Dates May 25–31, 1949 Organized by PGA of America Format Match play - 6 rounds | Course(s) Hermitage Country Club Tour(s) PGA Tour | |
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Location Richmond, Virginia, U.S. | ||
The 1949 PGA Championship was the 31st PGA Championship, held May 25–31 at Hermitage Country Club in Lakeside, Virginia, north of Richmond. Native Virginian Sam Snead won the match play championship, 3 & 2 over Johnny Palmer in the Tuesday final; the winner's share was $3,500 and the runner-up's was $1,500.
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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; he won again two years later in 1951.
Defending champion Ben Hogan did not play in any of the majors during the 1949 season, following a near-fatal automobile accident in early February. He did not enter the PGA Championship again until 1960, its third year as a stroke play event.
Snead won the Masters in April; this was the first time the Masters champion had won the PGA Championship in the same calendar year. Through 2015, it has only been accomplished four times: Snead was followed by Jack Burke, Jr. in 1956 and Jack Nicklaus in 1963 and 1975.
The medalist in the stroke play qualifier was unsung Ray Hill of Louisiana, who advanced to the quarterfinals.
Format
The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1949 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in seven days:
Failed to qualify
Source:
Final results
Tuesday, May 31, 1949