The Original Wanamaker Trophy was made in 1916. The first name engraved on the trophy was Jim Barnes. The great golfer Walter Hagen went on quite a run winning the PGA Championship between 1924 to 1927. It wasn’t until 1926 that Hagen was asked about the whereabouts of the Wanamaker Trophy. It was then when he admitted he had lost it and had no idea where it was anymore.
So, a duplicate trophy was made in 1926 and was presented to Hagen. With all hope lost, that trophy became the official winner’s trophy moving forward. However, about three years later in 1930 the original Wanamaker Trophy was found in the cellar of a golf equipment company. Instead of reinstating the original, it was put on display at the PGA of America in Texas. So, the trophy used since and that will be awarded to this year’s winner is the duplicate.