1942 PGA Championship explained

1942 PGA Championship
Location:Galloway Twp., New Jersey
Course:Seaview Country Club
Dates:May 25–31, 1942
Par:72[1]
Yardage:6750yd
Org:PGA of America
Tour:PGA Tour
Field:102 players,[2]
32 to match play
Cut:147 (+3), playoff
Format:Match play - 5 rounds
Purse:$7,550[3]
Winners Share:$2,000
Champion: Sam Snead
Score:def. Jim Turnesa, 2 and 1
Previous:1941
Next:1944

The 1942 PGA Championship was the 25th PGA Championship, held May 25–31 at Seaview Country Club in Galloway Township, New Jersey, just north of Atlantic City. Then a match play championship, Sam Snead won 2 and 1 in the final over Jim Turnesa.[4]

It was the first of Snead's seven major titles, and he began his service in the U.S. Navy immediately after the event.[5] Turnesa, from a large family of professional golfers, won the PGA Championship in 1952. He was serving in the U.S. Army and had defeated the other pre-tournament favorites, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson, in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

Due to World War II, this was the second and final major of the year, following the Masters. None of the majors were played in 1943; the PGA Championship returned in 1944 and the other three in 1946. The field for this PGA Championship was reduced from prior years, with 32 advancing to match play, and all five rounds at 36 holes per match. This format was continued for 1944 and 1945, then returned to the pre-war match play field of 64 in 1946.

In the three previous years, Nelson had advanced to the finals, but was defeated in the 1942 semifinals by Turnesa in 37 holes. Nelson returned to the finals at the next two editions for five finals in six PGA Championships; he won two, in 1940 and 1945. Prior to his match with Nelson, Turnesa defeated Hogan 2 and 1 in the quarterfinals;[1] after the war, Hogan won the title in 1946 and 1948.

Defending champion Vic Ghezzi, a New Jersey native, lost 4 and 3 in the first round to Jimmy Demaret, who fell 3 & 2 to Snead in the semifinals. Harry Cooper was the medalist in the stroke play qualifier at 138 (−6), but lost to Nelson in the quarterfinals on the third extra hole.

The golf course, now known as the Bay Course of the Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club, was designed in 1914 by Donald Ross. It hosts an annual event on the LPGA Tour, the ShopRite LPGA Classic.

Format

The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1942 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in seven days:[3]

Final results

Sunday, May 31, 1942

PlacePlayerMoney ($)
1 Sam Snead 2,000
2 750
align=center rowspan=2T3 align=center rowspan=2450
Byron Nelson
align=center rowspan=4T5 align=center rowspan=4300
Ed Dudley
Craig Wood
Source:[5]

Final match scorecards

Morning

Hole 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 101112131415161718
Par444444345453444534
Snead 444344345544444535
Turnesa 435434335453345435
Leader T1S1T1T1T2T1T2T3T3T2T3T3T3

Afternoon

Hole 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 101112131415161718
Par444444345453444534
Snead 46444433444344442
Turnesa 54444534554444442
Leader T2T3T3T3T3T2T2T1S1S1S2S2S2S2S2S2

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Nelson, Hogan and Snead rated top favorites in field of over 100 . Miami Daily News . United Press . Fraley . Oscar . May 25, 1942 . 2-B . April 30, 2013.
  2. News: Dudley leads with fine 66 . Milwaukee Journal . United Press . May 26, 1942 . 8 . April 30, 2013.
  3. Web site: Tournament Info for: 1942 PGA Championship . https://web.archive.org/web/20061023165845/http://www.pgamediaguide.com/pgachampionship_detail.cfm?tournament_id=461&date=1942&tourn_name_id=2 . dead . October 23, 2006 . PGA of America . April 30, 2013 .
  4. News: Snead beats Turnesa, 2 and 1, for P.G.A. title . Chicago Daily Tribune . Bartlett . Charles . June 1, 1942 . 21.
  5. News: Sam Snead finally wins a big one . St. Petersburg Times . Guenther . Jack . United Press . June 1, 1942 . 9 . April 30, 2013.