The 1958 PGA Championship was the 40th edition of the tournament, held July 17–20 at Llanerch Country Club in Havertown, Pennsylvania. It was the last PGA Championship played in match play format before the tournament switched to stroke play in 1959. Dow Finsterwald won his only major championship, defeating Billy Casper in the 36-hole final.
The 40th PGA Championship opened at Llanerch Country Club in Havertown, Pennsylvania, with the first round of match play. This would be the final edition of the tournament played in the match play format that had been used since the championship's inception in 1916.
The second round of match play continued at Llanerch Country Club, with players advancing through the bracket toward the quarterfinals. Dow Finsterwald and Billy Casper both progressed through their early matches.
The quarterfinal round narrowed the field to four semifinalists. Both Dow Finsterwald and Billy Casper advanced, setting up their eventual paths to the championship final match.
Dow Finsterwald and Billy Casper both won their semifinal matches to advance to the 36-hole final. This set up the championship showdown between two of the era's most prominent players at Llanerch Country Club.
The 1958 PGA Championship marked the end of the match play era for the tournament. Beginning in 1959, the PGA Championship switched to a stroke play format, which has been used ever since. The match play format had been a defining characteristic of the championship since 1916.
Dow Finsterwald's victory at the 1958 PGA Championship was the crowning achievement of his career. He won 12 PGA Tour events overall and was a member of four Ryder Cup teams, but this remained his only major championship title. He later served as a respected golf commentator and ambassador for the sport.
Dow Finsterwald defeated Billy Casper in the 36-hole final to win the 1958 PGA Championship, his only major championship victory. Finsterwald won the match 2 and 1, capping off a grueling week of match play competition.
Billy Casper's runner-up finish at the 1958 PGA Championship was a stepping stone in a Hall of Fame career. Casper would go on to win three major championships, including the 1959 U.S. Open, the 1966 U.S. Open, and the 1970 Masters Tournament.
