The 1949 PGA Championship was the 31st edition of the PGA Championship, one of professional golf’s four major championships. The tournament was conducted under the match‑play format that characterized the PGA Championship until 1958.
Overview
- Sanctioning body: Professional Golfers' Association of America (PGA)
- Tour affiliation: Part of the PGA Tour schedule for the 1949 season
- Format: Single‑elimination match play, with players competing head‑to‑head over 18‑hole matches (later rounds often played over 36 holes) until a champion was determined
Champion
- Winner: Sam Snead (United States)
- Significance: This victory marked Snead’s first PGA Championship title and his second major championship overall, having previously won the 1942 Masters Tournament.
Tournament details
- Dates: Insufficient Encyclopedic Information
- Venue: Insufficient Encyclopedic Information
- Final match opponent: Insufficient Encyclopedic Information
- Final score: Insufficient Encyclopedic Information
Historical context
The 1949 championship continued the post‑World‑War II era of dominant American players on the PGA Tour. Sam Snead’s triumph contributed to his eventual record of seven major championship victories. The match‑play format required competitors to win a series of head‑to‑head contests rather than total stroke count, emphasizing strategic play and endurance.
Legacy
The 1949 PGA Championship is remembered chiefly for Sam Snead’s breakthrough at the event, adding to his reputation as one of the most successful professional golfers of the 20th century. The tournament also exemplified the traditional match‑play structure that would be replaced by stroke play beginning with the 1958 PGA Championship.