1941 PGA Championship

The 1941 PGA Championship was the 24th PGA Championship, held July 7–13 at Cherry Hills Country Club in Englewood, Colorado (now Cherry Hills Village), just south of Denver. Then a match play championship, Vic Ghezzi won his only major title over defending champion Byron Nelson in 38 holes.[4][5] Nelson defeated Ralph Guldahl, Ben Hogan, and Gene Sarazen on successive days to reach his third consecutive final.

1941 PGA Championship

Tournament information
Dates	July 7–13, 1941
Location	Englewood, Colorado, U.S.
Course(s)	Cherry Hills Country Club
Organized by	PGA of America
Tour(s)	PGA Tour
Format	Match play - 6 rounds
Statistics
Par	71
Length	6,888 yards (6,298 m)[1]
Field	97 players,[2] 64 to match play
Cut	154 (+12), playoff
Prize fund	$10,600[3]
Winner's share	$1,100
Champion
Vic Ghezzi
def. Byron Nelson, 38 holes

Cherry Hills Country Club

Location in the United States

Seven of the eight quarterfinalists in 1941 won major titles during their careers. Sam Snead was the medalist in the stroke play qualifier at 138 (−4);[6] he lost in the quarterfinals but won the first of his three titles the following year.

Due to World War II, this was the last "full field" at the PGA Championship until 1946. The match play bracket was scaled back from 64 competitors to 32 for 1942, when it and the Masters were the only majors held. The PGA Championship was the only major in 1944 and 1945; none were played in 1943 and the other three returned in 1946.

This was the last time the final match in the PGA Championship went to extra holes. The PGA Championship changed to stroke play in 1958 and its first two playoffs in 1961 and 1967 were 18 holes, before conversion to sudden-death, first used in 1977 and last in 1996. The present three-hole aggregate playoff made its debut in 2000.

This championship was the second major played at this course; the U.S. Open was held at Cherry Hills three years earlier in 1938, won by Guldahl. It later hosted the U.S. Open in 1960 and 1978, and the PGA Championship in 1985. The average elevation of the course exceeds 5,300 feet (1,620 m) above sea level.

Format

The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1941 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in seven days:[3]

• Monday and Tuesday – 36-hole stroke play qualifier, 18 holes per day;
  • defending champion Byron Nelson 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
Byron Nelson	United States	1940	5–1	Finals	2
Gene Sarazen	United States	1922, 1923, 1933	4–1	Semifinals	T3
Denny Shute	United States	1936, 1937	3–1	Quarterfinals	T5
Henry Picard	United States	1939	0–1	First round	T33
Paul Runyan	United States	1934, 1938	0–1	First round	T33

Failed to qualify

Player	Country	Year won	R1	R2	Total	To par
Johnny Revolta	United States	1935	79	77	156	+14
Olin Dutra	United States	1932	WD

Source:[1][3][6]

Final results

Sunday, July 13, 1941

Place	Player	Country	Money ($)
1	Vic Ghezzi	United States	1,100
2	Byron Nelson	United States	600
T3	Lloyd Mangrum	United States	350
	Gene Sarazen	United States
T5	Jimmy Hines	United States	250
	Ben Hogan	United States
	Denny Shute	United States
	Sam Snead	United States

Source:[7]

Final eight bracket

Quarter-finals July 11

Semi-finals July 12

Finals July 13

Vic Ghezzi

8&7

Jimmy Hines

Vic Ghezzi

1 up

Lloyd Mangrum

Lloyd Mangrum

6&4

Sam Snead

Vic Ghezzi

38h

Byron Nelson

Byron Nelson

2&1

Ben Hogan

Byron Nelson

2up

Gene Sarazen

Gene Sarazen

7&6

Denny Shute

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	4	4	5	3	4	3	4	4	5	3	4	4	3	4	5	4
Ghezzi	4	3	3	4	5	3	4	3	4	3	6	3	4	5	4	4	4	5
Nelson	3	4	4	4	6	3	4	3	3	4	5	3	4	5	3	4	4	4
Leader	N1	–	G1	G1	G2	G2	G2	G2	G1	G2	G1	G1	G1	G1	–	–	–	N1

Afternoon

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Par	4	4	4	4	5	3	4	3	4	4	5	3	4	4	3	4	5	4
Ghezzi	4	4	3	4	5	3	4	4	4	4	4	3	4	4	2	4	6	5
Nelson	4	3	3	5	5	2	4	3	4	5	5	4	3	5	3	4	5	5
Leader	N1	N2	N2	N1	N1	N2	N2	N3	N3	N2	N1	–	N1	–	G1	G1	–	–

Extra holes

Hole	1	2
Par	4	4
Ghezzi	4	4
Nelson	4	5
Leader	–	G1

• Source:[4]

References

1. "Harrison, Bassler lead PGA qualifiers with sub-par 68's". St. Petersburg Times. Florida. United Press. July 8, 1941. p. 9.
2. Kelly, Loudon (July 8, 1941). "Bassler and Harrison top P.G.A. qualifier with 68s". Youngstown Vindicator. Ohio. Associated Press. p. 13. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
3. "Tournament Info for: 1941 PGA Championship". PGA of America. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
4. Bartlett, Charles (July 14, 1941). "Ghezzi beats Nelson on 38th hole for P.G.A. title". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. 19.
5. Kelly, Loudon (July 14, 1941). "Vic Ghezzi stages brilliant rally to trim Nelson on 38th hole in P.G.A. final". Youngstown Vindicator. (Ohio). Associated Press. p. 9. Retrieved April 30, 2013.
6. "Sam Snead takes medal in PGA qualifying play". Palm Beach Post. Florida. Associated Press. July 9, 1941. p. 9.
7. "Vic Ghezzi Wins PGA Title Dethroning Champion Byron Nelson In 38 Holes". Palm Beach Post. Florida. Associated Press. July 14, 1941. p. 6. Retrieved April 30, 2013.

External links

• PGA Media Guide 2012
• About.com – 1941 PGA Championship
• PGA.com – 1941 PGA Championship