The victory ran Hagen's match record at the PGA Championship in the 1920s to 30–1 (.968), falling only to Gene Sarazen in 38 holes in the 1923 finals. With his fourth consecutive title, his winning streak stood at twenty matches. Hagen, age 34, was also the medalist in the 36-hole qualifier on Monday at 141 (−1).[2]
The course, south of downtown Dallas, was designed by A. W. Tillinghast and opened in 1919. It hosted the Dallas Open less than two years earlier in January 1926, won by Macdonald Smith.[6][7] The country club closed in 1929 and the course was purchased by the City of Dallas in 1946 and it continues as a public facility.
At the time, this was the furthest west and south that a major championship had been held. The western limit had been Illinois for multiple majors, and the southernmost venues had been Indiana for the PGA Championship in 1924 and Maryland for the U.S. Open in 1921. Two years later in 1929, the PGA Championship was played in Los Angeles, California.
Format
The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1927 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in six days:[1]