senior golf.
Langer, 54, missed the Senior PGA Championship a year ago after a freak left-thumb injury suffered in an off-season biking accident. That mishap delayed his return to play until mid-June.
Prior to the injury, Langer had finished among the top 25 in three consecutive Senior PGA Championships, including a runner-up finish in 2008. This year, he has posted six top-10 finishes, including two runner-up and one third-place performance.
The 2012 Senior PGA Championship international roster includes England's Gary Wolstenholme, winner of last week's Mallorca Senior Open, the season-opening event on the European Senior Tour. He will make his second Championship appearance. England's Paul Wesselingh, who makes his debut in the Senior PGA Championship, is a former club professional and a six-time PGA Cup standout. He shared runner-up honors in Mallorca in his European Senior Tour debut.
The complete international roster competing at the 73rd Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid: Gordon Brand Jr. (Scotland); Roger Chapman (England); Trevor Dodds (Namibia); Marc Farry (France); Peter Fowler (Australia); Angel Franco (Paraguay); David Frost (South Africa); Michael Harwood (Australia); Mark James (England); Jong-Duck Kim (South Korea); Barry Lane (England); Bernhard Langer (Germany); Chien-Soon Lu (Taiwan); Sandy Lyle (Scotland); Graham Marsh (Australia); Miguel Angel Martin (Spain); Mark McNulty (Zimbabwe); Francisco Minoza (Philippines); Mark Mouland (England); Kiyoshi Murota (Japan); Andrew Oldcorn (Scotland); Juan Quiros (Spain); Eduardo Romero (Argentina); Boonchu Ruangkit (Thailand); David Russell (Scotland); Jim Rutledge (Canada); Peter Seniors (Australia); Nobuo Serizawa (Japan); Andrew Sherborne (England); Ikuo Shirahama (Japan); Rod Spittle (Canada); Philip Walton (Ireland); Denis Watson (Zimbabwe); Paul Wesselingh (England); Christopher Williams (South Africa); and Gary Wolstenholme (England).
Past international Senior PGA Champions include: Jock Hutchison (Scotland), 1937, '47; Fred McLeod (Scotland), 1938; Roberto De Vicenzo (Argentina), 1974; Peter Thomson (Australia), 1984; Gary Player (South Africa) 1986, '88, '90; Denis Watson (Zimbabwe), 2007.
The 73rd Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid welcomes back defending Champion Tom Watson, who also captured the Alfred S. Bourne Trophy in 2001. He is joined by seven other past Champions: Michael Allen (2009); Jay Haas (2006, '08), Denis Watson; Mike Reid (2005); Hale Irwin (1996, '97, '98, 2004); Tom Lehman (2010); and Tom Wargo (1993).
Joining Watson are seven other past Senior PGA Champions: Tom Lehman (2010), Michael Allen (2009), Jay Haas (2006, '08), Denis Watson (2007), Mike Reid (2005), Hale Irwin (1996, '97, '98, 2004), and Tom Wargo (1993).
The Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid is the oldest event on the Champions Tour, originating in 1937 at Augusta National Golf Club at the invitation of the legendary amateur Bobby Jones.
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