1973 PGA Championship Winner and Scores

The 1973 PGA Championship was the 55th time the tournament was played. It produced a milestone victory for Jack Nicklaus.

Winner: Jack Nicklaus, 277

Where it was played: Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood, Ohio

Tournament dates: August 9-12, 1973

Leader after first round: Al Geiberger and Don Iverson, 67

Leader after second round: Don Iverson and Mason Rudolph, 139

Leader after third round: Jack Nicklaus, 208

What Happened at the 1973 PGA Championship

What was the major milestone that Jack Nicklaus reached at the 1973 PGA Championship? He passed Bobby Jones for the most wins in majors by any golfer. Including the majors of amateur golf (as most everyone at the time did when counting golfers' major wins), his victory here was Nicklaus' 14th overall (two U.S. Amateur titles plus 12 wins in pro majors). Jones had 13 such wins. But even if you don't include Nicklaus' amateur majors, he still set a record for the most wins in professional majors here: His 12th such victory broke the tie he was in with Walter Hagen's 11 wins in pro majors.

Another milestone: It was Nicklaus' 50th overall win on the PGA Tour. It was his third win in the PGA Championship.

Nicklaus opened the tournament with a 72, then moved up the leaderboard after a second-round 68 that put him one stroke off the halfway lead. After another 68 in the third round, Nicklaus held a one-stroke lead. In the final round, he pulled away to win by four strokes, finishing at 7-under 277 with a 69.

The runner-up was Bruce Crampton. Crampton never won a major, but did finish second four times in majors — all four times to Nicklaus.

Sixty-one-year-old Sam Snead finished tied for ninth, and Snead's nephew J.C. Snead finished tied for third. It was the only time both Sneads finished in the Top 10 at the same major. Jack Burke Jr., winner of the 1956 PGA Championship, made the cut in his final appearance in the tournament.

Tom Watson played in his very first PGA Championship and tied for 12th. The PGA Championship was the only professional major that Watson failed to win over his career. John Mahaffey, winner of the 1978 PGA Championship, also made his tournament debut here and tied for 30th.

1973 PGA Championship Final Scores

Jack Nicklaus 72-68-68-69—277
Bruce Crampton 71-73-67-70—281
Mason Rudolph 69-70-70-73—282
Lanny Wadkins 73-69-71-69—282
J.C. Snead 71-74-68-69—282
Tom Weiskopf 70-71-71-71—283
Dan Sikes Jr. 72-68-72-71—283
Don Iverson 67-72-70-74—283
Sam Snead 71-71-71-71—284
Kermit Zarley 76-71-68-69—284
Hale Irwin 76-72-68-68—284
Bob Brue 70-72-73-70—285
Larry Hinson 73-70-71-71—285
Jim Colbert 72-70-69-74—285
Dave Stockton 72-69-75-69—285
Denny Lyons 73-70-67-75—285
Tom Watson 75-70-71-69—285
Gibby Gilbert 70-70-73-73—286
Jim Jamieson 71-73-71-71—286
Johnny Miller 72-71-74-69—286
Bob Goalby 75-70-71-70—286
Al Geiberger 67-76-74-69—286
Lee Trevino 76-70-73-67—286
Miller Barber 73-73-70-71—287
Chi Chi Rodriguez 72-71-74-70—287
Bruce Devlin 73-70-74-70—287
Bert Yancey 74-72-69-72—287
Mike Hill 69-73-75-70—287
Lee Elder 71-76-70-70—287
Orville Moody 73-74-70-71—288
Lou Graham 74-71-73-70—288
Don Bies 70-72-71-75—288
John Mahaffey 75-71-72-70—288
Bud Allin 71-78-67-73—289
Dick Hendrickson 73-72-72-73—290
Raymond Floyd 70-73-73-74—290
Ed Sneed 73-70-73-74—290
Billy Casper 74-72-72-72—290
Bob Murphy 74-73-71-72—290
Leonard Thompson 72-75-70-73—290
Rod Funseth 73-73-75-69—290
Jerry Pittman 73-70-76-71—290
Charles Coody 75-68-77-70—290
Tommy Aaron 73-73-70-75—291
Jim Wiechers 75-70-71-75—291
Chuck Courtney 73-71-74-74—292
Babe Hiskey 74-73-71-74—292
Frank Beard 73-74-70-75—292
Tony Jacklin 70-71-76-75—292
Dave Marr 76-72-73-71—292
Grier Jones 75-72-72-75—294
Bobby Nichols 73-76-72-73—294
George Archer 72-71-74-77—294
Deane Beman 72-77-73-72—294
Gary Player 73-72-71-78—294
Jack Burke Jr. 73-73-76-73—295
Doug Ford 73-76-73-73—295
George Knudson 71-77-76-71—295
Ken Still 77-72-73-73—295
Gene Bone 71-74-76-75—296
Dwight Nevil 76-70-76-74—296
John Schlee 74-71-77-74—296
Jerry Breaux 77-72-73-74—296
Allen Miller 74-73-77-73—297
Gay Brewer 77-70-73-77—297
Bob Bruno 76-71-77-74—298
Jerry Steelsmith 77-72-76-73—298
Bob Rosburg 71-76-73-78—298
Jerry Heard 72-75-78-73—298
Jerry McGee 74-73-72-79—298
Bob Dickson 69-78-75-78—300
Phil Rodgers 79-69-76-76—300
Mike Joyce 76-73-79-75—303
Babe Lichardus 73-72-76-82—303
Mal Galletta 72-77-84-73—306

Previous and next:
1972 PGA Championship - 1974 PGA Championship

Popular posts from this blog