SUNDAY AUGUST 12 2012 – US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
• His fourth European Tour International Schedule victory in his 111th European Tour event.
• Will move back to the top of the Official World Golf Ranking from third.
• Gains his second Major Championship, following his triumph at the 2011 US Open Championship.
• His second Major Championship win comes in his 17th Major Championship appearance.
• Victory comes in his fourth appearance in the US PGA Championship. This is his third top three finish from his four starts in the event. He was tied third in 2009 and 2010, tied 64th in 2011 and first in 2012.
• Becomes the first player from Northern Ireland to win the US PGA Championship.
• Becomes the first player from the United Kingdom to win the US PGA Championship since Tommy Armour in 1930.
• Becomes just the sixth European to win the US PGA Championship, following Jim Barnes (1916 and 1919), Jock Hutchinson (1920), Tommy Armour (1930), Padraig Harrington (2008) and Martin Kaymer (2010).
• Dating back to Graeme McDowell at the US Open Championship, Northern Ireland have won four of the last 11 Major Championships. They are: Graeme McDowell (2010 US Open Championship), Rory McIlroy (2011 US Open Championship and 2012 US PGA Championship) and Darren Clarke (2011 Open Championship).
• His victory means that European Tour Members would have won eight of the last 11 Major Championships, dating back to Graeme McDowell at the 2010 US Open Championship.
• Is the fourth victory in the US PGA Championship by a European Tour Member in the last five seasons, dating back to Padraig Harrington (2008), Y E Yang (2009), Martin Kaymer (2010) and Rory McIlroy (2012).
• Aged 23 years and 100 days becomes the youngest player to win the event since it became stroke play in 1958.
OTHER FACTS
• His sixth top ten finish in a Major Championship from his 17 appearances.
• The 45th Major Championship victory by a European Tour Member since Seve Ballesteros won The Open Championship in 1979.
• Becomes the 12th different European Tour Member to win two or more Major Championships.
• Since The European Tour’s first season in 1972, becomes the third player from the United Kingdom to win multiple Major Championships, following Sir Nick Faldo and Sandy Lyle.
• His eight shot victory is the largest in a Major Championship since McIlroy won the 2011 US Open Championship by eight.
• His eighth shot victory in the US PGA Championship is the largest since the event became stroke play in 1958, beating the seven of Jack Nicklaus in 1980.
• His eighth shot victory is the largest on The European Tour in 2012, beating the five shots of Bernd Wiesberger (Ballantine’s Championship) and Lee Westwood (Nordea Masters).
• Stops the run of 16 consecutive different Major winners dating back to Padraig Harrington at the 2008 US PGA Championship.
• Aged 23 years and 100 days becomes the youngest player to win his first two Major Championships since Seve Ballesteros, who was 23 years and four days when he won second Major at the 1980 Masters Tournament.
• Since 1950 would become the 13th player to win Major Championship in consecutive seasons and the first since Padraig Harrington (2007 Open Championship and 2008 Open Championship and 2088 US PGA Championship).
• The 45th Northern Irish win in European Tour history.
• The second Northern Irish win of the 2012 season, following Michael Hoey at the Trophée Hassan II.
• Moves over €13 million in European Tour Official Career Earnings from just 111 events.
• Gains a place in the 2012 PGA Grand Slam of Golf, 2012 WGC – HSBC Champions and 2013 Volvo Golf Champions.
• Gains a lifetime exemption into the US PGA Championship.
• Extends his European Tour exemption until the end of 2019.
• His sixth win as a professional and first since the 2011 UBS Hong Kong Open.
