PGA Championship Sets Ticket Sales Record For This Summer's Tourney At Valhalla

The PGA of America yesterday announced that it has "set an overall ticket sales record" for the Aug. 7-10 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, according to Jonathan Lintner of the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL. PGA Championship Dir Brett Sterba said that the PGA "reserved lots at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium and Churchill Downs for free public parking with shuttles running the 20 or so miles" to Valhalla from Aug. 4-10. Lintner reports the PGA "will release a finalized parking plan for the Championship sometime in June or July," as they are "expecting 46,000 spectators per day" from Thursday to Sunday. The ‘96 and ‘00 Championships at Valhalla saw crowds of 35,000-40,000, but since then the course was "fully acquired by the PGA of America and reshaped some of its viewing areas." The overall ticket sales record was "previously held" by the '04 Championship at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin, though the PGA does not release official sales figures (Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL, 4/16).