Els could return to defend his PGA Grand Slam title

It was announced on Tuesday that the previous winner of the Grand Slam will be the first alternate if one of the major winners declines to attend.

The PGA Grand Slam of Golf pits the four major winners — the Masters, The Open, the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship — against each other in an end-of-the-season event.

In the past, when a winner was unavailable to attend the Grand Slam, it went to a points system among past major winners to determine who would be the first alternate.

David Charles, senior director of championships, announced the change at Port Royal Golf Course, home of the 2011 and 2012 PGA Grand Slam of Golf.

He said: “The PGA of America is extremely pleased to be returning to Bermuda to the Port Royal Golf Course and the Fairmont Southampton again.

“Our six years that we’re going to have here is on track to join Hawaii, which had 13 grand slams in a row.”

Mr. Charles said the change in the alternate system will add even more glamour to the event because in the past the previous winner was not always given the opportunity to defend his title.

Mr. Els, who won the PGA Grand Slam last October, will be able to come back to defend his title if he fails to win a major and a major winner declines the invitation.

If he wins a major, the PGA will look at its major champions points list to find another golfer if someone declines the opportunity to compete in Bermuda.

Mr. Charles said: “We do put a lot of pressure on them to come here.

“We put a lot of pressure but there are some outside circumstances.”

Last year, Phil Mickelson declined his invitation citing health reasons and Tiger Woods pulled out in 2008 due to the birth of his son and in 2009 for knee surgery.

Allen Wronowski, president of the PGA of America, said: “The PGA Grand Slam of Golf is a special reward to a major champion, and an event that few players in the game have experienced.

 “We are pleased to give our Champion of Champions, should the opportunity arise, the opportunity to defend his title in the season’s premier foursome.”

The PGA Grand Slam of Golf features a $1.35 million purse, with the winner receiving $600,000, second place $300,000, third place $250,000 and fourth place $200,000.

The Fairmont Southampton Resort will once again be the host hotel for the event.