Defending champion and host professional Henry Picard lost in the third round to Gene Sarazen.

Also out in the third round was five-time champion Walter Hagen, age 47, in his last PGA Championship match.

Heavy rains on Saturday stopped play halfway through the semifinals[4] which were completed on Sunday; the final round was pushed back to Monday, which was Labor Day.

Two-time champion Denny Shute qualified at 151, but was rushed to a local hospital for an emergency appendectomy that night.

[6] The match play format at the PGA Championship in 1940 called for 12 rounds (216 holes) in seven days:[2] Monday, September 2, 1940 Source:[7] Morning Afternoon