1937 PGA Championship

1937 PGA Championship
Tournament information
Dates May 24–30, 1937
Location Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania
Course(s) Pittsburgh Field Club
Organized by PGA of America
Tour(s) PGA Tour
Format Match play - 6 rounds
Statistics
Par 72
Length 6,665 yards (6,094 m)
Field 106 players,
64 to match play[1]
Cut 157 (+13), playoff
Prize fund $9,200[2]
Winner's share $1,000
Champion
United States Denny Shute
def. Harold "Jug" McSpaden, 37 holes
«1936
1938»
Pittsburgh 
Field Club
Location in the United States
Pittsburgh 
Field Club
Location in Pennsylvania

The 1937 PGA Championship was the 20th PGA Championship, held May 24–30 at Pittsburgh Field Club in Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania, a suburb northeast of Pittsburgh. Then a match play championship, Denny Shute won his second consecutive PGA Championship in less than seven months, defeating Harold "Jug" McSpaden in 37 holes.[3] The previous edition in 1936 was held in November at Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Shute was 3 holes up after the morning round of the finals, but McSpaden had the lead with nine holes remaining and was 2 up with three holes to go. Shute birdied the 34th hole and McSpaden bogeyed the 35th to square up the match as they went to the 36th tee. McSpaden missed a four-foot (1.3 m) birdie putt to win and they halved the hole and went to a 37th hole. McSpaden lipped out his par-saving putt from 8 feet (2.4 m) to end the match.[4]

Shute was the last to successfully defend his title at the PGA Championship until Tiger Woods won consecutive titles in 1999 and 2000. It was Shute's third and final major title; his first was at the British Open in 1933 at St. Andrews.

Usually played later in the schedule, this PGA Championship was in late May, the first of three times it was held before the U.S. Open and British Open. Prior to World War II, the PGA Championship was most often played in September, but ranged from late May (1937, 1942) to early December (1929). Since 1969, it has been held in early to mid-August, except for 1971.

Format

The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1937 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in seven days:[2][5]

Past champions in the field

Player Country Year(s) won Record Advanced to Finish
Denny Shute  United States 1936 6–0 Champion 1
Paul Runyan  United States 1934 2–1 Third round T9
Olin Dutra  United States 1932 1–1 Second round T17
Johnny Revolta  United States 1935 1–1 Second round T17
Gene Sarazen  United States 1922, 1923, 1933 1–1 Second round T17
Leo Diegel  United States 1928, 1929 0–1 First round T33

Failed to qualify

Player Country Year won R1 R2 Total To par
Tom Creavy  United States 1931 79 WD

Source:[2]

Final results

Sunday, May 30, 1937

PlacePlayerCountryMoney ($)
1 Denny Shute  United States 1,000
2 Harold "Jug" McSpaden  United States 500
T3 Ky Laffoon  United States 250
Tony Manero  United States
T5 Harry Cooper  United States 200
Jimmy Hines  United States
Byron Nelson  United States
Henry Picard  United States

Source:[6]

Final eight bracket

Quarter-finals
May 28 		Semi-finals
May 29 		Finals
May 30
         
Denny Shute 4&3
Jimmy Hines
Denny Shute 3&2
Tony Manero
Tony Manero 1up
Harry Cooper
Denny Shute 37h
Harold "Jug" McSpaden
Harold "Jug" McSpaden 39h
Henry Picard
Harold "Jug" McSpaden 2&1
Ky Laffoon
Ky Laffoon 2&1
Byron Nelson

References

  1. ↑ "Runyan Paces Field in PGA Golf Tourney; Hines is Second". Telegraph-Herald (Dubuque, Iowa). United Press. May 25, 1937. p. 11. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 "Tournament Info for: 1937 PGA Championship". PGA of America. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Denny Shute wins title in pro golf". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. May 31, 1937. p. 20. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
  4. ↑ Henry, Jack (May 31, 1937). "Denny Shute stages spectacular rally to retain national P.G.A. Championship". Youngstown Vindicator (Ohio). United Press. p. 10. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Match-By-Match Chart Of The P.G.A. Championship At Field Club". Pittsburgh Press. May 29, 1937. p. 9. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Money division in P.G.A. title meet". Youngstown Vindicator (Ohio). Associated Press. May 31, 1937. p. 10. Retrieved April 30, 2013.

External links

Coordinates: 40°30′47″N 79°53′24″W / 40.513°N 79.89°W / 40.513; -79.89

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