1952 PGA Championship: Jim Turnesa wins at Big Spring Country Club
Jim Turnesa won the 1952 PGA Championship at Big Spring Country Club in Louisville, Kentucky, beating Chick Harbert 1 up in the final.
Updated October 23, 2026
See 1952 in Wanamaker Avenue, the PGA Championship room, or every year on the PGA Championship winners list.
- Dates
- June 18, 1952 to June 25, 1952
- Course
- Big Spring Country Club, Louisville, Kentucky
- Edition
- 34th PGA Championship
- Format
- match play
- Par
- 72
- Field
- 64
- Match-play field
- 64 · 18 (rounds of 64 and 32); 36 from round of 16
- Stroke-play medalist
- Dutch Harrison (136)
- Purse
- $17,700 · winner's share $3,500
- Champion
- Jim Turnesa · age 39 · United States · born New York City, New York
- Champion's title
- 1st PGA Championship
- Final
- 1 up (36-hole final)
- Runner-up
- Chick Harbert
The draw as recorded: Round of 64 to final (complete).
The final, 1952 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Turnesa | def. | Chick Harbert | 1 up |
Semifinals, 1952 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Turnesa | def. | Ted Kroll | 2 & 1 |
| Chick Harbert | def. | Bob Hamilton | 1 up |
Quarterfinals, 1952 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Turnesa | def. | Clarence Doser | 2 & 1 |
| Ted Kroll | def. | Cary Middlecoff | won on 38th hole |
| Chick Harbert | def. | Fred Haas Jr. | 2 & 1 |
| Bob Hamilton | def. | Frank Champ | 2 & 1 |
Round of 16, 1952 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ted Kroll | def. | Ray Honsberger | 2 & 1 |
| Cary Middlecoff | def. | Al Smith | 4 & 2 |
| Jim Turnesa | def. | Roberto De Vicenzo | 5 & 4 |
| Clarence Doser | def. | Jack Isaacs | 1 up |
| Fred Haas Jr. | def. | Milon Marusic | won on 38th hole |
| Chick Harbert | def. | Henry Williams Jr. | 6 & 5 |
| Frank Champ | def. | Walter Burkemo | 3 & 1 |
| Bob Hamilton | def. | Vic Ghezzi | 9 & 8 |
Round of 32, 1952 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Honsberger | def. | Jim Ferrier | 1 up |
| Ted Kroll | def. | Lloyd Mangrum | 2 up |
| Cary Middlecoff | def. | Charles Harter | 3 & 2 |
| Al Smith | def. | Labron Harris | won on 19th hole |
| Jim Turnesa | def. | Chandler Harper | 3 & 1 |
| Roberto De Vicenzo | def. | Jack Burke Jr. | 1 up |
| Clarence Doser | def. | Bob Gajda | 3 & 2 |
| Jack Isaacs | def. | Marty Furgol | 3 & 2 |
| Fred Haas Jr. | def. | Lew Worsham | 1 up |
| Milon Marusic | def. | Zell Eaton | won by default |
| Henry Williams Jr. | def. | Jack Jones | 1 up |
| Chick Harbert | def. | Leonard Schmutte | 3 & 2 |
| Frank Champ | def. | John Trish | 2 & 1 |
| Walter Burkemo | def. | Dave Douglas | 1 up |
| Vic Ghezzi | def. | Mel Carpenter | 5 & 3 |
| Bob Hamilton | def. | Sam Bernardi | 3 & 1 |
Round of 64, 1952 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lew Worsham | def. | Sam Snead | won on 19th hole |
| Jim Ferrier | def. | Leonard Dodson | won on 19th hole |
| Ray Honsberger | def. | Tom Blaskovich | 1 up |
| Ted Kroll | def. | Lawson Little | 1 up |
| Lloyd Mangrum | def. | Frank Newell | 4 & 3 |
| Charles Harter | def. | William Heinlein | 2 & 1 |
| Cary Middlecoff | def. | Joe Taylor | 5 & 4 |
| Al Smith | def. | Frank Commisso | 4 & 2 |
| Labron Harris | def. | Fred Gromauer | 3 & 1 |
| Jim Turnesa | def. | Bob Toski | 4 & 2 |
| Chandler Harper | def. | Charles Lepre | 6 & 5 |
| Jack Burke Jr. | def. | Jimmy Walkup | 1 up |
| Roberto De Vicenzo | def. | Eric Monti | 1 up |
| Clarence Doser | def. | James Alcroft | 4 & 3 |
| Bob Gajda | def. | Ed Furgol | 2 & 1 |
| Jack Isaacs | def. | Pat Abbott | 3 & 2 |
| Marty Furgol | def. | Dutch Harrison | 2 up |
| Fred Haas Jr. | def. | Henry Ransom | 2 & 1 |
| Milon Marusic | def. | Eddie Joseph | 5 & 4 |
| Zell Eaton | def. | Mike Pavella | 2 & 1 |
| Henry Williams Jr. | def. | Jim Gantz | 5 & 4 |
| Jack Jones | def. | Roy Wallin | 5 & 4 |
| Chick Harbert | def. | Denny Shute | 5 & 4 |
| Leonard Schmutte | def. | Bob Carmen | 2 up |
| Frank Champ | def. | Harry Todd | 3 & 1 |
| John Trish | def. | Otto Greiner | 3 & 2 |
| Dave Douglas | def. | Johnny Palmer | 2 & 1 |
| Walter Burkemo | def. | Iverson Martin | 1 up |
| Vic Ghezzi | def. | Claude Harmon | won on 19th hole |
| Mel Carpenter | def. | Horton Smith | 2 & 1 |
| Bob Hamilton | def. | Jackson Bradley | 4 & 3 |
| Sam Bernardi | def. | Mike Turnesa | 1 up |
What happened at the 1952 PGA Championship
Defending champion Snead lost in the first round to Lew Worsham, who squared their match on the 17th and birdied the 19th.
Turnesa was 3 down after the morning 18 of the final and squared it on the 32nd; he never led until the 36th, where an errant drive cost Harbert a bogey.
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).