1939 PGA Championship: Henry Picard wins at Pomonok Country Club
Henry Picard won the 1939 PGA Championship at Pomonok Country Club in Flushing, New York, beating Byron Nelson won on 37th hole in the final.
Updated October 23, 2026
See 1939 in Wanamaker Avenue, the PGA Championship room, or every year on the PGA Championship winners list.
- Dates
- July 9, 1939 to July 15, 1939
- Course
- Pomonok Country Club, Flushing, New York
- Edition
- 22nd PGA Championship
- Format
- match play
- Field
- 64
- Match-play field
- 64 · 18 (rounds of 64 and 32); 36 from round of 16
- Stroke-play medalist
- Ben Hogan, Ky Laffoon, Dutch Harrison and Emerick Kocsis (tie) (138)
- Purse
- $10,600 · winner's share $1,100
- Champion
- Henry Picard · age 32 · United States · born Plymouth, Massachusetts
- Champion's title
- 1st PGA Championship
- Final
- won on 37th hole (36-hole final)
- Runner-up
- Byron Nelson
The draw as recorded: Round of 64 to final (complete).
The final, 1939 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Picard | def. | Byron Nelson | won on 37th hole |
Semifinals, 1939 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Picard | def. | Dick Metz | 1 up |
| Byron Nelson | def. | Dutch Harrison | 9 & 8 |
Quarterfinals, 1939 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Picard | def. | Rod Munday | 2 & 1 |
| Dick Metz | def. | Paul Runyan | 2 & 1 |
| Byron Nelson | def. | Emerick Kocsis | 10 & 9 |
| Dutch Harrison | def. | Horton Smith | 4 & 3 |
Round of 16, 1939 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Runyan | def. | Ben Hogan | 3 & 2 |
| Dick Metz | def. | Billy Burke | 6 & 4 |
| Rod Munday | def. | Tom O'Connor | 2 up |
| Henry Picard | def. | Al Watrous | 8 & 7 |
| Dutch Harrison | def. | Bruce Coltart | 10 & 9 |
| Horton Smith | def. | Clarence Doser | 4 & 2 |
| Emerick Kocsis | def. | Denny Shute | 3 & 2 |
| Byron Nelson | def. | Johnny Revolta | 6 & 4 |
Round of 32, 1939 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Runyan | def. | Frank Champ | 3 & 2 |
| Ben Hogan | def. | Abe Espinosa | 5 & 4 |
| Billy Burke | def. | Herman Barron | 2 & 1 |
| Dick Metz | def. | Al Brosch | 1 up |
| Tom O’Connor | def. | Ky Laffoon | 2 up |
| Rod Munday | def. | Jack Ryan | 2 up |
| Henry Picard | def. | Joe Zarhardt | 2 up |
| Al Watrous | def. | Ken Tucker | 5 & 3 |
| Dutch Harrison | def. | Johnny Farrell | 3 & 2 |
| Bruce Coltart | def. | Mike Turnesa | won on 21st hole |
| Clarence Doser | def. | Ralph Guldahl | 2 up |
| Horton Smith | def. | Ray Mangrum | 3 & 2 |
| Emerick Kocsis | def. | Vic Ghezzi | 3 & 1 |
| Denny Shute | def. | Leo Diegel | 3 & 1 |
| Johnny Revolta | def. | Tony Manero | 3 & 2 |
| Byron Nelson | def. | William Francis | 3 & 1 |
Round of 64, 1939 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Runyan | def. | Mortie Dutra | 3 & 1 |
| Frank Champ | def. | Fay Coleman | 1 up |
| Abe Espinosa | def. | Tony Joy | won on 19th hole |
| Ben Hogan | def. | Steve Zappe | 7 & 6 |
| Herman Barron | def. | Jimmy Thomson | 2 up |
| Billy Burke | def. | Jim Foulis | 1 up |
| Dick Metz | def. | Pat Circelli | 7 & 6 |
| Al Brosch | def. | Reggie Myles | 1 up |
| Ky Laffoon | def. | Dick Shoemaker | 3 & 2 |
| Tom O’Connor | def. | Al Morley | 7 & 5 |
| Jack Ryan | def. | Gene Sarazen | 1 up |
| Rod Munday | def. | Felix Serafin | won on 21st hole |
| Henry Picard | def. | Earl Martin | 6 & 4 |
| Joe Zarhardt | def. | Louis Chiapetta | 2 up |
| Ken Tucker | def. | Harold McSpaden | 1 up |
| Al Watrous | def. | Tom Lo Presti | 1 up |
| Dutch Harrison | def. | John Kinder | 3 & 2 |
| Johnny Farrell | def. | Charles Schneider | 1 up |
| Mike Turnesa | def. | Harry Cooper | 2 & 1 |
| Bruce Coltart | def. | Buddy Peteet | 4 & 3 |
| Clarence Doser | def. | Rut Coffey | 3 & 1 |
| Ralph Guldahl | def. | Clarence Owens | 4 & 3 |
| Ray Mangrum | def. | Sam Parks Jr. | 6 & 5 |
| Horton Smith | def. | Eddie Schultz | 5 & 4 |
| Emerick Kocsis | def. | John Gibson | 1 up |
| Vic Ghezzi | def. | Joe Belfore | 3 & 2 |
| Denny Shute | def. | Ted Luther | 1 up |
| Leo Diegel | def. | Willie Goggin | 2 & 1 |
| Johnny Revolta | def. | Joe Turnesa | 2 & 1 |
| Tony Manero | def. | Walter Hagen | 1 up |
| Byron Nelson | def. | Chuck Garringer | 4 & 2 |
| William Francis | def. | Guy Paulsen | 2 & 1 |
What happened at the 1939 PGA Championship
Trailing Nelson, Picard holed a 20-foot putt on the 34th hole and squared the final on the 36th after Nelson missed a 10-foot putt to win.
On the 37th hole Picard holed a 10-footer and Nelson missed from six feet.
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).