1925 PGA Championship

The 1925 PGA Championship was the eighth PGA Championship, held September 21–26 at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois, a suburb south of Chicago. Then a match play championship, defending champion Walter Hagen defeated Bill Mehlhorn 6 & 5 in the finals on Courses 3 & 4 to win his second consecutive PGA Championship, his third overall, and the seventh of his eleven major titles.

1925 PGA Championship
Tournament information
DatesSeptember 21–26, 1925
LocationOlympia Fields, Illinois
Course(s)Olympia Fields Country Club
Courses 3 & 4[1][2]
Organized byPGA of America
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatMatch play - 5 rounds
Statistics
Par70[3]
Length6,448 yards (5,896 m)
6,490 yards (5,934 m)[3]
Field67 players,[3]
32 to match play
Cut157 (+17)
Prize fund$6,330[4]
Champion
Walter Hagen
def. Bill Mehlhorn, 6 & 5
Olympia 
Fields 
Location in the United States
Olympia 
Fields 
Location in Illinois

The victory ran Hagen's match record at the PGA Championship in the 1920s to 20–1 (.952), falling only to Gene Sarazen in 38 holes in the 1923 finals. With his second consecutive title, his winning streak stood at ten matches. This was the second of four consecutive PGA Championships for Hagen; through 2013, no other player was won more than two consecutive titles.

Hagen had close calls in this event; his first round match with low qualifier Al Watrous went to 39 holes[5] and the quarterfinal match with future two-time champion Leo Diegel went to 40 holes after Diegel built an early lead.[2] Hagen defeated Diegel the following year in the finals, then Diegel beat Hagen on the way to his two titles in 1928 and 1929.

The four 18-hole courses at Olympia Fields were reduced to two in the 1940s when the club sold half of its property. Course No. 4 became the North course, and the South course is a composite of holes form the other three.[6]

Format

The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1925 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in six days:[4]

  • Monday – 36-hole stroke play qualifier
    • top 32 professionals advanced to match play
  • Tuesday – first round – 36 holes
  • Wednesday – second round – 36 holes
  • Thursday – quarterfinals – 36 holes
  • Friday – semifinals – 36 holes
  • Saturday – final – 36 holes

Past champions in the field
PlayerCountryYears wonRecordAdvanced toFinish
Walter Hagen United States1921, 19245–0Champion1
Gene Sarazen United States1922, 19230–1First roundT17

Final results

Saturday, September 26, 1925

PlacePlayerCountry
1Walter Hagen United States
2Bill Mehlhorn United States
T3Harry Cooper England
 United States
Mortie Dutra United States
T5Tommy Armour Scotland
 United States
Leo Diegel United States
Johnny Farrell United States
Tom Kerrigan United States

Final eight bracket
Quarter-finals
September 24 		Semi-finals
September 25 		Finals
September 26
         
Walter Hagen 40h
Leo Diegel
Walter Hagen 3&1
Harry Cooper
Harry Cooper 2&1
Johnny Farrell
Walter Hagen 6&5
Bill Mehlhorn
Bill Mehlhorn 7&6
Tom Kerrigan
Bill Mehlhorn 8&6
Mortie Dutra
Mortie Dutra 2up
Tommy Armour

References
  1. "Al Watrous led qualifying field". Montreal Gazette. September 22, 1925. p. 18.
  2. "Hagen beats Diegel on 40th hole". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. September 25, 1925. p. 11.
  3. "P.G.A. tourney opens today; Watrous has 69". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. September 21, 1925. p. 9.
  4. "Tournament Info for: 1925 PGA Championship". PGA of America. Retrieved May 12, 2013.
  5. "Hagen beats Watrous on 39th". Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. September 23, 1925. p. 9.
  6. Chase, Al (June 23, 1946). "Olympia Fields acres expected to be homesites". Chicago Daily Tribune. p. B, part 3.

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