1973 PGA Championship

1973 PGA Championship
Tournament information
DatesAugust 9–12, 1973
LocationBeachwood, Ohio
Course(s)Canterbury Golf Club
Organized byPGA of America
Tour(s)PGA Tour
Statistics
Par71
Length6,852 yards (6,265 m)
Field148 players, 74 after cut[1]
Cut149 (+7)
Prize fund$225,000
Winner's share$45,000
Champion
United States Jack Nicklaus
277 (−7)
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Canterbury Golf Club is located in the United States
Canterbury Golf Club
Canterbury
Golf Club
Canterbury Golf Club is located in Ohio
Canterbury Golf Club
Canterbury
Golf Club

The 1973 PGA Championship was the 55th PGA Championship, played August 9–12 at Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood, Ohio, a suburb east of Cleveland. Ohio native Jack Nicklaus won the third of his five PGA Championships, four strokes ahead of runner-up Bruce Crampton.[2]

It was the 12th of Nicklaus' 18 major titles as a professional.[3] At the time, the holder of the most major titles was the late Bobby Jones, with 13. As a lifelong amateur, his majors were the Open and amateur championships in the U.S. and Britain. Including his two U.S. Amateur titles, Nicklaus now had 14 majors, surpassing Jones.[2] With his 12th professional major win Nicklaus also usurped Walter Hagen's record of 11 professional major victories.

Sam Snead, age 61, shot even-par each day and finished in the top ten for the second straight year; he tied for ninth after a tie for fourth in 1972 and would improve on those in 1974.

This was the third major at Canterbury, which hosted the U.S. Open twice in the 1940s, both decided in playoffs. Lawson Little was the champion in 1940 with a three-stroke win over Gene Sarazen. Following World War II in 1946, the first U.S. Open in five years was played at the course. Lloyd Mangrum won in the second 18-hole playoff round, one stroke ahead of major winners Byron Nelson and Vic Ghezzi.

  1. ^ "Tournament Info for: 1973 PGA Championship". PGA of America. Archived from the original on August 1, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Jenkins, Dan (August 20, 1973). "Jack goes one up on a legend". Sports Illustrated. p. 18.
  3. ^ "Jack fires final round 69 for four shot win in PGA". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. August 13, 1973. p. 12.