# 1955 PGA Championship

The 1955 PGA Championship was the 37th PGA Championship, held July 20–26 in Michigan at Meadowbrook Country Club in Northville Township, northwest of nearby Detroit. Doug Ford won the match play championship, 4 and 3 over Cary Middlecoff in the Tuesday final; the winner's share was $5,000 and the runner-up earned $3,000. This was the first of two major titles for Ford, who won the Masters in 1957.
Ford was also the medalist in the stroke-play qualifying with a 135 (−7), worth $250 and the Alex Smith trophy. He was the fourth to win the final match after winning the qualifier, joining Walter Hagen (1926), Olin Dutra (1932), and Byron Nelson (1945). Ford was the last medalist, as the format was changed in 1956 to seven rounds without a qualifier for two years, then to 72-hole stroke play in 1958.
Defending champion Chick Harbert, a local resident, was defeated in the second round by Johnny Palmer, 1 up. No former champion advanced past the second round.
This was second time in three years the PGA Championship was played near Detroit; the 1953 event was played at Birmingham Country Club in Birmingham, about 20 miles (30 km) northeast. The 1947 edition, in which Harbert was runner-up, was also held in the Detroit area.

## Format

The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1955 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in seven days:
* Wednesday and Thursday – 36-hole stroke play qualifier, 18 holes per day;
** defending champion Chick Harbert and the 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

## Final results

Tuesday, July 26, 1955
| Place | Player | Money ($) |
| 1 | Doug Ford | 5,000 |
| 2 | Cary Middlecoff | 3,000 |
| T3 | Tommy Bolt | 750 |
| T3 | Shelley Mayfield | 750 |
| T5 | Jack Burke Jr. | 500 |
| T5 | Don Fairfield | 500 |
| T5 | Fred Hawkins | 500 |
| T5 | Lew Worsham | 500 |

## Results
### Top half

| Last 64 July 22 | Last 64 July 22 | Last 32 July 22 | Last 32 July 22 | Last 16 July 23 | Last 16 July 23 | Quarter-finals July 24 | Quarter-finals July 24 | Semi-finals July 25 | Semi-finals July 25 |
| Brien Charter | 2&1 | | | | | | |
| Jimmy Johnson | | | | | | | |
| Jimmy Johnson | | Brien Charter | 1up | | | | |
| | | Lionel Hebert | | | | | |
| Jerry Barber | | Lionel Hebert | | | | | |
| Lionel Hebert | 2&1 | | | | | | |
| Lionel Hebert | 2&1 | | | Brien Charter | | | |
| | | | | Don Fairfield | 2&1 | | |
| Don Fairfield | 3&1 | | | Don Fairfield | 2&1 | | |
| Walter Romans | | | | | | | |
| Walter Romans | | Don Fairfield | 23h | | | | |
| | | Vic Ghezzi | | | | | |
| Pete Cooper | | Vic Ghezzi | | | | | |
| Vic Ghezzi | 4&3 | | | | | | |
| Vic Ghezzi | 4&3 | | | | | Don Fairfield | |
| | | | | | | Shelley Mayfield | 3&2 |
| Gene Sarazen | 6&4 | | | | | Shelley Mayfield | 3&2 |
| Clarence Doser | | | | | | | |
| Clarence Doser | | Gene Sarazen | | | | | |
| | | Shelley Mayfield | 4&3 | | | | |
| Shelley Mayfield | 6&5 | Shelley Mayfield | 4&3 | | | | |
| Ted Neist | | | | | | | |
| Ted Neist | | | | Shelley Mayfield | 1up | | |
| | | | | Claude Harmon | | | |
| Claude Harmon | 5&4 | | | Claude Harmon | | | |
| Mike Turnesa | | | | | | | |
| Mike Turnesa | | Claude Harmon | 2&1 | | | | |
| | | Eldon Briggs | | | | | |
| Errie Ball | | Eldon Briggs | | | | | |
| Eldon Briggs | 1up | | | | | | | | |
| Eldon Briggs | 1up | | | | | | | Shelley Mayfield | |
| | | | | | | | | Doug Ford | 4&3 |
| Gus Salerno | 2&1 | | | | | | | Doug Ford | 4&3 |
| Gunnard Johnson | | | | | | | | | |
| Gunnard Johnson | | Gus Salerno | | | | | | | |
| | | Ed Furgol | 20h | | | | | | |
| Ed Furgol | 20h | Ed Furgol | 20h | | | | | | |
| Jimmy Gauntt | | | | | | | | | |
| Jimmy Gauntt | | | | Ed Furgol | | | | | |
| | | | | Fred Hawkins | 6&5 | | | | |
| Fred Hawkins | 3&2 | | | Fred Hawkins | 6&5 | | | | |
| Eddie Joseph | | | | | | | | | |
| Eddie Joseph | | Fred Hawkins | 2up | | | | | | |
| | | Fred Haas | | | | | | | |
| Skee Riegel | | Fred Haas | | | | | | | |
| Fred Haas | 3&2 | | | | | | | | |
| Fred Haas | 3&2 | | | | | Fred Hawkins | | | |
| | | | | | | Doug Ford | 5&4 |
| Mike Dietz | | | | | | Doug Ford | 5&4 |
| Leonard Wagner | 1up | | | | | | |
| Leonard Wagner | 1up | Leonard Wagner | | | | | |
| | | Wally Ulrich | 2up | | | | |
| Wally Ulrich | 19h | Wally Ulrich | 2up | | | | |
| Dutch Harrison | | | | | | | |
| Dutch Harrison | | | | Wally Ulrich | | | |
| | | | | Doug Ford | 12&10 | | |
| Ted Kroll | 3&2 | | | Doug Ford | 12&10 | | |
| Buck White | | | | | | | |
| Buck White | | Ted Kroll | | | | | |
| | | Doug Ford | 2&1 | | | | |
| Doug Ford | 2&1 | Doug Ford | 2&1 | | | | |
| George Fazio | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half

| Last 64 July 22 | Last 64 July 22 | Last 32 July 22 | Last 32 July 22 | Last 16 July 23 | Last 16 July 23 | Quarter-finals July 24 | Quarter-finals July 24 | Semi-finals July 25 | Semi-finals July 25 |
| Chick Harbert | 3&1 | | | | | | |
| Eric Monti | | | | | | | |
| Eric Monti | | Chick Harbert | | | | | |
| | | Johnny Palmer | 1up | | | | |
| Johnny Palmer | 5&4 | Johnny Palmer | 1up | | | | |
| Roy Wallin | | | | | | | |
| Roy Wallin | | | | Johnny Palmer | | | |
| | | | | Lew Worsham | 6&5 | | |
| Lew Worsham | 2&1 | | | Lew Worsham | 6&5 | | |
| Dick Lundahl | | | | | | | |
| Dick Lundahl | | Lew Worsham | 2&1 | | | | |
| | | Ray Hill | | | | | |
| Jackson Bradley | | Ray Hill | | | | | |
| Ray Hill | 2&1 | | | | | | |
| Ray Hill | 2&1 | | | | | Lew Worsham | |
| | | | | | | Tommy Bolt | 8&7 |
| Sam Snead | 2&1 | | | | | Tommy Bolt | 8&7 |
| Al Feminelli | | | | | | | |
| Al Feminelli | | Sam Snead | | | | | |
| | | Tommy Bolt | 3&2 | | | | |
| Tommy Bolt | w/o | Tommy Bolt | 3&2 | | | | |
| Al Watrous | | | | | | | |
| Al Watrous | | | | Tommy Bolt | 3&1 | | |
| | | | | Jack Fleck | | | |
| Jack Fleck | 4&2 | | | Jack Fleck | | | |
| Joe Zarhardt | | | | | | | |
| Joe Zarhardt | | Jack Fleck | 2&1 | | | | |
| | | Jay Hebert | | | | | |
| Jay Hebert | 4&3 | Jay Hebert | | | | | |
| Alex Redl | | | | | | | | | |
| Alex Redl | | | | | | | | Tommy Bolt | |
| | | | | | | | | Cary Middlecoff | 4&3 |
| Cary Middlecoff | 2&1 | | | | | | | Cary Middlecoff | 4&3 |
| Walter Burkemo | | | | | | | | | |
| Walter Burkemo | | Cary Middlecoff | 3&2 | | | | | | |
| | | Bill Nary | | | | | | | |
| Bill Nary | 2&1 | Bill Nary | | | | | | | |
| Darwin White | | | | | | | | | |
| Darwin White | | | | Cary Middlecoff | 8&6 | | | | |
| | | | | Mike Pavella | | | | | |
| Ed Oliver | | | | Mike Pavella | | | | | |
| Jim Browning | 3&2 | | | | | | | | |
| Jim Browning | 3&2 | Jim Browning | | | | | | | |
| | | Mike Pavella | 4&3 | | | | | | |
| Mike Pavella | 3&2 | Mike Pavella | 4&3 | | | | | | |
| Bob Kay | | | | | | | | | |
| Bob Kay | | | | | | Cary Middlecoff | 40h | | |
| | | | | | | Jack Burke Jr. | |
| Marty Furgol | 3&2 | | | | | Jack Burke Jr. | |
| Jack Igoe | | | | | | | |
| Jack Igoe | | Marty Furgol | 1up | | | | |
| | | Tony Holguin | | | | | |
| Tony Holguin | 1up | Tony Holguin | | | | | |
| Joe Greer | | | | | | | |
| Joe Greer | | | | Marty Furgol | | | |
| | | | | Jack Burke Jr. | 2&1 | | |
| Jack Burke Jr. | 4&2 | | | Jack Burke Jr. | 2&1 | | |
| Guy Paulsen | | | | | | | |
| Guy Paulsen | | Jack Burke Jr. | 8&6 | | | | |
| | | Dave Douglas | | | | | |
| Dave Douglas | 4&3 | Dave Douglas | | | | | |
| Herman Scharlau | | | | | | | |
w/o = won by walkover
Source:

### Final

July 26, Morning
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Par | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Ford | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Middlecoff | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Leader | M1 | M1 | M1 | M1 | M1 | – | M1 | M1 | M2 | M2 | M2 | M1 | – | M1 | M2 | M2 | M1 | M1 |
Afternoon
| Hole | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| Par | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Ford | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | Ford wins 4 and 3 | Ford wins 4 and 3 | Ford wins 4 and 3 |
| Middlecoff | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Ford wins 4 and 3 | Ford wins 4 and 3 | Ford wins 4 and 3 |
| Leader | – | M1 | M1 | – | – | – | – | F1 | F1 | F1 | F2 | F3 | F2 | F3 | F4 | Ford wins 4 and 3 | Ford wins 4 and 3 | Ford wins 4 and 3 |
Source: