1930 PGA Championship

The 1930 PGA Championship was the 13th PGA Championship, held September 8–13 in New York City at Fresh Meadow Country Club in Flushing, Queens. Then a match play championship, Tommy Armour defeated Gene Sarazen 1 up in the finals for the second of his three major titles.^[4][5]

1930 PGA Championship

Tournament information
Dates	September 8–13, 1930
Location	Flushing, New York
Course(s)	Fresh Meadow Country Club (original course)
Organized by	PGA of America
Tour(s)	PGA Tour
Format	Match play - 5 rounds
Statistics
Par	70[1]
Length	6,500 yards (5,940 m)[1]
Field	32 to match play
Cut	158 (+18), playoff[2]
Prize fund	$10,300[3]
Winner's share	$1,000
Champion
Tommy Armour
def. Gene Sarazen, 1 up
← 1929 1931 →

New York City

Location in the United States

Fresh Meadow CC 

Location in New York

Fresh Meadow CC 

Location in New York City

Johnny Farrell and Horton Smith were co-medalists at 145 (+5) in the 36-hole stroke play qualifier on Monday.^[2][6] Two-time defending champion Leo Diegel lost in the second round to Harold Sampson in 38 holes, ending his bid for a third straight title.^[7] Runner-up Sarazen was the club pro at Fresh Meadow; he previously won the PGA Championship in 1922 and 1923.^[5][8]

During the 36-hole Monday qualifier, Diegel shot 81 in the morning round and was in danger of not advancing to match play. He followed up with a 69 (−1) in the afternoon and his 150 (+10) put him only five strokes behind the medalists, in a tie for 8th place, easily within the top 32.^[2] Starting in 1931, the defending champion was exempt from qualifying.

The course where this PGA Championship was played in Queens no longer exists. Designed by A. W. Tillinghast, it opened in 1923 and also hosted the U.S. Open in 1932, won by Sarazen. Under increasing development and tax pressure, the Fresh Meadow Country Club sold the property in 1946, which was developed as a residential neighborhood (the Fresh Meadows section of Queens). The club then purchased the property, clubhouse, and golf course of the defunct Lakeville Golf & Country Club in Lake Success, its current home.^[9]

Format

The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1930 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in six days:^[3]

• Monday – 36-hole stroke play qualifier
  • top 32 professionals advanced to match play
• Tuesday – first round – 36 holes
• Wednesday – second round – 36 holes
• Thursday – quarterfinals – 36 holes
• Friday – semifinals – 36 holes
• Saturday – final – 36 holes

Final results

Saturday, September 13, 1930

Place	Player	Money ($)
1	Tommy Armour	1,000
2	Gene Sarazen	500
T3	Joe Kirkwood	250
	Charles Lacey
T5	Al Espinosa	200
	Johnny Farrell
	Harold Sampson
	Horton Smith

Final eight bracket

Quarter-finals September 11

Semi-finals September 12

Finals September 13

Tommy Armour

2&1

Johnny Farrell

Tommy Armour

1up

Charles Lacey

Charles Lacey

4&3

Harold Sampson

Tommy Armour

1up

Gene Sarazen

Gene Sarazen

2&1

Al Espinosa

Gene Sarazen

5&4

Joe Kirkwood

Joe Kirkwood

1up

Horton Smith

Final match scorecards

Morning

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Armour	4	4	4	4	5	4	5	4	2	4	5	3	4	2	4	5	4	4
Sarazen	4	4	3	4	5	4	4	4	3	4	4	3	5	2	5	5	5	4
Leader	–	–	S1	S1	S1	S1	S2	S2	S1	S1	S2	S2	S1	S1	–	–	A1	A1

Afternoon

Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Armour	5	4	4	2	6	4	4	5	3	4	3	4	4	3	5	5	4	4
Sarazen	4	4	5	2	5	4	4	5	3	3	4	3	4	4	5	5	4	5
Leader	–	–	A1	A1	–	–	–	–	–	S1	–	S1	S1	–	–	–	–	A1

• Source:^[4]