# 1956 PGA Championship > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/1956_PGA_Championship > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/1956_PGA_Championship.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956_PGA_Championship > Source revision: 1353871389 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Golf tournament 1956 PGA Championship Tournament information Dates July 20–24, 1956 Location Canton, Massachusetts Course Blue Hill Country Club Organized by PGA of America Tour PGA Tour Format Match play - 7 rounds Statistics Par 71 Length 6,634 yards (6,066 m)[1][2] Field 128 players (all match play) Prize fund $40,000[3] Winner's share $5,000 Champion Jack Burke Jr. def. Ted Kroll, 3 and 2 ← 1955 1957 → Blue Hill CC Location in the [United States](/source/United_States) Blue Hill CC  Location in [Massachusetts](/source/Massachusetts) The **1956 PGA Championship** was the 38th edition of the professional [golf](/source/Golf) competition, held at [Blue Hill Country Club](/source/Blue_Hill_Country_Club) in [Canton, Massachusetts](/source/Canton%2C_Massachusetts), a suburb southwest of [Boston](/source/Boston). [Jack Burke Jr.](/source/Jack_Burke_Jr.) won his second [major championship](/source/Men's_major_golf_championship) of 1956, a 3 and 2 victory over [Ted Kroll](/source/Ted_Kroll);[2][4] Burke had won the [Masters](/source/1956_Masters_Tournament) in April.[5] It was the penultimate [PGA Championship](/source/PGA_Championship) as a [match play](/source/Match_play) competition; [stroke play](/source/Stroke_play) was introduced two years later in [1958](/source/1958_PGA_Championship). This was the tenth and final year the PGA Championship was scheduled for a Tuesday finish. [Defending champion](/source/1955_PGA_Championship) [Doug Ford](/source/Doug_Ford_(golfer)) was stopped in the third round by [1953](/source/1953_PGA_Championship) champion [Walter Burkemo](/source/Walter_Burkemo), 5 and 3.[6] Blue Hill was not highly regarded as a championship venue and calls increased for a change in format to stroke play.[7][8] Also, a five-year membership in the [PGA of America](/source/PGA_of_America) was necessary to compete in the PGA Championship at the time; this excluded young professionals [Arnold Palmer](/source/Arnold_Palmer), [Dow Finsterwald](/source/Dow_Finsterwald), [Gene Littler](/source/Gene_Littler), and [Mike Souchak](/source/Mike_Souchak).[7][8] This remains the only time the PGA Championship has been played in Massachusetts. It was the 8th major championship played in the state and the first in over 30 years, since the [1925 U.S. Open](/source/1925_U.S._Open_(golf)). The next major held in the state would be the [1963 U.S. Open](/source/1963_U.S._Open_(golf)). Burke was the second to win the Masters and PGA Championship in the same calendar year, following [Sam Snead](/source/Sam_Snead) in [1949](/source/1949_PGA_Championship). Through [2016](/source/2016_PGA_Championship), it has only been accomplished four times, with the latter two by [Jack Nicklaus](/source/Jack_Nicklaus) in [1963](/source/1963_PGA_Championship) and [1975](/source/1975_PGA_Championship). The [Open Championship](/source/1956_Open_Championship) was held two weeks earlier in [England](/source/England) at [Royal Liverpool Golf Club](/source/Royal_Liverpool_Golf_Club); neither Burke nor Kroll played in 1956 (or ever). In the skills competitions held on Thursday, Joe Kraak won the long [driving](/source/Drive_(golf)) contest at 300 yards (274 m).[9] ## Format The match play format at the PGA Championship was modified in 1956 and called for 9 rounds (162 holes) in five days, Friday through Tuesday. Previously, a two-day stroke play qualifying segment (36 holes) on Wednesday and Thursday preceded the match play competition to narrow the field to 64 competitors. This year, 128 players were entered in the single-elimination bracket. The first five rounds were 18-hole matches contested over the first three days, which reduced the field to four players. The semifinals and finals were 36-hole matches played on the final two days, Monday and Tuesday.[1][3] - Friday – first round, 18 holes - Saturday – second and third rounds, 18 holes each - Sunday – fourth round and quarterfinals, 18 holes each - Monday – semifinals – 36 holes - Tuesday – final – 36 holes ## Final results *Tuesday, July 24, 1956* Place Player Money ($) 1 Jack Burke Jr. 5,000 2 Ted Kroll 3,000 T3 Ed Furgol 1,000 Bill Johnston T5 Sam Snead 500 Fred Hawkins Terl Johnson Henry Ransom ## Final eight bracket In the Sunday quarterfinals, Ted Kroll defeated favorite [Sam Snead](/source/Sam_Snead) 2 and 1.[10] In the semifinals, Kroll needed only 28 holes to handily defeat [Bill Johnston](/source/Bill_Johnston_(golfer)) 10 and 8, but Burke's match went 37 holes, extended to an extra hole to stop [Ed Furgol](/source/Ed_Furgol), the [1954 U.S. Open](/source/1954_U.S._Open_(golf)) champion.[11] In the final on Tuesday, Burke was three holes down to Kroll after 19 holes, then won five of the next seven holes. The two then halved the next seven holes and Kroll's bogey at the par-3 34th hole ended the match at 3 and 2.[2][4] Quarter-finals July 22 Semi-finals July 23 Finals July 24 Jack Burke Jr. 4&2 Fred Hawkins Jack Burke Jr. 37h Ed Furgol Ed Furgol 1up Terl Johnson Jack Burke Jr. 3&2 Ted Kroll Ted Kroll 2&1 Sam Snead Ted Kroll 10&8 Bill Johnston Bill Johnston 3&2 Henry Ransom ## 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 4 3 4 4 3 5 5 4 4 4 3 4 4 3 4 5 Burke 4 4 4 2 5 5 3 5 4 4 4 5 3 4 4 3 3 4 Kroll 4 4 4 3 4 4 3 5 4 3 4 4 3 4 4 4 3 4 Leader – – – B1 – K1 K1 K1 K1 K2 K2 K3 K3 K3 K3 K2 K2 K2 *Afternoon* Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Par 4 4 4 3 4 4 3 5 5 4 4 4 3 4 4 3 4 5 Burke 5 4 4 2 4 3 2 4 4 4 4 5 3 4 4 2 Burke wins 3 and 2 Kroll 4 5 4 3 4 4 3 5 4 4 4 5 3 4 4 4 Leader K3 K2 K2 K1 K1 – B1 B2 B2 B2 B2 B2 B2 B2 B2 B3 Source:[2] - Birdie Bogey ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-fcorhpt_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-fcorhpt_1-1) ["Ford Confident of Retaining His PGA Title"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MZdRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BmwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4787%2C5437374). *[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette](/source/Pittsburgh_Post-Gazette)*. Associated Press. July 20, 1956. p. 19. Retrieved January 2, 2013. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-cdtbrally_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-cdtbrally_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-cdtbrally_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-cdtbrally_2-3) Bartlett, Charles (July 25, 1956). ["Burke's rally beats Kroll for P.G.A. title, 3 and 2"](http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1956/07/25/page/45/article/burkes-rally-beats-kroll-for-p-g-a-title-3-and-2). *Chicago Daily Tribune*. p. 1, sec. 3. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-pgamedia56_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-pgamedia56_3-1) ["Tournament Info for: 1956 PGA Championship"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131029184801/http://www.pgamediaguide.com/pgachampionship_detail.cfm?tournament_id=474&date=1956&tourn_name_id=2). PGA.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.pgamediaguide.com/pgachampionship_detail.cfm?tournament_id=474&date=1956&tourn_name_id=2) on October 29, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2013. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bbpwpga_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bbpwpga_4-1) ["Burkes's blazing putter wins PGA, 3 and 2"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4ZVRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=32oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4767%2C1015233). *Pittsburgh Post-Gazette*. Associated Press. July 25, 1956. p. 15. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-dlplysi_5-0)** [Wind, Herbert Warren](/source/Herbert_Warren_Wind) (August 6, 1956). ["Duluth playoff"](https://www.si.com/vault/1956/08/06/585092/duluth-playoff). *Sports Illustrated*. p. 46. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-boffpga_6-0)** Bartlett, Charles (July 22, 1956). ["Burkemo ousts Ford from P.G.A., 5 and 3"](http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1956/07/22/page/27/article/burkemo-ousts-ford-from-p-g-a-5-and-3). *Chicago Sunday Tribune*. p. 1, sec. 3. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-sievdis_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-sievdis_7-1) ["Events & Discoveries"](https://www.si.com/vault/1956/08/06/585078/events--discoveries). *Sports Illustrated*. August 6, 1956. p. 17. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-sivpcbk_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-sivpcbk_8-1) [Wind, Herbert Warren](/source/Herbert_Warren_Wind) (August 5, 1957). ["The PGA comes back"](https://www.si.com/vault/1957/08/05/667041/the-pga-comes-back). *Sports Illustrated*. p. 54. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-lgdrvcnt_9-0)** Bartlett, Charles (July 20, 1956). ["Kraak's blast wins driving title in P.G.A."](http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1956/07/20/page/39/article/kraaks-blast-wins-driving-title-in-pga) *Chicago Daily Tribune*. p. 3, sec. 3. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-kdstgsf_10-0)** ["Kroll defeats Snead to gain semifinals"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zDlWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=M-kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6684%2C3693730). *Eugene Register-Guard*. Oregon. Associated Press. July 23, 1956. p. 2B. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-kbgptr_11-0)** ["Kroll, Burke gain PGA title round"](https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=06FhAAAAIBAJ&sjid=32oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4756%2C740645). *Pittsburgh Post-Gazette*. Associated Press. July 24, 1956. p. 14. ## External links - [PGA Media Guide 2012](http://images.pgalinks.com/vmc/pressReleases/MG_2012_PGAChamp.pdf) - [PGA.com](http://www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2004/history_1956.html) – 1956 PGA Championship v t e 1956 men's major golf championships The Masters U.S. Open The Open Championship PGA Championship v t e PGA Championships 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 [42°11′24″N 71°08′13″W / 42.190°N 71.137°W / 42.190; -71.137](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=1956_PGA_Championship¶ms=42.19_N_71.137_W_type:event) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [1956 PGA Championship](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956_PGA_Championship) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1956_PGA_Championship?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.