The 1928 PGA Championship was the 11th edition of the PGA Championship, one of golf’s four major championships. It was contested as a match‑play tournament from May 21 – May 26, 1928 at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, United States.
Format and field
- The competition utilized a straight‑knockout match‑play format.
- A total of 64 golfers entered the match‑play bracket.
- Matches were played over 36 holes; the event required five rounds of play to determine the champion (round of 64, round of 32, round of 16, quarter‑finals, semi‑finals, and final).
Outcome
- Champion: Leo Diegel (United States) – his first PGA Championship title.
- Runner‑up: Al Watrous (United States).
- Final score: Diegel defeated Watrous 7 & 6 (i.e., Diegel was seven holes ahead with six holes remaining).
Notable occurrences
- Defending champion Walter Hagen was eliminated in the second round by Al Watrous, ending Hagen’s run of five consecutive PGA Championship victories (1919–1927).
- Diegel’s victory marked the beginning of his dominance in the PGA Championship; he successfully defended the title in 1929.
Prize money
- The total purse for the tournament was $10,950.
- The champion’s share was $500.
Historical significance
The 1928 championship is remembered for the transition of dominance from Walter Hagen to the emerging generation represented by Leo Diegel. Diegel’s decisive win and subsequent back‑to‑back titles helped popularize match‑play golf in the United States during the late 1920s.
All information presented is drawn from established historical records and contemporary newspaper accounts of the 1928 PGA Championship.
