The KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship welcomed its returning champion to Harbor Shores and Benton Harbor for the first time on Monday with a Media Day event showcasing golfer Alex Cejka.
Cejka won the event in 2021 at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma, notching his second win on the PGA Tour Champions. It was his first year on the senior tour after turning age 50. His other win last year came just a couple of weeks earlier at the prestigious Regions Traditions tournament in Alabama.
Cejka got a whirlwind tour of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor Monday, hosted by Senior PGA, Harbor Shores and Whirlpool/KitchenAid representatives. Stops included Forte Coffee and Water Street Glass Works in Benton Harbor’s Arts District and a morning fishing trip with champion fisherman Ron Nelson on the St. Joseph River. Fishing is one of Cejka’s passions when he’s not on the golf course.
Cejka commented that fishing here is different than in Europe, where it’s mostly done in ponds and small rivers. He said he put on five layers of clothing to join Nelson in mid-30s temperatures on the River. And the effort produced four bass according to PGA officials.
Cejka’s life story is an interesting one. He was born in the Czech Republic in 1970. He fled the then-Communist country with his father, settling in Germany at age nine. He told reporters, “I’m so grateful to my Dad that he had the courage to do it. No work, no job, no nothing, but we made a life in Germany.” Young Alex took up golf and by 18 turned professional, hoping to play on the European PGA Tour.
Among the players on the European Tour in the 80s was another German—who Cejka calls his “golf idol”—Bernhard Langer. “When Bernhard came to play in the German National Championship, I skipped school to go watch him play. He was my idol,” says Cejka.
Langer is 64 now, and still going strong on the PGA Tour Champions—competing against Cejka, who says, “I’m amazed at Bernhard. His courage and passion are evident. It must hurt at his age, but he keeps going. He plays every tournament. He’s first on the driving range and last to leave at night.”
Bernhard Langer is having one of his best years in recent memory and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Cejka and Langer in strong contention—or even paired as leaders—on Sunday of this year’s KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship. These are the stories that endear the game of golf to so many fans of the sport.
Cejka says he’s pleased to be on the Champions Tour because the ‘regular’ tour has changed so dramatically in the past three years due to a crowd of strong young players and new equipment technology. “Players are hitting so long,” he says, “I was struggling. The 23-year-olds outplay you even on a bad day.”
However on the Champions circuit Cejka finds himself competitive and in the thick of the competition week after week. He points out, “There’s no other sport like golf where you can compete for 30 or 40 years.”
Cejka won three times on the European Tour back in 1995 and a fourth event in 2002 before moving to the US. He played the PGA Tour from 2002 to 2011, but never won and lost his playing status. He regained his ‘tour card’ in 2015 and won the Puerto Rico Open—his only PGA Tour victory.
Cejka’s fortune turned quickly on the PGA Tour Champions, becoming the first player since Arnold Palmer to win his first two senior majors (Regions and KitchenAid) and the first ‘rookie senior’ to win two majors since Jack Nicklaus in 1990. They call that ‘good company!’
More Details about The KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship
The 82nd KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship will be played at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, May 25-29, 2022. The Championship, one of the most historic and prestigious events in senior golf, not only brings the most accomplished senior golfers to the area, but also provides a variety of family-friendly experiences for all to enjoy.
The 2022 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship schedule is as follows:
Wednesday, May 25: Practice round
Thursday, May 26 – Sunday, May 29: Championship rounds
The PGA of America will once again offer free access to fans ages 17 and under. Each ticketed adult may bring up to four juniors under the age of 17 onto the Championship grounds at Harbor Shores for free each day; no registration for juniors is necessary.
All Active Duty, Military Retirees, Active Reserve, National Guard, Department of Defense civilians and an accompanying guest will also be admitted free of charge to the Championship as part of the PGA of America’s commitment to various military initiatives and remembering the men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces.
KitchenAid is the title sponsor of the Championship, which is held at Harbor Shores every other year. The event was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, making this year’s highly anticipated event even more exciting. KitchenAid is part of Whirlpool Corp., which is headquartered in Benton Harbor.
Fans can learn more about the brand sponsorship and get updates at @KitchenAid_golf or @seniorpgachamp on Twitter. For more information about the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship or to purchase tickets, visit SrPGA.com.
