1954 PGA Championship

Tournament information
Dates	July 21–27, 1954
Location	Maplewood, Minnesota, U.S.
Course(s)	Keller Golf Club
Organized by	PGA of America
Tour(s)	PGA Tour
Format	Match play - 6 rounds
Statistics
Par	71
Length	6,652 yards (6,083 m)[1]
Field	135 players,[1] 64 to match play
Cut	147 (+5), no playoff needed
Prize fund	$20,700[2]
Winner's share	$5,000
Champion
Chick Harbert
def. Walter Burkemo, 4 and 3
← 1953 1955 →

Maplewood 

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Location in the United States

Keller GC 

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Location in Minnesota

The 1954 PGA Championship was the 36th PGA Championship, held July 21–27 at Keller Golf Club in Maplewood, Minnesota, a suburb north of St. Paul. Chick Harbert won the match play championship, 4 and 3 over defending champion Walter Burkemo in the Tuesday final;^[3] the winner's share was $5,000 and the runner-up's was $3,000.^[4]

It marked the second time the PGA Championship returned to a venue; public Keller had also hosted in 1932; Oakmont near Pittsburgh hosted in 1922 and 1951. It was the third and last final for the two finalists, both from the Detroit area; each had one victory and two losses. Harbert lost in 1947 and 1952, while Burkemo lost in 1951 and won in 1953.

In the finals, Burkemo eagled the first hole and was three up after four holes, but soon cooled off; the match was even on the twelfth tee and Harbert led by one at the lunch break. The afternoon round was bogey-free for both, but Harbert had five birdies to Burkemo's two and the match ended on the 33rd green.^[3]

Ed "Porky" Oliver won $250 as the medalist in the stroke-play qualifying with a 136 (−6);^[5][6] he fell 3 and 1 in the third round to eventual champion Harbert.^[7][8]

The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1954 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in seven days:^[2]

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

Tuesday, July 27, 1954

Place	Player	Money ($)
1	Chick Harbert	5,000
2	Walter Burkemo	3,000
T3	Tommy Bolt	750
	Cary Middlecoff
T5	Jerry Barber	500
	Roberto De Vicenzo
	Shelley Mayfield
	Sam Snead

Source:^[9]

July 27, 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	4	3	5	4	4	4	4	5	3	4	3	4	4	4
Harbert	^	4	7	3	4	3	4	4	3	4	4	5	3	4	3	4	3	4
Burkemo	2	4	5	2	4	3	4	4	4	5	5	5	3	5	3	4	3	4
Leader	B1	B1	B2	B3	B3	B3	B3	B3	B2	B1	–	–	–	H1	H1	H1	H1	H1

^ = picked up ball (hole concession)

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	4	3	5	4	4	4	4	5	3	4	3	4	4	4
Harbert	3	3	5	3	4	3	5	4	4	3	4	4	3	3	3	Harbert wins 4 and 3
Burkemo	4	4	5	3	4	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	4	3
Leader	H2	H3	H3	H3	H3	H3	H2	H2	H2	H3	H3	H3	H3	H4	H4

• Source:^[3]

• PGA Media Guide 2012
• PGA.com – 1954 PGA Championship

45°00′22″N 93°03′22″W / 45.006°N 93.056°W / 45.006; -93.056