1940 PGA Championship

The 1940 PGA Championship was the 23rd PGA Championship, held August 26 to September 2 at Hershey Country Club in Hershey, Pennsylvania, east of Harrisburg. Then a match play championship, Byron Nelson won his first PGA Championship, defeating Sam Snead 1 up in the 36-hole final.[3] It was the third of Nelson's five major titles; he won the PGA Championship again in 1945. From 1939 to 1945, Nelson made five of the six finals, missing only in 1942 (not held in 1943).

1940 PGA Championship

Tournament information
Dates	August 26 – September 2, 1940
Location	Hershey, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Course(s)	Hershey Country Club
Organized by	PGA of America
Tour(s)	PGA Tour
Format	Match play - 6 rounds
Statistics
Par	73
Length	7,017 yards (6,416 m)[1]
Field	120 players,[1] 64 to match play
Cut	154 (+8), playoff
Prize fund	$11,050[2]
Winner's share	$1,100
Champion
Byron Nelson
def. Sam Snead, 1 up

Hershey 

Location in the United States

Hershey 

Location in Pennsylvania

Defending champion and host professional Henry Picard lost in the third round to Gene Sarazen. Also out in the third round was five-time champion Walter Hagen, age 47, in his last PGA Championship match. He gained his last win in the second round over Vic Ghezzi, the champion the following year in 1941. Hagen ended his career with a 40–10 (.800) match record in the event. He played one last time at age 49 in the qualifier in 1942, but did not advance to match play.

Heavy rains on Saturday stopped play halfway through the semifinals[4] which were completed on Sunday; the final round was pushed back to Monday, which was Labor Day.

Dick Metz was the medalist in the stroke play qualifier at 140 (−6);[5] he lost 2 & 1 in the third round to Nelson. Two-time champion Denny Shute qualified at 151, but was rushed to a local hospital for an emergency appendectomy that night.[6]

Format

The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1940 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in seven days:[2]

• Monday and Tuesday – 36-hole stroke play qualifier, 18 holes per day;
  • defending champion and top 63 professionals advanced to match play
• Wednesday – first two rounds, 18 holes each
• Thursday – third round – 36 holes
• Friday – quarterfinals – 36 holes
• Saturday – semifinals – 36 holes (finished on Sunday)
• Sunday – final – 36 holes (played on Monday)

Past champions in the field

Player	Country	Year(s) won	Record	Advanced to	Finish
Paul Runyan	United States	1934, 1938	3–1	Quarterfinals	T5
Gene Sarazen	United States	1922, 1923, 1933	3–1	Quarterfinals	T5
Walter Hagen	United States	1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927	2–1	Third round	T9
Henry Picard	United States	1939	2–1	Third round	T9
Johnny Revolta	United States	1935	0–1	First round	T33
Denny Shute	United States	1936, 1937	Withdrew after qualifying

Failed to qualify

Player	Country	Year(s) won	R1	R2	Total	To par
Leo Diegel	United States	1928, 1929	78	77	155	+9
Jim Barnes	England	1916, 1919			157	+11
Tom Creavy	United States	1931			158	+12

Source:[2][5]

Final results

Monday, September 2, 1940

Place	Player	Country	Money ($)
1	Byron Nelson	United States	1,100
2	Sam Snead	United States	600
T3	Ralph Guldahl	United States	350
	Jug McSpaden	United States
T5	Ben Hogan	United States	250
	Eddie Kirk	United States
	Paul Runyan	United States
	Gene Sarazen	United States

Source:[7]

Final eight bracket

Quarter-finals August 30

Semi-finals August 31 – September 1

Finals September 2

Byron Nelson

6&5

Eddie Kirk

Byron Nelson

1up

Ralph Guldahl

Ralph Guldahl

3&2

Ben Hogan

Byron Nelson

1up

Sam Snead

Sam Snead

1up

Gene Sarazen

Sam Snead

5&4

Jug McSpaden

Jug McSpaden

8&6

Paul Runyan

Final match scorecards

Morning

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Par	4	4	5	4	3	5	4	4	3	5	4	5	5	3	4	4	4	3
Nelson	4	4	5	4	3	4	4	4	3	5	3	5	4	3	5	4	4	3
Snead	4	4	5	4	3	5	4	4	4	5	4	5	4	3	4	4	4	3
Leader	–	–	–	–	–	N1	N1	N1	N2	N2	N3	N3	N3	N3	N2	N2	N2	N2

Afternoon

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Par	4	4	5	4	3	5	4	4	3	5	4	5	5	3	4	4	4	3
Nelson	4	4	4	4	3	4	4	4	5	5	4	5	4	3	4	3	3	3
Snead	3	4	5	4	3	4	3	5	2	5	4	4	4	2	4	4	4	3
Leader	N1	N1	N2	N2	N2	N2	N1	N2	N1	N1	N1	–	–	S1	S1	–	N1	N1

• Source:[3]

References

1. "Dough on the Line in PGA Golf Meet Now". The Telegraph-Herald. Dubuque, Iowa. United Press. August 28, 1940. p. 11. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
2. "Tournament Info for: 1940 PGA Championship". PGA of America. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
3. Bartlett, Charles (September 3, 1940). "Nelson defeats Snead 1 up; wins national P.G.A. title". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 21.
4. "P.G.A. tourney is washed out". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Florida. Associated Press. September 1, 1940. p. 6. Retrieved April 25, 2013.
5. "Metz wins PGA medal with 140". St. Petersburg Times. Associated Press. August 28, 1940. p. 11.
6. "Four district golf pros qualify". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. August 28, 1940. pp. 15, 17.
7. "Nelson beats Snead in PGA tourney final". Telegraph-Herald. Dubuque, Iowa. Associated Press. September 3, 1940. p. 7.

External links

• PGA Media Guide 2012
• About.com – 1940 PGA Championship
• PGA.com – 1940 PGA Championship