Philly Cricket Club gets senior major in 2016

THIS IS what happens when an already-outstanding golf course undergoes the kind of renovation that makes it even better: It gets recognized. In a big way.

Take Philadelphia Cricket Club. A year ago, the original Wissachickon Course in Flourtown reopened following a long process in which many, if not most, of the trees were removed. Think Oakmont, near Pittsburgh, which did much the same thing before it hosted the 2007 U.S. Open and now looks completely different.

From June 28-July 1, Cricket is hosting the PGA Professional National Championship, which determines the 20 club pros who make it into the field for the PGA Championship in August. The club's newer course, Militia Hill, is also being used for this competition.

In 2020, Cricket will be the site for the new U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship.

And yesterday came the news that Cricket is also getting the 2016 Constellation Senior Players Championship, one of the five majors on the Champions Tour. The dates are June 9-12, or the week before the U.S. Open at Oakmont.

Some trifecta.

Bernard Langer, the 2014 champion, made the announcement on The Golf Channel's Morning Drive show.

"I am excited to know [we're] going to an historic golf course next year," he said.

The Senior Tour held an event in the Philadelphia area from 1985-99, under four different names at three courses. Most fans probably remember it best as the Bell Atlantic Classic at Chester Valley in Malvern. Then it got a new title sponsor and moved to Princeton, where it lasted for three more years.

The last time a Champions major came here was 2003, when the Senior PGA Championship was hosted by Aronimink in Newtown Square.

- Mike Kern