1937 PGA Championship

The 1937 PGA Championship was the 20th PGA Championship, held May 24–30 at Pittsburgh Field Club in Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania, a suburb northeast of Pittsburgh. Then a match play championship, Denny Shute won his second consecutive PGA Championship in less than seven months, defeating Jug McSpaden in 37 holes.[3][4] The previous edition in 1936 was held in November at Pinehurst, North Carolina.

1937 PGA Championship

Tournament information
Dates	May 24–30, 1937
Location	Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania
Course(s)	Pittsburgh Field Club
Organized by	PGA of America
Tour(s)	PGA Tour
Format	Match play - 6 rounds
Statistics
Par	72
Length	6,665 yards (6,094 m)
Field	106 players, 64 to match play[1]
Cut	157 (+13), playoff
Prize fund	$9,200[2]
Winner's share	$1,000
Champion
Denny Shute
def. Jug McSpaden, 37 holes

Pittsburgh

Location in the United States

Pittsburgh 
Field Club

Location in Pennsylvania

Shute was 3 holes up after the morning round of the finals, but McSpaden had the lead with nine holes remaining and was 2 up with three holes to go. McSpaden bogeyed the 34th and double-bogeyed the 35th to square up the match as they went to the 36th tee. McSpaden missed a four-foot (1.2 m) birdie putt to win and they halved the hole and went to an extra hole. McSpaden lipped out his par-saving putt from 8 feet (2.4 m) to end the match.[3][5]

Shute was the last to successfully defend his title at the PGA Championship until Tiger Woods won consecutive titles in 1999 and 2000. It was Shute's third and final major title; his first was at the British Open in 1933 at St. Andrews.

Usually played later in the schedule, this PGA Championship was in late May, the first of three times it was held before the U.S. Open and British Open. Prior to World War II, the PGA Championship was most often played in September, but ranged from late May (1937, 1942) to early December (1929). Since 1969, it has been held in early to mid-August, except for 1971 (February) and 2016 (July).

Format

The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1937 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in seven days:[2][6]

• Monday and Tuesday – 36-hole stroke play qualifier, 18 holes per day;
  • defending champion and top 63 professionals advanced to match play
• Wednesday – first two rounds, 18 holes each
• Thursday – third round – 36 holes
• Friday – quarterfinals – 36 holes
• Saturday – semifinals – 36 holes
• Sunday – final – 36 holes

Past champions in the field

Player	Country	Year(s) won	Record	Advanced to	Finish
Denny Shute	United States	1936	6–0	Champion	1
Paul Runyan	United States	1934	2–1	Third round	T9
Olin Dutra	United States	1932	1–1	Second round	T17
Johnny Revolta	United States	1935	1–1	Second round	T17
Gene Sarazen	United States	1922, 1923, 1933	1–1	Second round	T17
Leo Diegel	United States	1928, 1929	0–1	First round	T33

Failed to qualify

Player	Country	Year won	R1	R2	Total	To par
Tom Creavy	United States	1931	79	WD

Source:[2]

Final results

Sunday, May 30, 1937

Place	Player	Country	Money ($)
1	Denny Shute	United States	1,000
2	Jug McSpaden	United States	500
T3	Ky Laffoon	United States	250
	Tony Manero	United States
T5	Harry Cooper	United States	200
	Jimmy Hines	United States
	Byron Nelson	United States
	Henry Picard	United States

Source:[7]

Final eight bracket

Quarter-finals May 28

Semi-finals May 29

Finals May 30

Denny Shute

4&3

Jimmy Hines

Denny Shute

3&2

Tony Manero

Tony Manero

1up

Harry Cooper

Denny Shute

37h

Jug McSpaden

Jug McSpaden

39h

Henry Picard

Jug McSpaden

2&1

Ky Laffoon

Ky Laffoon

2&1

Byron Nelson

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	5	3	5	3	4	4	4	4	4	5	4	3	5	3	4	4
Shute	5	4	5	3	5	2	3	5	3	5	5	4	3	3	6	3	3	3
McSpaden	3	4	4	3	4	3	^	5	4	5	4	5	4	4	5	3	^	4
Leader	M1	M1	M2	M2	M3	M2	M1	M1	–	–	M1	–	S1	S2	S1	S1	S2	S3

Afternoon

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Par	4	4	5	3	5	3	4	4	4	4	4	5	4	3	5	3	4	4
Shute	6	4	5	2	5	3	4	5	5	4	5	4	5	4	5	3	5	4
McSpaden	4	3	5	3	4	3	4	4	4	5	5	4	4	3	5	4	^	4
Leader	S2	S1	S1	S2	S1	S1	S1	–	M1	–	–	–	M1	M2	M2	M1	–	–

^ = picked up ball (hole concession)

Extra hole

Hole	1
Par	4
Shute	4
McSpaden	5
Leader	S1

• Source:[3]

References

1. "Runyan Paces Field in PGA Golf Tourney; Hines is Second". Telegraph-Herald. Dubuque, Iowa. United Press. May 25, 1937. p. 11. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
2. "Tournament Info for: 1937 PGA Championship". PGA of America. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
3. Bartlett, Charles (May 31, 1937). "Shute defeats M'Spaden for P.G.A. title on 37th". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 21.
4. "Denny Shute wins title in pro golf". Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. May 31, 1937. p. 20. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
5. Henry, Jack (May 31, 1937). "Denny Shute stages spectacular rally to retain national P.G.A. Championship". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). United Press. p. 10. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
6. "Match-By-Match Chart Of The P.G.A. Championship At Field Club". Pittsburgh Press. May 29, 1937. p. 9. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
7. "Money division in P.G.A. title meet". Youngstown Vindicator. Ohio. Associated Press. May 31, 1937. p. 10. Retrieved April 30, 2013.

External links

• PGA Media Guide 2012
• About.com – 1937 PGA Championship
• PGA.com – 1937 PGA Championship