1952 PGA Championship

1952 PGA Championship
Tournament information
Dates June 18–25, 1952
Location Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Course(s) Big Spring Country Club
Organized by PGA of America
Tour(s) PGA Tour
Format Match play – 6 rounds
Statistics
Par 72
Length 6,800 yards (6,220 m)[1][2]
Field 144 players,[2]
64 to match play
Cut 147 (+3), playoff
Prize fund $17,700[3]
Winner's share $3,500
Champion
United States Jim Turnesa
def. Chick Harbert, 1 up
«1951
1953»
Louisville
Location in the United States
Louisville
Location in Kentucky

The 1952 PGA Championship was the 34th PGA Championship, held June 18–25 at Big Spring Country Club in Louisville, Kentucky. Jim Turnesa won the match play championship, 1 up over Chick Harbert in the Wednesday final; the winner's share was $3,500 and the runner-up's was $1,500.[4]

It was Turnesa's only major title; he had lost the final in 1942 to Sam Snead. It was the second loss for Harbert in the final, he lost to Jim Ferrier in 1947, but won the title in his third finals appearance in 1954. Turnesa did not lead through the first 35 holes, but won on the final green when Harbert bogeyed. Turnesa displaced Snead as the oldest PGA champion to date, at 39 years and six months.[4] He was later passed by Jerry Barber at 45 in 1961 and Julius Boros in 1968 at age 48.

Battling an ailing back, defending champion Snead lost in the first round to Lew Worsham, who had defeated him in a playoff five years earlier at the 1947 U.S. Open.[5] Heavy rains washed out play on Saturday and the completion of the third round was delayed until Sunday,[6] and very hot temperatures endured through the final rounds.[4][7]

The U.S. Open was played the preceding week, in Dallas, Texas,[1] won by Boros. He was not technically eligible to play in the PGA Championship, because the rules at the time stated that eligibility was after five years of PGA membership and Boros only had three.[2] Following his win at the U.S. Open, Boros was invited to play by the PGA executive committee, but sensing resentment and dissension among some of the other participants, he withdrew prior to his start time of the two-day qualifier on Wednesday.[8][9]

E.J. "Dutch" Harrison was the medalist in the stroke-play qualifying with a 136 (−8) to win $250,[10] but lost in the first round to Marty Furgol.[5]

This was the first major championship played in Kentucky. The PGA Championship returned to the state 44 years later in 1996, at Valhalla Golf Club east of Louisville. Valhalla also hosted just four years later in 2000 and is scheduled for 2014.

Format

The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1952 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in seven days:[3]

Heavy rains on Saturday delayed the third round's completion until Sunday;[6] the final was played on Wednesday, June 25.[4]

Past champions in the field

Player Country Year(s) won Record Advanced to Finish
Bob Hamilton  United States 1944 4–1 Semifinals T3
Vic Ghezzi  United States 1941 2–1 Third round T9
Jim Ferrier  Australia 1947 1–1 Second round T17
Chandler Harper  United States 1950 1–1 Second round T17
Sam Snead  United States 1942, 1949, 1951 0–1 First round T33
Denny Shute  United States 1936, 1937 0–1 First round T33

Final results

Wednesday, June 25, 1952

PlacePlayerCountryMoney ($)
1 Jim Turnesa  United States 3,500
2 Chick Harbert  United States 1,500
T3 Bob Hamilton  United States 750
Ted Kroll  United States
T5 Frank Champ  United States 500
Clarence Doser  United States
Fred Haas  United States
Cary Middlecoff  United States

Final eight bracket

Quarter-finals
June 23 		Semi-finals
June 24 		Finals
June 25
         
Jim Turnesa 2&1
Clarence Doser
Jim Turnesa 4&2
Ted Kroll
Ted Kroll 38h
Cary Middlecoff
Jim Turnesa 1up
Chick Harbert
Chick Harbert 2&1
Fred Haas
Chick Harbert 2&1
Bob Hamilton
Bob Hamilton 2&1
Frank Champ

Sources:[4][7][11]

References

  1. 1 2 "Golf spotlight moves next to PGA play in bluegrass". Palm Beach Post. Associated Press. June 15, 1952. p. 19.
  2. 1 2 3 "Sam Snead to pass up PGA qualifying play". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 18, 1952. p. 19.
  3. 1 2 "Tournament Info for: 1952 PGA Championship". PGA of America. Retrieved April 17, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Jim Turnesa wins PGA crown". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 26, 1952. p. 15.
  5. 1 2 "Worsham loses to Haas after beating Snead". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 21, 1952. p. 11.
  6. 1 2 "Pouring rains delay PGA tourney one day". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. June 21, 1952. p. 6.
  7. 1 2 "Turnesa, Harbert gain finals in '110' heat". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. June 25, 1952. p. 2-part 2.
  8. ↑ "Unknown leads qualifiers in PGA". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 19, 1952. p. 15.
  9. ↑ "Boros out of PGA meet, Harmon fires sparking 68". Palm Beach Post. United Press. June 19, 1952. p. 14.
  10. ↑ "Dutch Harrison's 136 captures PGA medal". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 20, 1952. p. 23.
  11. ↑ "Middlecoff Upset By Kroll on 38th". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. June 24, 1952. p. 14. Retrieved August 9, 2013.

External links

Coordinates: 38°13′55″N 85°38′53″W / 38.232°N 85.648°W / 38.232; -85.648

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