1954 PGA Championship
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | July 21–27, 1954 |
| Location | Maplewood, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Course(s) | Keller Golf Club |
| Organized by | PGA of America |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Match play - 6 rounds |
| Statistics | |
| Par | 71 |
| Length | 6,652 yards (6,083 m)[1] |
| Field | 135 players,[1] 64 to match play |
| Cut | 147 (+5), no playoff needed |
| Prize fund | $20,700[2] |
| Winner's share | $5,000 |
| Champion | |
 Chick Harbert | |
| def. Walter Burkemo, 4 and 3 | |
The 1954 PGA Championship was the 36th PGA Championship, held July 21–27 at Keller Golf Club in Maplewood, Minnesota, a suburb north of St. Paul. Chick Harbert won the match play championship, 4 and 3 over defending champion Walter Burkemo in the Tuesday final;[3] the winner's share was $5,000 and the runner-up's was $3,000.[4]
It marked the second time the PGA Championship returned to a venue; public Keller had also hosted in 1932; Oakmont near Pittsburgh hosted in 1922 and 1951. It was the third and last final for the two finalists, both from the Detroit area; each had one victory and two losses. Harbert lost in 1947 and 1952, while Burkemo lost in 1951 and won in 1953.
In the finals, Burkemo eagled the first hole and was three up after four holes, but soon cooled off; the match was even on the twelfth tee and Harbert led by one at the lunch break. The afternoon round was bogey-free for both, but Harbert had five birdies to Burkemo's two and the match ended on the 33rd green.[3]
Ed "Porky" Oliver won $250 as the medalist in the stroke-play qualifying with a 136 (−6);[5][6] he fell 3 and 1 in the third round to eventual champion Harbert.[7][8]
Format
The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1954 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in seven days:[2]
- Wednesday and Thursday – 36-hole stroke play qualifier, 18 holes per day;
- the defending champion Walter Burkemo and top 63 professionals advanced to match play
- Friday – first two rounds, 18 holes each
- Saturday – third round – 36 holes
- Sunday – quarterfinals – 36 holes
- Monday – semifinals – 36 holes
- Tuesday – final – 36 holes
Final results
Tuesday, July 27, 1954
| Place | Player | Money ($) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chick Harbert |
5,000 |
| 2 | Walter Burkemo |
3,000 |
| T3 | Tommy Bolt |
750 |
| Cary Middlecoff
| ||
| T5 | Jerry Barber |
500 |
 Roberto De Vicenzo
| ||
| Shelley Mayfield
| ||
| Sam Snead
|
Results
Top half
| Last 64 July 23 | Last 32 July 23 | Last 16 July 24 | Quarter-finals July 25 | Semi-finals July 26 | ||||||||||||||
| Tommy Bolt | 2&1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Mike Turnesa | ||||||||||||||||||
| Tommy Bolt | 2&1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Art Doering | ||||||||||||||||||
| Bob Kay | ||||||||||||||||||
| Art Doering | 1up | |||||||||||||||||
| Tommy Bolt | 2&1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Jim Browning | ||||||||||||||||||
| Pat Circelli | ||||||||||||||||||
| Jim Browning | 2&1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Jim Browning | 1up | |||||||||||||||||
| Ed Furgol | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ed Furgol | 3&2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Johnny Weitzel | ||||||||||||||||||
| Tommy Bolt | 39h | |||||||||||||||||
| Sam Snead | ||||||||||||||||||
| Jim Milward | 2&1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Mike Homa | ||||||||||||||||||
| Jim Milward | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sam Snead | 4&3 | |||||||||||||||||
| Tony Holguin | ||||||||||||||||||
| Sam Snead | 1up | |||||||||||||||||
| Sam Snead | 7&6 | |||||||||||||||||
| Dutch Harrison | ||||||||||||||||||
| Johnny Palmer | 3&2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Labron Harris | ||||||||||||||||||
| Johnny Palmer | ||||||||||||||||||
| Dutch Harrison | 4&3 | |||||||||||||||||
| Jack Burke Jr. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Dutch Harrison | 1up | |||||||||||||||||
| Tommy Bolt | ||||||||||||||||||
| Chick Harbert | 1up | |||||||||||||||||
| Joe Greer | ||||||||||||||||||
| Bill Trombley | 3&2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Bill Trombley | ||||||||||||||||||
| Charlie Bassler | 5&4 | |||||||||||||||||
| Toney Penna | ||||||||||||||||||
| Charlie Bassler | 3&1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Charlie Bassler | ||||||||||||||||||
| Jerry Barber | 38h | |||||||||||||||||
| Jerry Barber | 2&1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Bob Gajda | ||||||||||||||||||
| Jerry Barber | 19h | |||||||||||||||||
| Fred Haas | ||||||||||||||||||
| Fred Haas | 19h | |||||||||||||||||
| Lou Barbaro | ||||||||||||||||||
| Jerry Barber | ||||||||||||||||||
| Chick Harbert | 1up | |||||||||||||||||
| Chick Harbert | 5&3 | |||||||||||||||||
| Mike Krak | ||||||||||||||||||
| Chick Harbert | 3&1 | |||||||||||||||||
| John O'Donnell | ||||||||||||||||||
| Phil Friel | ||||||||||||||||||
| John O'Donnell | 3&2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Chick Harbert | 3&1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Ed Oliver | ||||||||||||||||||
| Clarence Doser | ||||||||||||||||||
| Bill Nary | 3&1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Bill Nary | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ed Oliver | 1up | |||||||||||||||||
| Ed Oliver | 4&3 | |||||||||||||||||
| Jackson Bradley | ||||||||||||||||||
Bottom half
Source:[9]
Final
July 27, Morning
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Harbert |
^ | 4 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Burkemo |
2 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| Leader | B1 | B1 | B2 | B3 | B3 | B3 | B3 | B3 | B2 | B1 | – | – | – | H1 | H1 | H1 | H1 | H1 |
^ = picked up ball (hole concession)
Afternoon
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Par | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Harbert |
3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | Harbert wins 4 and 3 | ||
| Burkemo |
4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | |||
| Leader | H2 | H3 | H3 | H3 | H3 | H3 | H2 | H2 | H2 | H3 | H3 | H3 | H3 | H4 | H4 | |||
- Source:[3]
References
- ^ a b "Oliver sets PGA pace with 5-under 66". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 22, 1954. p. 17.
- ^ a b "Tournament Info for: 1954 PGA Championship". PGA.com. Archived from the original on October 23, 2006. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
- ^ a b c Bartlett, Charles (July 28, 1954). "Harbert, 39, wins pro golf title". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1, part 3.
- ^ "Harbert is victor in PGA finals". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). United Press. July 28, 1954. p. 16.
- ^ Bartlett, Charles (July 23, 1954). "Oliver's 136 wins PGA trials medal". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1, part 3.
- ^ "Porky Oliver's 136 wins national PGA medal". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 23, 1954. p. 19.
- ^ "Fancy field of 8 move into PGA quarterfinals". Palm Beach Post. Associated Press. July 25, 1954. p. 46.
- ^ Bartlett, Charles (July 25, 1954). "Snead and Burkemo gain P.G.A. quarter-final berths". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1, part 2.
- ^ "2012 PGA Championship Media Guide" (PDF). PGA Media Guide. PGA of America. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 24, 2012. Retrieved February 14, 2024.
External links
- PGA Media Guide 2012
- PGA.com – 1954 PGA Championship
45°00′22″N 93°03′22″W / 45.006°N 93.056°W / 45.006; -93.056