Remembering Ted Bishop’s epic trophy drop at the 2014 PGA Championship

Back at the PGA Championship in August of 2014, before he ever called Ian Poulter a “lil girl” on Twitter and was dismissed from his duties, white-haired Ted Bishop was riding high as the outspoken head of the PGA of America.

The 2014 PGA Championship, if you’ll recall, was a helluva tournament. A mad dash to the finish in encroaching darkness, Rory McIlroy beating back the charges of Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, and Henrik Stenson with an eagle at the 10th and birdies at the 13th and 17th holes. It was exciting. A great tournament. Arguably the best major of the year.

The W was McIlroy’s second major victory in a row (and third tournament in a row). And in an homage to the sponsor of the season-ending cup, he dressed like a FedEx employee for the occasion (not really, but kinda).

The trophy presentation at weather-beaten Valhalla was hurried along due to the falling darkness. We’ll pick up the story here. Check out the video and the play-by-play commentary below.

We’ll pick up the story here. Check out the video and the play-by-play commentary below.

:03: The conquering hero emerges! A fix of the hair and a wave to the crowd, Rory strides boldly toward the 18th green to collect his silver.

:12: ANGLE ON BISHOP. “Boy this thing’s heavier than the weight of regret I’ll soon be feeling after some ill-considered use of social media!”(The troph weighs a reported 27 pounds)

:13: Ted! Was this your plan all along? You were once a PGA professional so you must understand basic physics. Removing one hand from the trophy creates a fulcrum at the other. That trophy is gonna swing, baby!

And being intimately acquainted with the Wanamaker as you have, you know its lid comes off…which it will once it swings. The move was always to set the damn thing down.

Maybe it’s McIlroy’s fault though, really, as he went for the handshake first and Bishop couldn’t leave the PGA champion hanging. At a minimum, blame needs to be directed at McIlroy as well as poor Ted in The Case of the Wobbly Wanamaker.

14: Well, that went exactly as expected.

15: Save the trophy, the damn lid!

16: Sure-handed Rory to the rescue! Rory emerges from the affair smelling like roses, but don’t you forget, if not for his extended hand, Bishop would never have let go of the trophy. All of this begs the question: Did Rory McIlroy set Bishop up? Was it a conspiracy to make the head of the PGA look like a fool ahead of the Ryder Cup?

24: BISHOP: “Take this damn thing away from me!”

:25: RORY: “Well, I’ve already done this once, so I’ll take it from here, Teddy Boy!”

Here’s a final question, though, why does the top of the Wanamaker come off anyway? Surely not merely so the victorious can drink from it?

Oh, that’s right, so you can put French Bulldogs in it.

Prince Louie Dufner in the Wanamaker Trophy. (Photo source: Twitter)

That’s Prince Louie Dufner, if you remember. Furry offspring of Jason Dufner (winner of the 2013 PGA Championship) and his then-wife Amanda.

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