1930 PGA Championship


The 1930 PGA Championship was the 13th PGA Championship, held September 8–13 in New York City at Fresh Meadow Country Club in Flushing, Queens. Then a match play championship, Tommy Armour defeated Gene Sarazen 1 up in the finals for the second of his three major titles.
Johnny Farrell and Horton Smith were co-medalists at 145 in the 36-hole stroke play qualifier on Monday. Two-time defending champion Leo Diegel lost in the second round to Harold Sampson in 38 holes, ending his bid for a third straight title. Runner-up Sarazen was the club pro at Fresh Meadow; he previously won the PGA Championship in 1922 and 1923.
During the 36-hole Monday qualifier, Diegel shot 81 in the morning round and was in danger of not advancing to match play. He followed up with a 69 in the afternoon and his 150 put him only five strokes behind the medalists, in a tie for 8th place, easily within the top 32. Starting in 1931, the defending champion was exempt from qualifying.
The course where this PGA Championship was played in Queens no longer exists. Designed by A. W. Tillinghast, it opened in 1923 and also hosted the U.S. Open in 1932, won by Sarazen. Under increasing development and tax pressure, the Fresh Meadow Country Club sold the property in 1946, which was developed as a residential neighborhood. The club then purchased the property, clubhouse, and golf course of the defunct Lakeville Golf & Country Club in Lake Success, its current home.

Format

The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1930 called for 12 rounds in six days:

Failed to qualify

Source:

Final results

Saturday, September 13, 1930
PlacePlayerCountryMoney
1Tommy Armour
1,000
2Gene Sarazen500
T3Joe Kirkwood250
T3Charles Lacey250
T5Al Espinosa200
T5Johnny Farrell200
T5Harold Sampson200
T5Horton Smith200

Final eight bracket

Final match scorecards

Morning
Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101112131415161718
Armour444454542453424544
Sarazen443454443443525554
Leader––S1S1S1S1S2S2S1S1S2S2S1S1––A1A1

Afternoon
Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 101112131415161718
Armour544264453434435544
Sarazen445254453343445545
Leader––A1A1–––––S1–S1S1––––A1