My AI-powered engine, which has replaced the dictionary for many, defines the word ‘concession’ as the act of yielding or giving up something, especially to reach an agreement. Many recognize the word when they think about how long it takes today’s politicians to finally step up and deliver a concession speech after losing an election.
One thing is certain: no one will be conceding any putts during the 86th PGA Senior Championship at The Concession Golf Club, a crown jewel of the Sarasota and Bradenton region of Florida, from April 16-19.
What’s in a Name
The course, co-designed by Jack Nicklaus and Tony Jacklin, is named after what club owner Bruce Cassidy calls “the greatest example of sportsmanship in history.” It references a famous moment in the final round of the 1969 Ryder Cup at Royal Birkdale, when Jack Nicklaus conceded a three-foot putt to Tony Jacklin, even though the U.S. team had already scored enough points to retain the Cup through a tie. If Jacklin had missed the putt, the U.S. would have won the match outright.
Sarasota resident Jacklin approached Nicklaus with the idea. The Golden Bear was fully on board, and The Concession opened twenty years ago.
Few professionals know it better than Paul Azinger, the 1993 PGA Championship winner, who has become an outstanding TV golf analyst. He grew up in this area, was one of the club’s original members, and was only 9 years old when Jack conceded on the northeast coast of England.
As his game continued to develop, Azinger won 12 times on the PGA Tour, served as captain of the winning 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup team, and his appreciation for that concession grew even more.
“It really set the bar for what the standard should be for golf etiquette, win, lose or draw,” Azinger said.
The Course
I recently had the chance to play on the Concession and can tell you that even the top players face a challenge. It’s tough both on and off the greens. Many are aware of this and have hurried to find a way to experience the course themselves before or after a couple of recent PGA Tour Champions events in Naples and Boca Raton.
“Familiarity is a nice thing, but not necessarily the way the PGA sets it up. This course is tricky off the tee. You can’t hit driver on every hole. You have to play smart strategic golf. I’m not sure where the safest places are to miss on any given hole,” Azinger added. “I also don’t think that length is an advantage, but trajectory is going to make a difference because the ball has to carry in narrow landing areas.”
Having spent nearly four decades with the PGA of America, Chief Championships Officer Kerry Haigh is ultimately responsible for course setup. Until recently, Haigh, who has held that position since 2013, said he did not realize that Colin Morikawa won a PGA Tour event here five years ago with a score of 18-under par.
“The score is what it is, and we don’t have a score in mind. We just want it to be fair and a great challenge and great test,” Haigh said of the 6,972-yard course. “There will be some birdie opportunities. We hope the par fives will all be reachable, so I think there are opportunities for excitement, but there are also a lot of opportunities for trouble and challenging hole locations.”
“If a player misses on the wrong side, getting up and down, The Concession will be as tough as anywhere in the country,” according to Haigh.
The PGA of America signed a three-year deal to move the Senior PGA Championship to The Concession. It is the first time the longest-running senior major will be played in the sunshine state since it was held at PGA National from 1982 to 2000.
Masters and U.S. Open champion Angel Cabrera is the defending champion and one of 24 major winners in the field, according to Eric Nuxol, the Championship Director, who was joined by a group of business, political, and tourism leaders at this week’s media preview at the course in Bradenton. That itself highlights the importance of hosting this event.
Nuxol states they are still welcoming both volunteers and local businesses interested in supporting the tournament this year and beyond. A variety of sponsorship packages are available, and fans can purchase tickets for the 2026 Senior PGA Championship at https://www.srpgachampionship.com/tickets/
