1963 PGA Championship: First of Five for Nicklaus
The 1963 PGA Championship was the 45th edition of this major, staged by the PGA of America. A golfer who eventually won five of these championships earned his first here.
Winner: Jack Nicklaus, 279
Where it was played: Dallas Athletic Club (Blue Course) in Dallas, Texas
Tournament dates: July 18-21, 1963
Leader after first round: Dick Hart, 66
Leader after second round: Dick Hart, 138
Leader after third round: Bruce Crampton, 208
Notable Notes: Jack Nicklaus won his first PGA Championship (he eventually won four more) with a closing 68, overcoming a three-stroke deficit to win by two over Dave Ragan. At this time, only Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson had won all three of the USA-based professional majors (Masters, U.S. Open, PGA). Nicklaus joined them with this victory. It was Nicklaus' third overall win in a major to this point in his career.
Final Scores
| Jack Nicklaus | 69-73-69-68—279 |
| Dave Ragan | 75-70-67-69—281 |
| Bruce Crampton | 70-73-65-74—282 |
| Dow Finsterwald | 72-72-66-72—282 |
| Al Geiberger | 72-73-69-70—284 |
| Billy Maxwell | 73-71-69-71—284 |
| Jim Ferrier | 73-73-70-69—285 |
| Gardner Dickinson | 72-74-74-66—286 |
| Tommy Jacobs | 74-72-70-70—286 |
| Bill Johnston | 71-72-72-71—286 |
| Gary Player | 74-75-67-70—286 |
| Art Wall | 73-76-66-71—286 |
| Julius Boros | 69-72-73-73—287 |
| Bob Charles | 69-76-72-70—287 |
| Tony Lema | 70-71-77-69—287 |
| Jack Sellman | 75-70-74-68—287 |
| Manuel De La Torre | 71-71-74-72—288 |
| Wes Ellis Jr. | 71-74-71-72—288 |
| Bob Goalby | 74-70-74-70—288 |
| Dick Hart | 66-72-76-74—288 |
| Dave Hill | 73-72-69-74—288 |
| Doug Sanders | 74-69-70-75—288 |
| Paul Harney | 72-74-71-72—289 |
| Bobby Nichols | 74-73-71-71—289 |
| Mason Rudolph | 69-75-71-74—289 |
| Mike Souchak | 72-72-73-72—289 |
| Doug Ford | 70-72-71-77—290 |
| J.C. Goosie | 74-74-74-68—290 |
| Fred Haas Jr. | 80-70-70-70—290 |
| Sam Snead | 71-73-70-76—290 |
| Earl Stewart | 70-77-70-73—290 |
| Bert Weaver | 76-73-71-70—290 |
| Bo Wininger | 75-71-71-73—290 |
| Jack Burke Jr. | 75-72-73-71—291 |
| Billy Farrell | 72-74-72-73—291 |
| Mike Krak | 73-73-72-73—291 |
| Gene Littler | 71-72-75-73—291 |
| Eddie Merrins | 74-70-73-74—291 |
| Stan Mosel | 71-77-74-70—292 |
| Jerry Barber | 74-73-72-74—293 |
| Jay Hebert | 75-76-73-69—293 |
| Doug Higgins | 74-74-75-70—293 |
| Don January | 76-75-69-73—293 |
| Arnold Palmer | 74-73-73-73—293 |
| Jerry Pisano | 72-76-69-76—293 |
| Bob Rosburg | 72-75-74-72—293 |
| Tony Holguin | 77-71-75-71—294 |
| Dan Sikes | 74-70-73-77—294 |
| Gay Brewer | 74-75-72-74—295 |
| Dutch Harrison | 73-73-75-74—295 |
| Bob McCallister | 71-76-73-75—295 |
| Joe Zakarian | 75-73-76-71—295 |
| Don Bies | 74-71-73-78—296 |
| Hubby Habjan | 76-75-71-74—296 |
| Mac Hunter | 76-70-75-75—296 |
| Shelley Mayfield | 69-72-76-79—296 |
| Raymond Floyd | 75-73-74-75—297 |
| Ernie Vossler | 74-77-73-73—297 |
| George Bayer | 75-73-74-76—298 |
| Charles Congdon | 70-79-73-76—298 |
| Ted Kroll | 81-70-74-73—298 |
| Frank Stranahan | 74-73-77-74—298 |
| Gene Borek | 74-76-75-74—299 |
| Furman Hayes | 76-71-74-78—299 |
| Skee Riegel | 78-73-76-72—299 |
| Herman Scharlau | 75-76-76-72—299 |
| Stan Thirsk | 73-74-73-79—299 |
| John Cleary | 75-76-75-74—300 |
| Bob Gajda | 72-72-76-81—301 |
| Dick Turner | 75-76-78-72—301 |
| Edward Kuna | 73-71-79-79—302 |
| Jim Lucius | 77-74-77-74—302 |
| John Barnum | 74-74-74-82—304 |
| Tom Watrous | 78-70-75-81—304 |
| Ron Bakich | 73-77-78-77—305 |
| Frank Beley | 75-74-79-77—305 |
| Ira Gwin | 76-75-81-73—305 |
| Bill Ezinicki | 74-71-83-78—306 |
| John Cook | 75-73-79-80—307 |
| Bernie Haas | 70-80-79-79—308 |
| Lou Warobick | 74-77-78-80—309 |
