PGA Championship: City Of Tulsa Getting Recognition As A Sports Market

Golf's biggest stage is really nothing new for Tulsa, with Southern Hills often in the rotation for major events.

PGA Championship Director Bryan Karns says Tulsa serving as host for PGA Championship really validates the city as a true sports city.

Karns says many people think a city needs an NFL or NBA team to make it successful, but Tulsa's interest in events like the PGA Championship validates them nationally.

The city is home to collegiate events and franchises like FC Tulsa, the Chili Bowl and the USA BMX National Headquarters and Hall of Fame Museum. The Ironman triathlon is also set to take place in Tulsa for the second consecutive year.

Organizers say these types of events play a role in Tulsa's contention for sporting events.

"it's really about the next 10 years, 15 years between when we come back and making sure that the Ironman's, the NCAA tournaments, all the other things that Tulsa that I know is working on bringing into the city, that those continue to come and that Tulsa points to this PGA Championship saying, look, if we can do this we can do anything," said Karns.

Sunday will be a busy day for the City of Tulsa as the championship round concludes at Southern Hills and Ironman Triathlon gets underway in parts of Tulsa and Osage counties.