1952 PGA Championship

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox individual golf tournament | name = 1952 PGA Championship | image = | location = [[Louisville, Kentucky]], U.S. | course = [[Big Spring Country Club]] | dates = June 18–25, 1952 | par = 72 | yardage = {{convert|6620|yd|0}}<ref name=gsmtbg>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7PwiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fc0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=3806%2C5610625 |newspaper=Palm Beach Post |agency=Associated Press |title=Golf spotlight moves next to PGA play in bluegrass |date=June 15, 1952 |page=19}}</ref><ref name=sstpupqp>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lcRRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pmoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6232%2C4421548 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press|title=Sam Snead to pass up PGA qualifying play |date=June 18, 1952 |page=19}}</ref> | org = [[Professional Golfers' Association of America|PGA of America]] | tour = [[PGA Tour]] | field = 144 players,<ref name=sstpupqp/> 64 to match play | cut = 147 (+3), playoff | format = [[Match play]] – 6 rounds | purse = [[United States dollar|$]]17,700<ref name=pgamedia52>{{cite web |url=http://www.pgamediaguide.com/pgachampionship_detail.cfm?tournament_id=470&date=1952&tourn_name_id=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061023170333/http://www.pgamediaguide.com/pgachampionship_detail.cfm?tournament_id=470&date=1952&tourn_name_id=2 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 23, 2006 |publisher=PGA of America |title=Tournament Info for: 1952 PGA Championship |accessdate=April 17, 2013 }}</ref> | winners_share = $3,500 | champion = {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Jim Turnesa]] | score = def. [[Chick Harbert]], 1 up | previous = [[1951 PGA Championship|1951]] | next = [[1953 PGA Championship|1953]] |}} {{Location map |USA |relief = 1 |label = Louisville |lat = 38.232 |long = -85.648 |caption = Location in the [[United States]] |marksize = 5 |position = |float = |background = |width = 240 }} {{Location map |USA Kentucky |relief = 1 |label = Louisville |lat = 38.232 |long = -85.648 |caption = Location in [[Kentucky]] |marksize = 5 |position = |float = |background = |width = 180 }} The '''1952 PGA Championship''' was the 34th [[PGA Championship]], held June 18–25 at [[Big Spring Country Club]] in [[Louisville, Kentucky]]. [[Jim Turnesa]] won the [[match play]] championship, 1 up over [[Chick Harbert]] in the Wednesday final;<ref name=tnsar>{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1952/06/26/page/79/article/turnesa-rallies-wins-p-g-a-title |work=Chicago Daily Tribune |last=Bartlett |first=Charles |title=Turnesa rallies; wins P.G.A. title |date=June 26, 1952 |page=1, sec. 6}}</ref> the winner's share was [[United States dollar|$]]3,500 and the runner-up's was $1,500.<ref name=jtwpt>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nMRRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pmoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4351%2C6428503 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |title=Jim Turnesa wins PGA crown |date=June 26, 1952|page=15}}</ref>

It was Turnesa's only [[Men's major golf championships|major]] title; he had lost the final in [[1942 Masters Tournament|1942]] to [[Sam Snead]]. It was the second loss for Harbert in the final, he lost to [[Jim Ferrier]] in [[1947 Masters Tournament|1947]], but won the title in his third finals appearance in [[1954 PGA Championship|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.<ref name=jtwpt/> He was later passed by [[Jerry Barber]] at 45 in [[1961 PGA Championship|1961]] and [[Julius Boros]] in [[1968 PGA Championship|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 (golf)|1947 U.S. Open]].<ref name=wltoh>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mMRRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pmoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4797%2C5317300 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |title=Worsham loses to Haas after beating Snead |date=June 21, 1952 |page=11 }}</ref> Heavy rains washed out play on Saturday and the completion of the third round was delayed until Sunday,<ref name=pour>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qKgVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TPYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4533%2C5005532 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle|agency=Associated Press |title=Pouring rains delay PGA tourney one day |date=June 21, 1952 |page=6 }}</ref> and very hot temperatures endured through the final rounds.<ref name=jtwpt/><ref name=thgfihh>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mdYpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=vA8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=2692%2C4620906 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |agency=Associated Press |title=Turnesa, Harbert gain finals in '110' heat |date=June 25, 1952 |page=2–part 2 }}</ref>

The [[1952 U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] was played the preceding week, in [[Dallas]], [[Texas]],<ref name=gsmtbg/> 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 of America|PGA]] membership and Boros only had three.<ref name=sstpupqp/> Following his win at the U.S. Open, Boros was invited to play by the PGA executive committee,<ref name=ottborog>{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1952/06/18/page/32/article/open-p-g-a-meet-today-boros-guest |work=Chicago Daily Tribune |last=Bartlett |first=Charles |title=Open P.G.A. meet today; Boros guest |date=June 18, 1952 |page=1, sec. 3}}</ref> 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.<ref name=blpgat>{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1952/06/19/page/81/article/boros-leaves-p-g-a-tourney |work=Chicago Daily Tribune |last=Bartlett |first=Charles |title=Boros leaves P.G.A. tourney |date=June 19, 1952 |page=1, sec. 4}}</ref><ref name=ulqip>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lsRRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pmoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2881%2C4709468 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |title=Unknown leads qualifiers in PGA |date=June 19, 1952 |page=15}}</ref><ref name=boopm>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7_wiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=fc0FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1362%2C5987608 |newspaper=Palm Beach Post |agency=United Press |title=Boros out of PGA meet, Harmon fires sparking 68 |date=June 19, 1952 |page=14 }}</ref>

[[Dutch Harrison]] was the medalist in the stroke-play qualifying with a 136 (−8) to win $250,<ref name=dfs135>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l8RRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pmoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4712%2C5080984 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |title=Dutch Harrison's 136 captures PGA medal |date=June 20, 1952 |page=23 }}</ref> but lost in the first round to [[Marty Furgol]].<ref name=wltoh/>

Turnesa's older brother [[Joe Turnesa|Joe]] (1901–1991) was the runner-up in this championship a quarter century earlier in [[1927 PGA Championship|1927]], when [[Walter Hagen]] won his fourth consecutive, 1 up, and fifth overall.

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

==Format== The [[match play]] format at the PGA Championship in 1952 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in seven days:<ref name=pgamedia52/> * Wednesday and Thursday – 36-hole [[stroke play]] qualifier, 18 holes per day; **defending champion [[Sam Snead]] and top 63 professionals advanced to match play * Friday – first two rounds, 18 holes each * Saturday – third round – 36 holes (delayed to Sunday) * Sunday – quarterfinals – 36 holes (delayed to Monday) * Monday – semifinals – 36 holes (delayed to Tuesday) * Tuesday – final – 36 holes (delayed to Wednesday)

Heavy rains on Saturday postponed the third round until Sunday;<ref name=pour/> the final was played on Wednesday, June 25.<ref name=jtwpt/>

==Final results== ''Wednesday, June 25, 1952'' {| class=wikitable !Place!!Player!!Money ([[United States dollar|$]]) |- | align=center|1 || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} '''[[Jim Turnesa]]''' || align=center|3,500 |- | align=center|2 || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Chick Harbert]] || align=center|1,500 |- | align=center rowspan=2|T3 || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Bob Hamilton]] || align=center rowspan=2|750 |- | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Ted Kroll]] |- | align=center rowspan=4|T5 || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Frank Champ]]  || align=center rowspan=4|500 |- | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Clarence Doser]]  |- | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Fred Haas]] |- | {{flagicon|USA|1912}} [[Cary Middlecoff]] |}

==Final eight bracket== {{8TeamBracket-NoSeeds | RD1=Quarter-finals June 23 | RD2=Semi-finals June 24 | RD3=Finals June 25

| score-width= 35px | team-width= 100px

| RD1-team1= '''[[Jim Turnesa]]''' | RD1-score1= 2&1 | RD1-team2= [[Clarence Doser]] | RD1-score2=

| RD1-team3= '''[[Ted Kroll]]''' | RD1-score3= 38h | RD1-team4= [[Cary Middlecoff]] | RD1-score4=

| RD1-team5= '''[[Chick Harbert]]''' | RD1-score5= 2&1 | RD1-team6= [[Fred Haas]] | RD1-score6=

| RD1-team7= '''[[Bob Hamilton]]''' | RD1-score7= 2&1 | RD1-team8= [[Frank Champ]] | RD1-score8=

| RD2-team1= '''[[Jim Turnesa]]''' | RD2-score1= 4&2 | RD2-team2= [[Ted Kroll]] | RD2-score2=

| RD2-team3= '''[[Chick Harbert]]''' | RD2-score3= 2&1 | RD2-team4= [[Bob Hamilton]] | RD2-score4=

| RD3-team1= '''[[Jim Turnesa]]''' | RD3-score1= 1up | RD3-team2= [[Chick Harbert]] | RD3-score2= }} Sources:<ref name=jtwpt/><ref name=thgfihh/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19520624&id=msRRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pmoDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4700,5862671 |title=Middlecoff Upset By Kroll on 38th |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |date=June 24, 1952 |page=14 |accessdate=August 9, 2013}}</ref>

==Final match scorecards== ''Morning'' {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" !Hole!! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !!10!!11!!12!!13!!14!!15!!16!!17!!18 |- |Par||5||3||4||4||4||3||4||5||4|| 4||3||5||4||4||4||3||5||4 |- |align=left|{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Turnesa||5||style="background: PaleGreen;"|4||4||4||4||3||4||5||4||4||3||style="background: Pink;"|4||4||style="background: Pink;"|3||4||3||style="background: PaleGreen;"|6||style="background: PaleGreen;"|5 |- |align=left|{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Harbert||style="background: Pink;"|4||style="background: PaleGreen;"|4||style="background: PaleGreen;"|5||4||style="background: Pink;"|3||3||style="background: PaleGreen;"|5||style="background: Pink;"|4||style="background: Pink;"|3||style="background: PaleGreen;"|5||3||style="background: Pink;"|4||4||4||4||style="background: Pink;"|2||5||4 |- |align=left| Leader ||H1||H1||–||–||H1||H1||–||H1||H2||H1||H1||H1||H1||–||–||H1||H2||H3 |}

''Afternoon'' {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" !Hole!! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !!10!!11!!12!!13!!14!!15!!16!!17!!18 |- |Par||5||3||4||4||4||3||4||5||4|| 4||3||5||4||4||4||3||5||4 |- |align=left|{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Turnesa||style="background: Pink;"|4||3||4||4||4||style="background: Pink;"|2||4||style="background: Pink;"|4||4||4||3||5||4||style="background: Pink;"|3||style="background: Pink;"|3||style="background: PaleGreen;"|4||5||4 |- |align=left|{{flagicon|USA|1912}} Harbert||5||style="background: PaleGreen;"|4||4||style="background: Pink;"|3||4||style="background: Pink;"|2||4||5||4||4||3||5||4||4||style="background: Pink;"|3||style="background: PaleGreen;"|4||5||style="background: PaleGreen;"|5 |- |align=left| Leader ||H2||H1||H1||H2||H2||H2||H2||H1||H1||H1||H1||H1||H1||–||–||–||–||T1 |} Source:<ref name=tnsar/> :{|class="wikitable" span = 50 style="font-size:85%; |- |style="background:Pink; width:10px;"| |Birdie |style="background:PaleGreen; width:10px;"| |Bogey |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://images.pgalinks.com/vmc/pressReleases/MG_2012_PGAChamp.pdf PGA Media Guide 2012] *[http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2004/history_1952.html PGA.com] – 1952 PGA Championship

[[Category:PGA Championship]] [[Category:Golf tournaments in Louisville, Kentucky]] [[Category:1952 in golf|PGA Championship]] [[Category:1952 in American sports|PGA Championship]] [[Category:1952 in sports in Kentucky|PGA Championship]] [[Category:June 1952 sports events in the United States|PGA Championship]] [[Category:1952 in Louisville, Kentucky]]