1953 PGA Championship at Birmingham CC Contestant Badge - Walter Burkemo Winner
The 1953 PGA Championship marked the last year a stick clasping pin 1 1/4" x 1 1/4" metal badge would be used to designate players in the field. In 1954 the PGA would switch to money clips as the means of admittance for players. The 64 player match play which would eventually be won by Walter Burkemo at Birmingham C.C. in Birmingham, Michigan. One of only 136 crafted for players in the event, this example retains its gold and green enamel luster from the day 1953 contestants pins were distributed. Detroit, Michigan native Walter Burkemo was an excellent match player, he fought his way to the final round of the PGA Championship three times in four years. In 1951 he ran afoul of Sam Snead and was beaten. 1953 of course represented his win 2 and 1 over Felice Torza at the Birmingham (Mich) C.C. only six miles away from his club pro position at Franklin Hills Country Club. In 1954 he lost to the long hitting Chick Harbert. In the entire history of the PGA Championship being contested as match play (which would be the format through 1957), only five players (all Hall of Famers) would reach the finals more often then Burkemo: James Barnes, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson and Sam Snead. A letter of from PGA Historian Emeritus Bob Denney will accompany this lot.
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