1940 PGA Championship Winner and Scores
Winner: Byron Nelson
Where it was played: Hershey Country Club in Hershey, Pennsylvania
Tournament dates: Aug. 26-Sept. 2, 1940
Notable notes: Byron Nelson defeated Sam Snead in the championship match by a 1-up score. It was Nelson's third (of five total) career major trophy. Snead had not yet won any of his eventual seven majors, but did have nearly 20 PGA Tour victories by this point. ... To reach the final, Nelson defeated Dick Shoemaker, Frank Walsh, Dick Metz, Eddie Kirk and Ralph Guldahl.
In the championship match, Snead held a 1-up lead with three holes to play, but Nelson squared the match on the 34th hole. Snead missed a six-foot birdie putt on the next hole, and Nelson went 1-up with his own birdie there. A par on the final hole gave Nelson the trophy. ... Trivia note: Who was the last golfer defeated by five-time PGA champion Walter Hagen in a PGA Championship match? Vic Ghezzi, in the second round. Ghezzi went on to win the following year.
Late-Round Match Scores
Round of 16 (36 holes)
Gene Sarazen def. Henry Picard, 1-up
Sam Snead def. Jimmy Hines, 7 and 6
Paul Runyan def. Ed Dudley, 4 and 3
Jug McSpaden def. Walter Hagen, 1-up
Byron Nelson def. Dick Metz, 2 and 1
Eddie Kirk def. Arthur Clark, 5 and 4
Ben Hogan def. Al Brosch, 5 and 4
Ralph Guldahl def. Jim Foulis, 5 and 3
Quarterfinals (36 holes)
Byron Nelson def. Eddie Kirk, 6 and 5
Ralph Guldahl def. Ben Hogan, 3 and 2
Sam Snead def. Gene Sarazen, 1-up
Jug McSpaden def. Paul Runyan, 8 and 6
Semifinals (36 holes)
Byron Nelson def. Ralph Guldahl, 1-up
Sam Snead def. Jug McSpaden, 5 and 4
Championship Match (36 holes)
Byron Nelson def. Sam Snead, 1-up
