Tournament information | |
---|---|
Dates | July 1–7, 1953 |
Location | Birmingham, Michigan, U.S. |
Course(s) | Birmingham Country Club |
Organized by | PGA of America |
Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
Format | Match play - 6 rounds |
Statistics | |
Par | 71 |
Length | 6,465 yards (5,912 m)[1] |
Field | 123 players, 64 to match play |
Cut | 148 (+6), playoff[3] |
Prize fund | $20,700[2] |
Winner's share | $5,000 |
Champion | |
Walter Burkemo | |
def. Felice Torza, 2 and 1 | |
The 1953 PGA Championship was the 35th PGA Championship, held July 1–7 at Birmingham Country Club in Birmingham, Michigan, a suburb northwest of Detroit. Local resident Walter Burkemo won the match play championship, 2 and 1 over Felice Torza in the Tuesday final.[4] The winner's share was $5,000 and the runner-up's was $3,000.[1] Burkemo won his only major title in the second of his three finals; he lost to Sam Snead in 1951 and Chick Harbert in 1954.
Johnny Palmer was the medalist of the stroke play qualifier, awarded $250 for his 134 (−8), with a second round at 66.[5][6] He lost in the first round to Jack Grout; also defeated on "Black Friday" were pre-tournament favorites Cary Middlecoff, three-time champion Sam Snead, and defending champion Jim Turnesa.[7] No former past champion advanced past the second round.
Burkemo's win marked the second time that all four major championships were won by Americans in a calendar year.