PGA Championship: A look back at 100 years of tournament history
By Bill Felber
1925: Walter Hagen
The 1925 PGA Championship at Olympia Fields was expected to be a showdown between defending champion Walter Hagen and the 1922-23 winner, Gene Sarazen. But Jack Burke Sr. stunned Sarazen with an 8&7 first round route, clearing the way for Hagen to power through.
Twice he almost failed to take advantage. After qualifying with an uninspired 36-hole total of 151, Hagen needed 39 holes to eliminate surprising medalist Al Watrous. He polished off Mike Brady 7&6 in the second round, then had another narrow escape. He lost the first four holes of his third round match to Leo Diegel, who finished the morning 18 five up. Diegel still led by two with just four holes to play, but Hagen tied the match by winning the 36th hole and completed his comeback on the 40th hole.
Perhaps the narrow escape re-focused Hagen. He beat Lighthorse Harry Cooper 2&1 in the semi-final, and in the final polished off Bill Mehlhorn 6&5. Hagen opened a four-hole lead in the morning round, and was never really challenged during afternoon play.
Hagen would go on to add the 1926 and 1927 PGA Championship titles to his trophy shelf. Between 1921 and 1929, he won at least one major championship every year except 1923.