Tulsans whose livelihoods center on the occupation of hotel rooms and the sale of food and drinks probably remember May 16-22 as having been their favorite week of 2022.
For the Tulsans who love important, well-played golf, May 16-22 was undoubtedly the best week of the year.
All of those people — the ones whose finances needed another PGA Championship and the ones who couldn’t wait to spend big on tickets and merchandise — should regard Nick Sidorakis in the same way that this Tulsa World Magazine does: as a Tulsan of the Year type of figure.
Sidorakis’ relationships with PGA of America decision-makers were a significant factor in Southern Hills Country Club scoring an eighth professional major championship.
Beyond the Southern Hills property, Sidorakis has been an advocate for desperately needed improvements on city of Tulsa-owned courses at Mohawk Park and Page Belcher.
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As the Southern Hills general manager/CEO since 1995, Sidorakis captained the club’s hosting of the 1995 and 1996 Tour Championship, 2001 US Open, 2007 PGA Championship, 2009 US Amateur, 2021 Senior PGA Championship and 2022 PGA Championship.
As Sidorakis intends to retire at the end of 2023, the 2022 PGA Championship stands as the final signature event in his current role. From a business standpoint, it was historic. The PGA Championship generated an impact estimated to have been $157.7 million on the Tulsa economy.
As the most lucrative event in the city’s history, how did the 2022 PGA Championship compare to previous Southern Hills tournaments? The 2001 US Open had a local-economy impact of $65 million. The 2007 PGA Championship: $70 million.
Adjusted for inflation, $70 million in 2007 would be equal to $100 million. As so many restaurants and hotels had been critically injured by the pandemic shutdown, a $157.7 million golf major was perfectly timed.
“I put it up as the best championship I’ve ever worked,” Sidorakis said. “This was the best one.”
The PGA Championship easily surpassed the pre-tournament prediction of a $143 million impact and delivered as a dramatically competitive event with perfect weekend weather and a popular champion (Justin Thomas, who rallied from an eight-shot, final-round deficit to prevail over Will Zalatoris in a playoff).
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