1973 PGA Championship

The 1973 PGA Championship was the 55th PGA Championship, played August 9–12 at Canterbury Golf Club in Beachwood, Ohio, a suburb east of Cleveland. Ohio native Jack Nicklaus won the third of his five PGA Championships, four strokes ahead of runner-up Bruce Crampton.[2]

1973 PGA Championship

Tournament information
Dates	August 9–12, 1973
Location	Beachwood, Ohio
Course(s)	Canterbury Golf Club
Organized by	PGA of America
Tour(s)	PGA Tour
Statistics
Par	71
Length	6,852 yards (6,265 m)
Field	148 players, 74 after cut[1]
Cut	149 (+7)
Prize fund	$225,000
Winner's share	$45,000
Champion
Jack Nicklaus
277 (−7)

Canterbury
Golf Club

Location in the United States

Canterbury
Golf Club

Location in Ohio

It was the twelfth of Nicklaus' eighteen major titles as a professional.[3] At the time, the holder of the most major titles was the late Bobby Jones, with thirteen. As a lifelong amateur, his majors were the Open and amateur championships in the U.S. and Britain. Including his two U.S. Amateur titles, Nicklaus now had 14 majors, surpassing Jones.[2] With his 12th professional major win Nicklaus also usurped Walter Hagen's record of 11 professional major victories. As of May 2020 these records still stand.

Sam Snead, age 61, shot even-par each day and finished in the top ten for the second straight year; he tied for ninth after a tie for fourth in 1972 and would improve on those in 1974.

This was the third major at Canterbury, which hosted the U.S. Open twice in the 1940s, both decided in playoffs. Lawson Little was the champion in 1940 with a three-stroke win over Gene Sarazen. Following World War II in 1946, the first U.S. Open in five years was played at the course. Lloyd Mangrum won in the second 18-hole playoff round, one stroke ahead of major winners Byron Nelson and Vic Ghezzi.