Who's who: Walter Burkemo

  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Prince's GC, England
  • Torrey Pines - South course, host of the Farmers Insurance Open
  • Terras da Comporta, Dunas
  • Monte Rei G&CC
  • Marco Simone GC (Italy); host of the Ryder Cup 2023
  • Pebble Beach host of the US Open; US Women's Open; Pebble Beach Pro-Am
  • Marco Simone GC

Who's who: Walter Burkemo

  • Name:

    Walter E. Burkemo
  • Country:

    USA
  • Lived:

    [1918-1986]. Born on Oct 9, 1918 in Detroit, Michigan. Died on Oct 8, 1986 in Fenton, Michigan (aged 67).
  • Original/Home Club:

    Lochmoor CC, Detroit.
  • Occupation:

    Club pro and professional golfer; World War II soldier.
  • Turned Pro:

    c.1938

Roll of Honour

MAJORS (1): US PGA Championship (1953). Ryder Cup player (1953). Total professional wins (8), including PGA Tour wins (2). As a World War II infantryman he won two Purple Hearts, was seriously wounded twice, and fought at The Battle of the Bulge.

Did you know?

Burkemo was the youngest of 13 children of Norwegian immigrants who settled in Detroit, Michigan. Like many of his generation, Burkemo lost several of his potentially best years as a professional golfer to military service in World War II.

Top tournaments won by Walter Burkemo

1957
America
Mayfair CC
269 (-11)
$2,000
Mayfair Inn

Category

America

Winner (holder)

Burkemo, Walter

Venue

Mayfair CC

Score

269 (-11)

Prize money

$2,000

Title sponsor

Mayfair Inn

Played as the Sanford Open (Dec 12-15). Second-placed Jay Hebert (USA) and Ed "Porky" Oliver (USA) finished 1 shot behind 39-year-old Walter Burkemo (USA), who recorded his first regular PGA Tour win in a strokeplay event. [Mayfair CC, Sanford, Florida].

1953
Majors
Birmingham CC, MI
2 & 1
$5,000
PGA of America

Category

Majors

Winner (holder)

Burkemo, Walter

Venue

Birmingham CC, MI

Score

2 & 1

Prize money

$5,000

Title sponsor

PGA of America

The US PGA Championship (35th) (July 1-7). Local hero Burkemo (USA) beat Felice Torza (USA) 2 and 1 in the 36-hole final, to win his first and only major championship title. [Birmingham CC, Birmingham, nr Detroit, Michigan].

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Tournaments

The Masters: The 88th Masters Tournament at Augusta National sees LIV golfer Jon Rahm defend his title against the world’s best. Pressing hard will be world No.1 and 2022 champion Scottie Scheffler and world No.2 Rory McIlroy (April 11-14).

Chevron Championship: the women’s major championship season gets underway for the second year at its new Carlton Woods home outside Houston, Texas. World No.2 Lilia Vu defends (April 18-21).

Who's Who

Nelly Korda: records a perfect start to 2024 with four wins out of her last four appearances on the LPGA Tour, a feat last achieved by Lorena Ochoa in 2008. Korda's win at the T-Mobile Match Play brought up her 12th LPGA Tour victory.

Scottie Scheffler: narrowly missed out on matching Nelly Korda’s three-in-three, when he placed second at the Houston Open. This followed back-to-back wins at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players. Like Korda, he remains comfortably ahead in the official world golf rankings.

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club

Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.

Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.

Prince's Golf Club, Kent (UK)

Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.

Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available

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