1928 PGA Championship: Leo Diegel wins at Baltimore Country Club (Five Farms East)
Leo Diegel won the 1928 PGA Championship at Baltimore Country Club (Five Farms East) in Lutherville, Maryland, beating Al Espinosa 6 & 5 in the final.
Updated October 23, 2026
See 1928 in Wanamaker Avenue, the PGA Championship room, or every year on the PGA Championship winners list.
- Dates
- October 1, 1928 to October 6, 1928
- Course
- Baltimore Country Club (Five Farms East), Lutherville, Maryland
- Edition
- 11th PGA Championship
- Format
- match play
- Par
- 70
- Field
- 32
- Match-play field
- 32 · 36 every round
- Stroke-play medalist
- Al Espinosa (142)
- Purse
- $10,400
- Champion
- Leo Diegel · age 29 · United States · born Gratiot Township, Michigan
- Champion's title
- 1st PGA Championship
- Final
- 6 & 5 (36-hole final)
- Runner-up
- Al Espinosa
The draw as recorded: Round of 32 to final (complete).
The final, 1928 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leo Diegel | def. | Al Espinosa | 6 & 5 |
Semifinals, 1928 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al Espinosa | def. | Horton Smith | 6 & 5 |
| Leo Diegel | def. | Gene Sarazen | 9 & 8 |
Quarterfinals, 1928 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horton Smith | def. | Perry Del Vecchio | 2 up |
| Al Espinosa | def. | Jock Hutchison | 5 & 4 |
| Gene Sarazen | def. | Ed Dudley | 7 & 6 |
| Leo Diegel | def. | Walter Hagen | 2 & 1 |
Round of 16, 1928 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horton Smith | def. | Willie Macfarlane | 1 up |
| Perry Del Vecchio | def. | Glen Spencer | won on 37th hole |
| Al Espinosa | def. | Bob MacDonald | won on 37th hole |
| Jock Hutchison | def. | Pat Doyle | 1 up |
| Gene Sarazen | def. | Jim Barnes | 3 & 2 |
| Ed Dudley | def. | Al Watrous | 3 & 2 |
| Leo Diegel | def. | George Christ | 6 & 4 |
| Walter Hagen | def. | Julian Blanton | 2 up |
Round of 32, 1928 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willie MacFarlane | def. | Jim Foulis | 9 & 7 |
| Horton Smith | def. | Billy Burke | 2 & 1 |
| Glen Spencer | def. | Fred McDermott | 8 & 6 |
| Perry Del Vecchio | def. | Jack Burke Sr. | won on 37th hole |
| Al Espinosa | def. | John Golden | 8 & 7 |
| Bob MacDonald | def. | Willie Kidd | 2 up |
| Jock Hutchison | def. | Willie Klein | 3 & 2 |
| Pat Doyle | def. | Mortie Dutra | 6 & 4 |
| Jim Barnes | def. | Tommy Armour | 3 & 2 |
| Gene Sarazen | def. | Bill Mehlhorn | 3 & 2 |
| Al Watrous | def. | Olin Dutra | 2 & 1 |
| Ed Dudley | def. | Wiffy Cox | 3 & 2 |
| George Christ | def. | Albert Alcroft | won on 38th hole |
| Leo Diegel | def. | Tony Manero | 10 & 8 |
| Walter Hagen | def. | Willie Ogg | 4 & 3 |
| Julian Blanton | def. | Ed McElligott | 9 & 8 |
What happened at the 1928 PGA Championship
Diegel beat Walter Hagen 2 & 1 in the quarterfinals, ending Hagen's record run of 22 straight PGA match wins.
Diegel beat Gene Sarazen 9 & 8 in the semifinals.
How this was built
Every value is shown as recorded in GNN's PGA Championship data. A value no source confirmed is left out; nothing is estimated. Where sources disagree, the organizer's own record is used.
Data: pga.json (the PGA Championship room's data: Tables 1A–1H and 2B, every recorded match).