1940 PGA Championship: Byron Nelson wins at Hershey Country Club
Byron Nelson won the 1940 PGA Championship at Hershey Country Club in Hershey, Pennsylvania, beating Sam Snead 1 up in the final.
Updated October 23, 2026
See 1940 in Wanamaker Avenue, the PGA Championship room, or every year on the PGA Championship winners list.
- Dates
- August 26, 1940 to September 2, 1940
- Course
- Hershey Country Club, Hershey, Pennsylvania
- Edition
- 23rd PGA Championship
- Format
- match play
- Par
- 73
- Field
- 64
- Match-play field
- 64 · 18 (rounds of 64 and 32); 36 from round of 16
- Stroke-play medalist
- Dick Metz (140)
- Purse
- $11,050 · winner's share $1,100
- Champion
- Byron Nelson · age 28 · United States · born Waxahachie, Texas
- Champion's title
- 1st PGA Championship
- Final
- 1 up (36-hole final)
- Runner-up
- Sam Snead
The draw as recorded: Round of 64 to final (complete).
The final, 1940 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Byron Nelson | def. | Sam Snead | 1 up |
Semifinals, 1940 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Byron Nelson | def. | Ralph Guldahl | 1 up |
| Sam Snead | def. | Jug McSpaden | 5 & 4 |
Quarterfinals, 1940 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Byron Nelson | def. | Eddie Kirk | 6 & 5 |
| Ralph Guldahl | def. | Ben Hogan | 3 & 2 |
| Sam Snead | def. | Gene Sarazen | 1 up |
| Jug McSpaden | def. | Paul Runyan | 8 & 6 |
Round of 16, 1940 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gene Sarazen | def. | Henry Picard | 1 up |
| Sam Snead | def. | Jimmy Hines | 7 & 6 |
| Paul Runyan | def. | Ed Dudley | 4 & 3 |
| Jug McSpaden | def. | Walter Hagen | 1 up |
| Byron Nelson | def. | Dick Metz | 2 & 1 |
| Eddie Kirk | def. | Arthur Clark | 5 & 4 |
| Ben Hogan | def. | Al Brosch | 5 & 4 |
| Ralph Guldahl | def. | Jim Foulis | 5 & 3 |
Round of 32, 1940 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Picard | def. | Alex Gerlak | 4 & 3 |
| Gene Sarazen | def. | Ray Mangrum | 2 & 1 |
| Jimmy Hines | def. | Ray Hill | 2 & 1 |
| Sam Snead | def. | Charles Sheppard | 3 & 2 |
| Ed Dudley | def. | John Gibson | 2 & 1 |
| Paul Runyan | def. | Al Watrous | 3 & 2 |
| Walter Hagen | def. | Vic Ghezzi | 2 & 1 |
| Harold McSpaden | def. | Herman Keiser | 2 & 1 |
| Dick Metz | def. | Ky Laffoon | 3 & 2 |
| Byron Nelson | def. | Frank Walsh | won on 20th hole |
| Arthur Clark | def. | Billy Burke | 1 up |
| Eddie Kirk | def. | Jimmy Demaret | 2 & 1 |
| Al Brosch | def. | Red Francis | 5 & 4 |
| Ben Hogan | def. | Harry Nettlebladt | 5 & 4 |
| Ralph Guldahl | def. | John Kinder | 6 & 5 |
| Jim Foulis | def. | Craig Wood | won on 19th hole |
Round of 64, 1940 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Picard | def. | Leonard Gallett | 6 & 4 |
| Alex Gerlak | def. | Jimmy Thomson | 1 up |
| Ray Mangrum | def. | George Fazio | 3 & 2 |
| Gene Sarazen | def. | Stan Staszowski | 4 & 3 |
| Ray Hill | def. | Reggie Myles | won on 21st hole |
| Jimmy Hines | def. | Eddie Burke | won on 19th hole |
| Sam Snead | def. | Nelson Giddens | 2 & 1 |
| Charles Sheppard | def. | Gene Marchi | 4 & 3 |
| John Gibson | def. | Al Espinosa | 4 & 3 |
| Ed Dudley | def. | Henry Bontempo | 5 & 4 |
| Al Watrous | def. | Alex Follmer | 5 & 4 |
| Paul Runyan | def. | Al Zimmerman | 1 up |
| Walter Hagen | def. | Gil Sellers | 1 up |
| Vic Ghezzi | def. | George Smith | 2 & 1 |
| Harold McSpaden | def. | Stan Parzick | 3 & 2 |
| Herman Keiser | def. | Harry Cooper | 5 & 3 |
| Ky Laffoon | def. | Joe Turnesa | won on 20th hole |
| Dick Metz | def. | John Thoren | 3 & 2 |
| Frank Walsh | def. | Dutch Harrison | 2 & 1 |
| Byron Nelson | def. | Dick Shoemaker | 4 & 3 |
| Arthur Clark | def. | Johnny Revolta | 1 up |
| Billy Burke | def. | Tom Harmon Jr. | 3 & 2 |
| Jimmy Demaret | def. | Errie Ball | 3 & 2 |
| Eddie Kirk | def. | Rod Munday | won on 19th hole |
| Red Francis | def. | Toney Penna | won on 20th hole |
| Al Brosch | def. | Horton Smith | 3 & 2 |
| Ben Hogan | def. | Frank Champ | 3 & 2 |
| Harry Nettlebladt | def. | Leland Gibson | 3 & 1 |
| John Kinder | def. | Pat Tiso | 2 & 1 |
| Ralph Guldahl | def. | George Picard | 3 & 2 |
| Craig Wood | def. | Walter Romans | 5 & 4 |
| Jim Foulis | def. | Henry Kaiser | 2 & 1 |
What happened at the 1940 PGA Championship
Snead was 1 up with three to play, but Nelson squared the final on the 34th hole.
On the 35th Snead missed a six-foot birdie putt and Nelson birdied to go 1 up, then parred the 36th to win.
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).