Traditionally held on the first week of August, the US PGA Championship at Baltusrol in New Jersey has now been brought forward to July 28 to 31, in order to avoid a clash with the Rio 216 Olympic Games which run from August 5 to 21.

The change would be the first time the US PGA Championship has not been played in August since 1971, when Jack Nicklaus won in late February at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Golf is returning to the Olympic programme for the first time in more than a century, it having last appeared at St Louis in 1904. 

"The PGA of America is excited for what the year 2016 means for our Association and the game of golf," PGA of America President Ted Bishop said in a statement.

"It promises to be a historic season on many levels.

"We celebrate our centennial; our PGA Championship is being hosted on one of the greatest courses in America and the Olympic Games cap the summer by welcoming back golf as an official sport.

"We believe that moving up the PGA Championship date that year is a win-win for our viewing audience, our spectators as well as for what is likely to be once again the strongest field in golf."

The only other time the PGA Championships has not been held in August was in 1971 when Jack Nicklaus won in late February at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
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The British Open in 2016 will be played from July 11 to 17 meaning there will only be one week between the two majors.

That year also sees the US Open held from June 13 to 19, putting just 47 days between the beginning of the US Open and the end of the US PGA Championship.

"It really wasn't difficult at all to come up with that date," PGA of America chief executive Pete Bevacqua said at Valhalla Golf Club, Kentucky on the eve of this year's US PGA Championship, which is due to start today. 

"We worked closely with the Royal & Ancient and the United States Golf Association and obviously Augusta National being the caretakers of the other majors, and it just makes sense.

"Obviously with the Olympics, it's also a Ryder Cup year; you throw in obviously the FedExCup, so it's a very congested schedule."

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