The 1949 PGA Championship was the 31st PGA Championship, held May 25–31 in Virginia at Belmont Golf Course (formerly known as Hermitage Country Club), north of Richmond. Native Virginian Sam Snead won the match play championship, 3 and 2 over Johnny Palmer in the Tuesday final; the winner's share was $3,500 and the runner-up's was $1,500.[3][4]
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Dates | May 25–31, 1949 |
| Location | Henrico, Virginia, U.S. |
| Course(s) | Belmont Golf Course (formerly known as Hermitage Country Club) |
| Organized by | PGA of America |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Match play - 6 rounds |
| Statistics | |
| Par | 71 |
| Length | 6,677 yards (6,105 m)[1] |
| Field | 64 to match play |
| Cut | 149 (+8), playoff |
| Prize fund | $17,700[2] |
| Winner's share | $3,500 |
| Champion | |
 Sam Snead | |
| def. Johnny Palmer, 3 and 2 | |
Golf Course
It was the second of Snead's three wins in the PGA Championship, and the fourth of his seven major titles. At age 37, Snead was the oldest to win the PGA Championship;[5] he won again two years later in 1951.
The medalist in the stroke play qualifier was unsung Ray Wade Hill of Louisiana,[6] who advanced to the quarterfinals.
Snead won the Masters in April; this was the first time the Masters champion had won the PGA Championship in the same calendar year. This has only been accomplished four times, most recently 49 years ago: Snead was followed by Jack Burke Jr. in 1956 and Jack Nicklaus in 1963 and 1975. Snead's double was in the spring, Burke and Nicklaus completed theirs in the summer.
Defending champion Ben Hogan did not play in any of the majors during the 1949 season, following a near-fatal automobile accident in west Texas in early February.[7][8] In 1948, he won two majors, led the tour in money and wins (ten), and was player of the year; he had won two events in January 1949 (Pebble Beach, Long Beach),[9] with a playoff runner-up in a third (Phoenix).[10] Although Hogan returned to the tour in 1950 on a limited basis and won six more majors (nine total), he did not enter the PGA Championship again until age 48 in 1960, its third year as a stroke play event.
Format
editThe match play format at the PGA Championship in 1949 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in seven days:[2]
- Wednesday and Thursday – 36-hole stroke play qualifier, 18 holes per day;
- the top 64 professionals advanced to match play
- defending champion Ben Hogan did not enter, out for the season with injuries from an automobile accident
- the top 64 professionals advanced to match play
- Friday – first two rounds, 18 holes each
- Saturday – third round – 36 holes
- Sunday – quarterfinals – 36 holes
- Monday – semifinals – 36 holes
- Tuesday – final – 36 holes
Final results
editTuesday, May 31, 1949
| Place | Player | Money ($) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sam Snead |
3,500 |
| 2 | Johnny Palmer |
1,500 |
| T3 | Jim Ferrier |
750 |
| Lloyd Mangrum
| ||
| T5 | Jimmy Demaret |
500 |
| Clayton Heafner
| ||
| Ray Wade Hill
| ||
| Henry Williams, Jr.
|
Final eight bracket
edit| Quarter-finals May 29 | Semi-finals May 30 | Finals May 31 | ||||||||||||
| Sam Snead | 4&3 | |||||||||||||
| Jimmy Demaret | ||||||||||||||
| Sam Snead | 3&2 | |||||||||||||
| Jim Ferrier | ||||||||||||||
| Jim Ferrier | 3&2 | |||||||||||||
| Clayton Heafner | ||||||||||||||
| Sam Snead | 3&2 | |||||||||||||
| Johnny Palmer | ||||||||||||||
| Johnny Palmer | 7&6 | |||||||||||||
| Henry Williams, Jr. | ||||||||||||||
| Johnny Palmer | 6&5 | |||||||||||||
| Lloyd Mangrum | ||||||||||||||
| Lloyd Mangrum | 7&6 | |||||||||||||
| Ray Wade Hill | ||||||||||||||
Final match scorecards
editMorning
| 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 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Snead |
4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Palmer |
4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ^ | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ^ | 4 |
| Leader | – | P1 | P1 | P2 | P2 | P1 | P1 | P2 | P2 | P1 | – | – | – | P1 | P1 | P2 | P1 | – |
^ = picked up ball (hole concession)
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 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Snead |
4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | Snead wins 3 and 2 | |
| Palmer |
4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Leader | – | – | – | S1 | S1 | S2 | S3 | S3 | S2 | S2 | S2 | S2 | S3 | S3 | S3 | S3 | ||
Source:[4]
References
edit- ^ Gundelfinger, Phil (May 25, 1949). "Worsham fires record-tying 63 in PGA tuneup". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 19. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
- ^ a b "Tournament Info for: 1949 PGA Championship". PGA of America. Archived from the original on October 23, 2006. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
- ^ Gundelfinger, Phil (June 1, 1949). "Snead wins PGA, walloping Palmer in finals, 3 and 2". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 16. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
- ^ a b Bartlett, Charles (June 1, 1949). "Snead wins P.G.A. title, 3 and 2". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 1, part 3.
- ^ "Snead beats Palmer 3-2, takes PGA title". Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. June 1, 1949. p. 14-part 2. Retrieved May 22, 2013.
- ^ Fraley, Oscar (May 27, 1949). "PGA match play begins". Miami News. p. 3B.
- ^ "Golfer Ben Hogan injured in car crash". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. February 3, 1949. p. 1, sec. 4.
- ^ "Improving Hogan will play again". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. February 4, 1949. p. 1, sec. 3.
- ^ "Hogan cards 69 to top Demaret in playoff". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. January 26, 1949. p. 3, sec. 3.
- ^ "Demaret beats Hogan by 3 to win playoff". Chicago Daily Tribune. Associated Press. February 1, 1949. p. 3, sec. 3.
External links
edit- PGA Media Guide 2012
- GolfCompendium.com – 1949 PGA Championship
- PGA of America – 1949 PGA Championship