1968 PGA Championship

The 1968 PGA Championship was the 50th PGA Championship played July 18–21 at Pecan Valley Golf Club in San Antonio, Texas. Julius Boros, age 48, won the third of his three major titles, one stroke ahead of runners-up Bob Charles and Arnold Palmer.[2] Through 2019, Boros remains the oldest winner of a major championship. The tournament was played in very hot conditions.[2] Palmer had an 8-foot (2.4 m) putt to tie on the 72nd green, but it missed on the high side of the hole.[3][4] It was the second of his three runner-up finishes at the only major he never won; he also tied for second in 1964 and 1970.

1968 PGA Championship

Tournament information
Dates	July 18–21, 1968
Location	San Antonio, Texas
Course(s)	Pecan Valley Golf Club
Organized by	PGA of America
Tour(s)	PGA Tour
Statistics
Par	70
Length	7,096 yards (6,489 m)
Field	165 players, 75 after cut[1]
Cut	149 (+9)
Prize fund	$150,000[1]
Winner's share	$25,000
Champion
Julius Boros
281 (+1)

San Antonio

Location in the United States

San Antonio

Location in Texas

This was the final major before the formation of the Tournament Players Division, later renamed the PGA Tour. The tour pros broke away from the PGA of America in August and formed an independent tour, the American Professional Golfers, Inc. (APG).[5][6][7][8] A compromise was reached in December which brought the tournament players back to the PGA in a separate division with its own policy board and commissioner.[9][10][11]

In his seventh PGA Championship, Jack Nicklaus missed his first cut in the event by a stroke; five of his six previous finishes were in the top three, with a victory in 1963 in Dallas. He made the next nine cuts at the PGA Championship and won four more times (1971, 1973, 1975, 1980).

This PGA Championship was played immediately after the Open Championship in Scotland, the fifth time during the 1960s which the final two majors were played in consecutive weeks. This PGA Championship was also the last held in July (until 2016); it moved to August in 1969 (except 1971 when it was played in February in Florida).

Past champions in the field

Made the cut

Player	Country	Year(s) won	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total	To par	Finish
Al Geiberger	United States	1966	70	73	71	71	285	+5	T8
Lionel Hebert	United States	1957	75	71	70	74	290	+10	T30
Sam Snead	United States	1942, 1949, 1951	75	71	72	73	291	+11	T34
Dow Finsterwald	United States	1958	71	75	75	74	295	+15	T48
Don January	United States	1967	78	71	75	72	296	+16	T51
Bobby Nichols	United States	1964	75	72	76	75	298	+18	T57

Missed the cut

Player	Country	Year(s) won	R1	R2	Total	To par
Jack Nicklaus	United States	1963	71	79	150	+10
Bob Rosburg	United States	1959	75	75	150	+10
Jerry Barber	United States	1961	77	74	151	+11
Walter Burkemo	United States	1953	74	78	152	+12
Dave Marr	United States	1965	77	76	153	+13
Paul Runyan	United States	1934, 1938	79	74	153	+13
Doug Ford	United States	1955	77	77	154	+14
Jay Hebert	United States	1960	74	80	154	+14
Jim Ferrier	Australia	1947	80	76	156	+16
Jim Turnesa	United States	1952	78	78	156	+16

Source:[1][12]

Round summaries

First round

Thursday, July 18, 1968

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par
1	Marty Fleckman	United States	66	−4
2	Frank Beard	United States	68	−2
T3	Don Bies	United States	69	−1
	Mason Rudolph	United States
	Lee Trevino	United States
T6	Miller Barber	United States	70	E
	Frank Boynton	United States
	Charles Coody	United States
	Al Geiberger	United States
	Laurie Hammer	United States
	Johnny Pott	United States
	Dan Sikes	United States

Source:[13]

Second round

Friday, July 19, 1968

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par
T1	Frank Beard	United States	68-70=138	−2
	Marty Fleckman	United States	66-72=138
3	Doug Sanders	United States	72-67=139	−1
T4	George Archer	United States	71-69=140	E
	Miller Barber	United States	70-70=140
	Arnold Palmer	United States	71-69=140
	Johnny Pott	United States	70-70=140
	Lee Trevino	United States	69-71=140
T9	Don Bies	United States	69-73=142	+2
	Julius Boros	United States	71-71=142
	Bob Charles	New Zealand	72-70=142
	Dan Sikes	United States	70-72=142

Source:[12]

Third round

Saturday, July 20, 1968

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par
T1	Frank Beard	United States	68-70-72=210	E
	Marty Fleckman	United States	66-72-72=210
T3	Miller Barber	United States	70-70-72=212	+2
	Julius Boros	United States	71-71-70=212
	Bob Charles	New Zealand	72-70-70=212
	Arnold Palmer	United States	71-69-72=212
	Dick Rhyan	United States	72-72-68=212
	Doug Sanders	United States	72-67-73=212
	Lee Trevino	United States	69-71-72=212
10	Lou Graham	United States	73-70-70=213	+3

Source:[14]

Final round

Sunday, July 21, 1968

Place	Player	Country	Score	To par	Money ($)
1	Julius Boros	United States	71-71-70-69=281	+1	25,000
T2	Bob Charles	New Zealand	72-70-70-70=282	+2	12,500
	Arnold Palmer	United States	71-69-72-70=282
T4	George Archer	United States	71-69-74-69=283	+3	7,500
	Marty Fleckman	United States	66-72-72-73=283
T6	Frank Beard	United States	68-70-72-74=284	+4	5,750
	Billy Casper	United States	74-70-70-70=284
T8	Miller Barber	United States	70-70-72-73=285	+5	3,406
	Frank Boynton	United States	70-73-72-70=285
	Charles Coody	United States	70-77-70-68=285
	Al Geiberger	United States	70-73-71-71=285
	Bob Goalby	United States	73-72-70-70=285
	Lou Graham	United States	73-70-70-72=285
	Doug Sanders	United States	72-67-73-73=285
	Dan Sikes	United States	70-72-73-70=285
	Kermit Zarley	United States	72-75-68-70=285

Source:[15]

References

1. "Tournament Info for: 1968 PGA Championship". PGA of America. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
2. Jenkins, Dan (July 29, 1968). "The Junkman cools it". Sports Illustrated. p. 12.
3. "Boros wins PGA; Palmer ties for 2nd". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 22, 1968. p. 20.
4. "Boros oldest victor in PGA meet". Milwaukee Journal. July 22, 1968. p. 10.
5. "Touring pros studying break". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. July 23, 1968. p. 12. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
6. "Rebel Golfers Number 205". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. August 20, 1968. p. 3B.
7. "Touring golf pros set up own shop". Milwaukee Journal. August 20, 1968. p. 11.
8. Mulvoy, Mark (September 2, 1968). "The revolt of the touring pros". Sports Illustrated: 20.
9. Awtrey, Stan (February 11, 2009). "Professionals' split was a good thing for the game". PGA Tour. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
10. "Tour golfers, PGA settle fuss over tourney control". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 14, 1968. p. 15.
11. "Pro golf struggle is settled; PGA forms tourney group". Milwaukee Journal. December 14, 1968. p. 18.
12. "PGA scorecard". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 20, 1968. p. 8.
13. "Fleckman leads PGA on hot 66". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 19, 1968. p. 16.
14. "Beard, Fleckman tie for PGA lead". Toled Blade. Ohio. Associated Press. July 21, 1968. p. F-1.
15. "Bad news for young pros: vet PGA king to play on". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. July 22, 1968. p. 13.

External links

• PGA Media Guide 2012
• About.com – 1968 PGA Championship
• PGA.com – 1968 PGA Championship

Preceded by 1968 Open Championship	Major Championships	Succeeded by 1969 Masters