1953 PGA Championship: Walter Burkemo wins at Birmingham Country Club
Walter Burkemo won the 1953 PGA Championship at Birmingham Country Club in Birmingham, Michigan, beating Felice Torza 2 & 1 in the final.
Updated October 23, 2026
See 1953 in Wanamaker Avenue, the PGA Championship room, or every year on the PGA Championship winners list.
- Dates
- July 1, 1953 to July 7, 1953
- Course
- Birmingham Country Club, Birmingham, Michigan
- Edition
- 35th PGA Championship
- Format
- match play
- Par
- 71 · 6,465 yards
- Field
- 64
- Match-play field
- 64 · 18 (rounds of 64 and 32); 36 from round of 16
- Stroke-play medalist
- Johnny Palmer (134)
- Purse
- $20,700 · winner's share $5,000
- Champion
- Walter Burkemo · age 34 · United States · born Detroit, Michigan
- Champion's title
- 1st PGA Championship
- Final
- 2 & 1 (36-hole final)
- Runner-up
- Felice Torza
The draw as recorded: Round of 64 to final (complete).
The final, 1953 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walter Burkemo | def. | Felice Torza | 2 & 1 |
Semifinals, 1953 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Felice Torza | def. | Jack Isaacs | won on 39th hole |
| Walter Burkemo | def. | Claude Harmon | 1 up |
Quarterfinals, 1953 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Felice Torza | def. | Jimmy Clark | 1 up |
| Jack Isaacs | def. | Henry Ransom | 1 up |
| Claude Harmon | def. | Bill Nary | 6 & 5 |
| Walter Burkemo | def. | Dave Douglas | 2 up |
Round of 16, 1953 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Felice Torza | def. | Wally Ulrich | won on 38th hole |
| Jimmy Clark | def. | Henry Williams Jr. | 4 & 3 |
| Jack Isaacs | def. | Labron Harris | 5 & 4 |
| Henry Ransom | def. | Al Smith | 1 up |
| Dave Douglas | def. | Jackson Bradley | won on 37th hole |
| Walter Burkemo | def. | Pete Cooper | 3 & 2 |
| Bill Nary | def. | Jim Browning | 6 & 5 |
| Claude Harmon | def. | Ed Furgol | 5 & 3 |
Round of 32, 1953 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Felice Torza | def. | Jim Turnesa | 4 & 3 |
| Wally Ulrich | def. | Buck White | 2 & 1 |
| Jimmy Clark | def. | Cary Middlecoff | 5 & 4 |
| Henry Williams Jr. | def. | Charles Bassler | 3 & 1 |
| Jack Isaacs | def. | Fred Haas Jr. | 1 up |
| Labron Harris | def. | Marty Furgol | 1 up |
| Al Smith | def. | Iverson Martin | 3 & 2 |
| Henry Ransom | def. | Bob Toski | 3 & 2 |
| Jackson Bradley | def. | Tommy Bolt | 1 up |
| Dave Douglas | def. | Sam Snead | won on 19th hole |
| Walter Burkemo | def. | Mike Turnesa | 3 & 1 |
| Pete Cooper | def. | Leonard Dodson | 6 & 5 |
| Bill Nary | def. | Dutch Harrison | 1 up |
| Jim Browning | def. | Broyles Plemmons | 3 & 1 |
| Ed Furgol | def. | Jim Ferrier | 3 & 2 |
| Claude Harmon | def. | Jack Grout | 4 & 2 |
Round of 64, 1953 PGA Championship
| Winner | Beaten | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Turnesa | def. | Max Evans | 6 & 4 |
| Felice Torza | def. | Gene Sarazen | 2 & 1 |
| Wally Ulrich | def. | Jack Fleck | 3 & 2 |
| Buck White | def. | Jack Shields | 2 up |
| Jimmy Clark | def. | Vic Ghezzi | 2 & 1 |
| Cary Middlecoff | def. | Jerry Barber | 2 & 1 |
| Charles Bassler | def. | Clarence Doser | 2 up |
| Henry Williams Jr. | def. | Ed Oliver | won on 20th hole |
| Jack Isaacs | def. | Chandler Harper | 4 & 3 |
| Fred Haas Jr. | def. | Toby Lyons | won on 20th hole |
| Marty Furgol | def. | Milon Marusic | 5 & 3 |
| Labron Harris | def. | Eddie Joseph | won on 19th hole |
| Al Smith | def. | Jimmy Hines | 2 & 1 |
| Iverson Martin | def. | Stan Dudas | 6 & 5 |
| Bob Toski | def. | Fred Baker | 2 & 1 |
| Henry Ransom | def. | Milton Lichardus | 3 & 2 |
| Tommy Bolt | def. | Virgil Shreeve | 3 & 2 |
| Jackson Bradley | def. | Ellsworth Vines | 1 up |
| Dave Douglas | def. | Lew Worsham | won on 20th hole |
| Sam Snead | def. | Bennie Adams | 6 & 5 |
| Mike Turnesa | def. | Eric Monti | 4 & 2 |
| Walter Burkemo | def. | Lou Barbaro | 7 & 5 |
| Leonard Dodson | def. | Rod Munday | 3 & 1 |
| Pete Cooper | def. | Chick Harbert | 3 & 2 |
| Bill Nary | def. | Chuck Klein | 5 & 4 |
| Dutch Harrison | def. | Charles Harter | 3 & 2 |
| Broyles Plemmons | def. | George Fazio | won on 22nd hole |
| Jim Browning | def. | Elroy Marti | 2 & 1 |
| Ed Furgol | def. | Johnny Weitzel | won on 20th hole |
| Jim Ferrier | def. | Al Watrous | 1 up |
| Claude Harmon | def. | Ted Kroll | 4 & 2 |
| Jack Grout | def. | Johnny Palmer | 2 & 1 |
What happened at the 1953 PGA Championship
In the second round Dave Douglas sank a six-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole (19th) to eliminate Sam Snead.
In the final Burkemo built a 4-up afternoon lead, bogeyed the 32nd and 34th, then won the 35th to close out Torza 2 & 1.
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).