The 1968 PGA Championship was the 50th PGA Championship played July 18–21 at Pecan Valley Golf Club in San Antonio, Texas. Julius Boros, age 48, won the third of his three major titles, one stroke ahead of runners-up Bob Charles and Arnold Palmer.[2] Boros was the oldest winner of a major championship for over a half century, until Phil Mickelson won in the PGA Championship in 2021 at age fifty. The tournament was played in very hot conditions.[2] Palmer had an 8-foot (2.4 m) putt to tie on the 72nd green, but it missed on the high side of the hole.[3][4] It was the second of his three runner-up finishes at the only major he never won; he also tied for second in 1964 and 1970.

1968 PGA Championship
Tournament information
DatesJuly 18–21, 1968
LocationSan Antonio, Texas
Course(s)Pecan Valley Golf Club
Organized byPGA of America
Tour(s)PGA Tour
Statistics
Par70
Length7,096 yards (6,489 m)
Field165 players, 75 after cut[1]
Cut149 (+9)
Prize fund$150,000[1]
Winner's share$25,000
Champion
United States Julius Boros
281 (+1)
← 1967
1969 →
San Antonio is located in the United States
San Antonio
San Antonio
San Antonio is located in Texas
San Antonio
San Antonio

This was the final major before the formation of the Tournament Players Division, later renamed the PGA Tour. The tour pros broke away from the PGA of America in August and formed an independent tour, the American Professional Golfers, Inc. (APG).[5][6][7][8] A compromise was reached in December which brought the tournament players back to the PGA in a separate division with its own policy board and commissioner.[9][10][11]

In his seventh PGA Championship, Jack Nicklaus missed his first cut in the event by a stroke; five of his six previous finishes were in the top three, with a victory in 1963 in Dallas. He made the next nine cuts at the PGA Championship and won four more times (1971, 1973, 1975, 1980).

This PGA Championship was played immediately after the Open Championship in Scotland, the fifth time during the 1960s which the final two majors were played in consecutive weeks. This PGA Championship was also the last held in July (until 2016); it moved to August in 1969 (except 1971 when it was played in February in Florida).

Round summaries

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First round

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Thursday, July 18, 1968

Place Player Score To par
1   Marty Fleckman 66 −4
2   Frank Beard 68 −2
T3   Don Bies 69 −1
  Mason Rudolph
  Lee Trevino
T6   Miller Barber 70 E
  Frank Boynton
  Charles Coody
  Al Geiberger
  Laurie Hammer
  Johnny Pott
  Dan Sikes

Source:[12]

Second round

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Friday, July 19, 1968

Place Player Score To par
T1   Frank Beard 68-70=138 −2
  Marty Fleckman 66-72=138
3   Doug Sanders 72-67=139 −1
T4   George Archer 71-69=140 E
  Miller Barber 70-70=140
  Arnold Palmer 71-69=140
  Johnny Pott 70-70=140
  Lee Trevino 69-71=140
T9   Don Bies 69-73=142 +2
  Julius Boros 71-71=142
  Bob Charles 72-70=142
  Dan Sikes 70-72=142

Source:[13]

Third round

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Saturday, July 20, 1968

Place Player Score To par
T1   Frank Beard 68-70-72=210 E
  Marty Fleckman 66-72-72=210
T3   Miller Barber 70-70-72=212 +2
  Julius Boros 71-71-70=212
  Bob Charles 72-70-70=212
  Arnold Palmer 71-69-72=212
  Dick Rhyan 72-72-68=212
  Doug Sanders 72-67-73=212
  Lee Trevino 69-71-72=212
10   Lou Graham 73-70-70=213 +3

Source:[14]

Final round

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Sunday, July 21, 1968

Place Player Score To par Money ($)
1   Julius Boros 71-71-70-69=281 +1 25,000
T2   Bob Charles 72-70-70-70=282 +2 12,500
  Arnold Palmer 71-69-72-70=282
T4   George Archer 71-69-74-69=283 +3 7,500
  Marty Fleckman 66-72-72-73=283
T6   Frank Beard 68-70-72-74=284 +4 5,750
  Billy Casper 74-70-70-70=284
T8   Miller Barber 70-70-72-73=285 +5 3,406
  Frank Boynton 70-73-72-70=285
  Charles Coody 70-77-70-68=285
  Al Geiberger 70-73-71-71=285
  Bob Goalby 73-72-70-70=285
  Lou Graham 73-70-70-72=285
  Doug Sanders 72-67-73-73=285
  Dan Sikes 70-72-73-70=285
  Kermit Zarley 72-75-68-70=285

Source:[15]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Tournament Info for: 1968 PGA Championship". PGA of America. Archived from the original on August 15, 2012. Retrieved August 13, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Jenkins, Dan (July 29, 1968). "The Junkman cools it". Sports Illustrated. p. 12.
  3. ^ "Boros wins PGA; Palmer ties for 2nd". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 22, 1968. p. 20.
  4. ^ "Boros oldest victor in PGA meet". Milwaukee Journal. July 22, 1968. p. 10.
  5. ^ "Touring pros studying break". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. July 23, 1968. p. 12. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
  6. ^ "Rebel Golfers Number 205". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. August 20, 1968. p. 3B.
  7. ^ "Touring golf pros set up own shop". Milwaukee Journal. August 20, 1968. p. 11.
  8. ^ Mulvoy, Mark (September 2, 1968). "The revolt of the touring pros". Sports Illustrated: 20.
  9. ^ Awtrey, Stan (February 11, 2009). "Professionals' split was a good thing for the game". PGA Tour. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
  10. ^ "Tour golfers, PGA settle fuss over tourney control". Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. December 14, 1968. p. 15.
  11. ^ "Pro golf struggle is settled; PGA forms tourney group". Milwaukee Journal. December 14, 1968. p. 18.
  12. ^ "Fleckman leads PGA on hot 66". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. July 19, 1968. p. 16.
  13. ^ "PGA scorecard". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. July 20, 1968. p. 8.
  14. ^ "Beard, Fleckman tie for PGA lead". Toled Blade. Ohio. Associated Press. July 21, 1968. p. F-1.
  15. ^ "Bad news for young pros: vet PGA king to play on". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Washington. July 22, 1968. p. 13.
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29°22′37″N 98°25′52″W / 29.377°N 98.431°W / 29.377; -98.431