# 1923 PGA Championship

The 1923 PGA Championship was the sixth PGA Championship, held September 24–29 in New York at Pelham Country Club in Pelham Manor, Westchester County. The field of 64 qualified by sectional tournaments, and competed in six rounds of match play, all at 36 holes in a single-elimination tournament.
In the final match on Saturday, defending champion Gene Sarazen met 1921 winner Walter Hagen, who had skipped the event the previous year. Sarazen won in 38 holes for his second consecutive PGA Championship and the third of his seven major titles.
Even in strokes (77) and holes after the morning round, Sarazen was two up with three holes to play, but consecutive bogeys left them all square and the 36th hole was halved with par fours. Both birdied the first extra hole with fours and the next was a driveable par four, a short downhill dogleg, and both went for the green. Hagen's tee shot was only twenty feet (6 m) from the cup but in a bunker, while Sarazen was in the rough and fifty feet (15 m) out. Hagen failed to exit the sand with his second shot, while Sarazen pitched to four feet (1.2 m) and sank it for a birdie to win. Hagen rebounded and won the next four PGA Championships (1924–1927).

## Bracket 1

| Round 1 September 24 | Round 1 September 24 | Round 2 September 25 | Round 2 September 25 | Round 3 September 26 | Round 3 September 26 | | Quarter-finals September 27 | Quarter-finals September 27 |
| Gene Sarazen | 8&7 | | | | | | | |
| Lloyd Gullickson | | | | | | | | |
| Lloyd Gullickson | | Gene Sarazen | 11&10 | | | | | |
| | | D. K. White | | | | | | |
| D. K. White | 9&8 | D. K. White | | | | | | |
| Carl Rocco | | | | | | | | |
| Carl Rocco | | | | Gene Sarazen | 3&2 | | | |
| | | | | Alec Campbell | | | | |
| Alec Campbell | 4&3 | | | | | Alec Campbell | | | |
| Nick DeMane | | | | | | | | |
| Nick DeMane | | Alec Campbell | 4&3 | | | | | |
| | | Willie Klein | | | | | | |
| Willie Klein | 4&3 | Willie Klein | | | | | | |
| Charles Rowe | | | | | | | | |
| Charles Rowe | | | | | | | Gene Sarazen | 1 up |
| | | | | | | | Jim Barnes | |
| Jim Barnes | 12&11 | | | | | | | | Jim Barnes |
| George Dernbach | | | | | | | | |
| George Dernbach | | Jim Barnes | 12&11 | | | | | |
| | | John Cowan | | | | | | |
| John Cowan | 9&8 | John Cowan | | | | | | |
| Herbert Meyering | | | | | | | | |
| Herbert Meyering | | | | Jim Barnes | 8&7 | | | |
| | | | | Cyril Walker | | | | |
| Cyril Walker | 5&4 | | | | | Cyril Walker | | | |
| Willie Maguire | | | | | | | | |
| Willie Maguire | | Cyril Walker | 2&1 | | | | | |
| | | Harry Cooper | | | | | | |
| Harry Cooper | 7&6 | Harry Cooper | | | | | | |
| Alex Ellis, Jr. | | | | | | | | |

## Bracket 2

| Round 1 September 24 | Round 1 September 24 | Round 2 September 25 | Round 2 September 25 | Round 3 September 26 | Round 3 September 26 | | Quarter-finals September 27 | Quarter-finals September 27 |
| Walter Hagen | 4&3 | | | | | | | |
| George Griffin | | | | | | | | |
| George Griffin | | Walter Hagen | 10&9 | | | | | |
| | | Jack Elplick | | | | | | |
| Jack Elplick | 4&2 | Jack Elplick | | | | | | |
| Ralph Thomas | | | | | | | | |
| Ralph Thomas | | | | Walter Hagen | 4&3 | | | |
| | | | | Johnny Golden | | | | |
| Johnny Golden | 5&4 | | | | | Johnny Golden | | | |
| Wilbur Jack | | | | | | | | |
| Wilbur Jack | | Johnny Golden | 1 up | | | | | |
| | | Robert Barnett | | | | | | |
| Robert Barnett | 5&4 | Robert Barnett | | | | | | |
| Pat Doyle | | | | | | | | |
| Pat Doyle | | | | | | | Walter Hagen | 5&4 |
| | | | | | | | Fred McLeod | |
| Fred McLeod | 7&6 | | | | | | | | Fred McLeod |
| Wiffy Cox | | | | | | | | |
| Wiffy Cox | | Fred McLeod | 4&3 | | | | | |
| | | James Meehan | | | | | | |
| James Meehan | 7&6 | James Meehan | | | | | | |
| Austie Claeyssens | | | | | | | | |
| Austie Claeyssens | | | | Fred McLeod | 1 up | | | |
| | | | | Clarence Hackney | | | | |
| Clarence Hackney | 6&5 | | | | | Clarence Hackney | | | |
| Al Hackbarth | | | | | | | | |
| Al Hackbarth | | Clarence Hackney | 7&6 | | | | | |
| | | R. S. Miner | | | | | | |
| R. S. Miner | 4&2 | R. S. Miner | | | | | | |
| Jim Carberry | | | | | | | | |

## Bracket 3

| Round 1 September 24 | Round 1 September 24 | Round 2 September 25 | Round 2 September 25 | Round 3 September 26 | Round 3 September 26 | | Quarter-finals September 27 | Quarter-finals September 27 |
| Bobby Cruickshank | 2&1 | | | | | | | |
| Willie Leach | | | | | | | | |
| Willie Leach | | Bobby Cruickshank | 7&5 | | | | | |
| | | Herbert Obendorf | | | | | | |
| Herbert Obendorf | 5&4 | Herbert Obendorf | | | | | | |
| George Underwood | | | | | | | | |
| George Underwood | | | | Bobby Cruickshank | 1 up | | | |
| | | | | Ray Derr | | | | |
| Ray Derr | 2&1 | | | | | Ray Derr | | | |
| Charles Hoffner | | | | | | | | |
| Charles Hoffner | | Ray Derr | 5&4 | | | | | |
| | | Frank Coltart | | | | | | |
| Frank Coltart | 1 up | Frank Coltart | | | | | | |
| John Edmundson | | | | | | | | |
| John Edmundson | | | | | | | Bobby Cruickshank | 39h |
| | | | | | | | Willie Macfarlane | |
| Willie Macfarlane | 6&5 | | | | | | | | Willie Macfarlane |
| George Stark | | | | | | | | |
| George Stark | | Willie Macfarlane | 3&2 | | | | | |
| | | Wilfrid Reid | | | | | | |
| Wilfrid Reid | 4&2 | Wilfrid Reid | | | | | | |
| Louis Chiapetta | | | | | | | | |
| Louis Chiapetta | | | | Willie Macfarlane | 5&4 | | | |
| | | | | Jack Stait | | | | |
| Jack Stait | 7&6 | | | | | Jack Stait | | | |
| Harry Ellis | | | | | | | | |
| Harry Ellis | | Jack Stait | 1 up | | | | | |
| | | Jack Forrester | | | | | | |
| Jack Forrester | 6&4 | Jack Forrester | | | | | | |
| Herbert Nicoll | | | | | | | | |

## Bracket 4

| Round 1 September 24 | Round 1 September 24 | Round 2 September 25 | Round 2 September 25 | Round 3 September 26 | Round 3 September 26 | | Quarter-finals September 27 | Quarter-finals September 27 |
| George McLean | Def. | | | | | | | |
| Dave Stevens | | | | | | | | |
| Dave Stevens | | George McLean | 6&4 | | | | | |
| | | Jimmie Donaldson | | | | | | |
| Jimmie Donaldson | Def. | Jimmie Donaldson | | | | | | |
| Eddie Loos | | | | | | | | |
| Eddie Loos | | | | George McLean | 38h | | | |
| | | | | Willie Ogg | | | | |
| Willie Ogg | 2&1 | | | | | Willie Ogg | | | |
| Fred Baroni | | | | | | | | |
| Fred Baroni | | Willie Ogg | 12&11 | | | | | |
| | | Carl Anderson | | | | | | |
| Carl Anderson | 37h | Carl Anderson | | | | | | |
| Stuart Sanderson | | | | | | | | |
| Stuart Sanderson | | | | | | | George McLean | 5&4 |
| | | | | | | | Joe Kirkwood, Sr. | |
| Joe Kirkwood, Sr. | 6&4 | | | | | | | | Joe Kirkwood, Sr. |
| William Goebel | | | | | | | | |
| William Goebel | | Joe Kirkwood, Sr. | 1 up | | | | | |
| | | James West | | | | | | |
| James West | 5&3 | James West | | | | | | |
| Alex Gerard | | | | | | | | |
| Alex Gerard | | | | Joe Kirkwood, Sr. | 1 up | | | |
| | | | | Johnny Farrell | | | | |
| Johnny Farrell | 1 up | | | | | Johnny Farrell | | | |
| Dave McKay | | | | | | | | |
| Dave McKay | | Johnny Farrell | 4&3 | | | | | |
| | | Willie Hunter | | | | | | |
| Willie Hunter | 2&1 | Willie Hunter | | | | | | |
| Al Watrous | | | | | | | | |

## Final four

| Semi-finals Friday, September 28 | Semi-finals Friday, September 28 | Semi-finals Friday, September 28 | Finals Saturday, September 29 | Finals Saturday, September 29 | Finals Saturday, September 29 |
| Gene Sarazen | Gene Sarazen | 7&5 | | | |
| Bobby Cruickshank | Bobby Cruickshank | | | | |
| Bobby Cruickshank | Bobby Cruickshank | | Gene Sarazen | Gene Sarazen | 38h |
| | | | Walter Hagen | Walter Hagen | |
| Walter Hagen | Walter Hagen | 12&11 | Walter Hagen | Walter Hagen | |
| George McLean | George McLean | | | | |

## Final match scorecards

Morning
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Par | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Sarazen | 4 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Hagen | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Leader | S1 | – | – | – | – | H1 | H1 | H1 | H1 | H1 | – | – | H1 | – | H1 | H1 | H1 | – |
Afternoon
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Par | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Sarazen | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| Hagen | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Leader | – | – | S1 | S1 | S2 | S2 | S3 | S3 | S3 | S3 | S2 | S2 | S2 | S2 | S2 | S1 | – | – |
Extra holes
| Hole | 1 | 2 |
| Par | 5 | 4 |
| Sarazen | 4 | 3 |
| Hagen | 4 | 4 |
| Leader | – | S1 |
* Source: