1971 PGA Championship

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox individual golf tournament

| name = 1971 PGA Championship

| image =

| dates = February 25–28, 1971

| location = Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

| course = PGA National Golf Club,
(now BallenIsles
Country Club, East Course){{cite web|url=http://www.ballenisles.org/index.php/golf|publisher=BallenIsles Country Club|title=Golf|access-date=July 20, 2012|archive-date=November 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104190745/http://www.ballenisles.org/index.php/golf|url-status=dead}}

| org = PGA of America

| tour = PGA Tour

| par = 72

| yardage = {{convert|7096|yd}}

| field = 144 players, 81 after cut

| cut = 149 (+5)

| purse = $202,440

| winners_share = $40,000

| champion = {{flagicon|USA}} Jack Nicklaus

| score = 281 (−7)

| previous = 1970

| next = 1972

}}

{{Location map

|USA

|relief = 1

|label = PGA National

|lat = 26.832

|long = -80.117

|caption = Location in the United States

|marksize = 5

|float =

|background =

|width = 240

}}

{{Location map

|USA Florida

|relief = 1

|label = PGA National

|lat = 26.832

|long = -80.117

|caption = Location in Florida

|marksize = 5

|float =

|background =

|width = 180

}}

The 1971 PGA Championship was the 53rd PGA Championship, played February 25–28 at the original PGA National Golf Club, presently known as BallenIsles Country Club (East Course){{cite web |url=http://www.pgamediaguide.com/pgachampionship_detail.cfm?tournament_id=397&date=1971&tourn_name_id=2 |title=Tournament Info for: 1971 PGA Championship |work=PGA of America |access-date=July 20, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120809072316/http://www.pgamediaguide.com/pgachampionship_detail.cfm?tournament_id=397&date=1971&tourn_name_id=2 |archive-date=August 9, 2012 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=http://www.ballenisles.org/index.php/about-the-club/history|publisher=BallenIsles Country Club|title=Club history|access-date=July 20, 2012|archive-date=August 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120816005431/http://www.ballenisles.org/index.php/about-the-club/history|url-status=dead}} in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Jack Nicklaus won the second of his five PGA Championships, two strokes ahead of Billy Casper, the reigning Masters champion. Nicklaus led wire-to-wire,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jNpRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0y8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=5744%2C4847622|newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho |agency=Associated Press |title=Jack Nicklaus takes lead in PGA golf tournament |date=February 26, 1971|page=19}}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jdpRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0y8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=5484%2C4992476 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune |location=Idaho |agency=Associated Press |title=Nicklaus takes 2-stroke lead in PGA |date=February 27, 1971 |page=12 }} and held a four-stroke lead over Gary Player after 54 holes, with Casper seven shots back.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=jtpRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0y8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=5818%2C5171615 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune|location=Idaho |agency=Associated Press |title=Nicklaus runs four birds to increase his PGA lead |date=February 28, 1971 |page=15 }} The two were pre-tournament favorites, along with Arnold Palmer,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=i9pRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0y8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3469%2C4560298 |newspaper=Lewiston Morning Tribune|location=Idaho |agency=Associated Press |title=Palmer, Nicklaus PGA co-favorites |date=February 25, 1971 |page=17 }} who shot an opening round 75 and finished at 289 (+1), eight strokes back.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rNBOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zwEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7352%2C974679 |newspaper=Toledo Blade |location=Ohio |last=Loomis |first=Tom |title=Jack the giant killer - 2nd PGA falls to Nicklaus |date=March 1, 1971 |page=15}}

Nicklaus became the first in history to complete the modern career Grand Slam for a second time; two victories in each of the four major championships. He completed his third career grand slam at the 1978 Open Championship.

The championship was played in February rather than August, due to anticipated oppressive summer weather in Florida. The rescheduling changed the PGA Championship from the fourth and final major of the calendar year to the first in 1971, and the 1970 and 1971 editions were consecutive majors. It returned to August in 1972 at Oakland Hills in Michigan.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1971/03/08/617921/dominance-of-the-smiling-bear|magazine=Sports Illustrated |title=Dominance of the Smiling Bear |last=Jenkins |first=Dan |author-link=Dan Jenkins |date=March 8, 1971 |page=22 |access-date=August 12, 2011}}