1953 PGA Championship
The 1953 PGA Championship was the 35th PGA Championship, held July 1–7 at Birmingham Country Club in Birmingham, Michigan, a suburb northwest of Detroit. Local resident Walter Burkemo won the match play championship, 2 & 1 over Felice Torza in the Tuesday final. The winner's share was $5,000 and the runner-up's was $3,000. Burkemo won his only major title in the second of his three finals; he lost to Sam Snead in 1951 and Chick Harbert in 1954. Johnny Palmer was the medalist of the stroke play qualifier, awarded $250 for his 134 (−8), with a second round at 66. He lost in the first round to Jack Grout; also defeated on "Black Friday" were pre-tournament favorites Cary Middlecoff, three-time champion Sam Snead, and defending champion Jim Turnesa. No former past champion advanced past the second round. Burkemo's win marked the second time that all four major championships were won by Americans in a calendar year. Format The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1953 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in seven days: Wednesday and Thursday – 36-hole stroke play qualifier, 18 holes per day; defending champion Jim Turnesa and top 63 professionals advanced to match play