1963 PGA Championship: First of Five for Nicklaus

The 1963 PGA Championship was the 45th edition of this major, staged by the PGA of America. A golfer who eventually won five of these championships earned his first here.

Winner: Jack Nicklaus, 279

Where it was played: Dallas Athletic Club (Blue Course) in Dallas, Texas

Tournament dates: July 18-21, 1963

Leader after first round: Dick Hart, 66

Leader after second round: Dick Hart, 138

Leader after third round: Bruce Crampton, 208

Notable Notes: Jack Nicklaus won his first PGA Championship (he eventually won four more) with a closing 68, overcoming a three-stroke deficit to win by two over Dave Ragan. At this time, only Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson had won all three of the USA-based professional majors (Masters, U.S. Open, PGA). Nicklaus joined them with this victory. It was Nicklaus' third overall win in a major to this point in his career.

Final Scores

Jack Nicklaus 69-73-69-68—279
Dave Ragan 75-70-67-69—281
Bruce Crampton 70-73-65-74—282
Dow Finsterwald 72-72-66-72—282
Al Geiberger 72-73-69-70—284
Billy Maxwell 73-71-69-71—284
Jim Ferrier 73-73-70-69—285
Gardner Dickinson 72-74-74-66—286
Tommy Jacobs 74-72-70-70—286
Bill Johnston 71-72-72-71—286
Gary Player 74-75-67-70—286
Art Wall 73-76-66-71—286
Julius Boros 69-72-73-73—287
Bob Charles 69-76-72-70—287
Tony Lema 70-71-77-69—287
Jack Sellman 75-70-74-68—287
Manuel De La Torre 71-71-74-72—288
Wes Ellis Jr. 71-74-71-72—288
Bob Goalby 74-70-74-70—288
Dick Hart 66-72-76-74—288
Dave Hill 73-72-69-74—288
Doug Sanders 74-69-70-75—288
Paul Harney 72-74-71-72—289
Bobby Nichols 74-73-71-71—289
Mason Rudolph 69-75-71-74—289
Mike Souchak 72-72-73-72—289
Doug Ford 70-72-71-77—290
J.C. Goosie 74-74-74-68—290
Fred Haas Jr. 80-70-70-70—290
Sam Snead 71-73-70-76—290
Earl Stewart 70-77-70-73—290
Bert Weaver 76-73-71-70—290
Bo Wininger 75-71-71-73—290
Jack Burke Jr. 75-72-73-71—291
Billy Farrell 72-74-72-73—291
Mike Krak 73-73-72-73—291
Gene Littler 71-72-75-73—291
Eddie Merrins 74-70-73-74—291
Stan Mosel 71-77-74-70—292
Jerry Barber 74-73-72-74—293
Jay Hebert 75-76-73-69—293
Doug Higgins 74-74-75-70—293
Don January 76-75-69-73—293
Arnold Palmer 74-73-73-73—293
Jerry Pisano 72-76-69-76—293
Bob Rosburg 72-75-74-72—293
Tony Holguin 77-71-75-71—294
Dan Sikes 74-70-73-77—294
Gay Brewer 74-75-72-74—295
Dutch Harrison 73-73-75-74—295
Bob McCallister 71-76-73-75—295
Joe Zakarian 75-73-76-71—295
Don Bies 74-71-73-78—296
Hubby Habjan 76-75-71-74—296
Mac Hunter 76-70-75-75—296
Shelley Mayfield 69-72-76-79—296
Raymond Floyd 75-73-74-75—297
Ernie Vossler 74-77-73-73—297
George Bayer 75-73-74-76—298
Charles Congdon 70-79-73-76—298
Ted Kroll 81-70-74-73—298
Frank Stranahan 74-73-77-74—298
Gene Borek 74-76-75-74—299
Furman Hayes 76-71-74-78—299
Skee Riegel 78-73-76-72—299
Herman Scharlau 75-76-76-72—299
Stan Thirsk 73-74-73-79—299
John Cleary 75-76-75-74—300
Bob Gajda 72-72-76-81—301
Dick Turner 75-76-78-72—301
Edward Kuna 73-71-79-79—302
Jim Lucius 77-74-77-74—302
John Barnum 74-74-74-82—304
Tom Watrous 78-70-75-81—304
Ron Bakich 73-77-78-77—305
Frank Beley 75-74-79-77—305
Ira Gwin 76-75-81-73—305
Bill Ezinicki 74-71-83-78—306
John Cook 75-73-79-80—307
Bernie Haas 70-80-79-79—308
Lou Warobick 74-77-78-80—309

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