Walter Burkemo
| Walter Burkemo | |
|---|---|
| — Golfer — | |
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Walter E. Burkemo |
| Born |
October 9, 1918 Detroit, Michigan |
| Died | October 8, 1986 (aged 67) Fenton, Michigan |
| Nationality |
 United States
|
| Career | |
| Turned professional | Professional |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Professional wins | 8 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 2 |
| Other | 6 |
| Best results in major championships (wins: 1) |
|
| Masters Tournament | T6: 1960 |
| U.S. Open | T4: 1957 |
| The Open Championship | DNP |
| PGA Championship | Won: 1953 |
Walter E. Burkemo (October 9, 1918 – October 8, 1986) was an American professional golfer, best known for winning the PGA Championship in 1953.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Burkemo was the youngest of 13 children of Norwegian immigrants who settled there. He began in golf at the age of 8 by caddying at Lochmoor Country Club in Detroit. Burkemo won his first title in 1938 at the Southern Florida Open; however, World War II intervened soon thereafter and he found himself drafted into the U.S. Army. Burkemo served in the infantry as a sergeant in the European Theater. He was seriously wounded twice, earning two Purple Hearts, the second time during the Battle of the Bulge.
Burkemo resumed his PGA Tour career after recovering from his injuries. He had little success in the late 1940s; but in 1951, his luck began to change when he won his first of four Michigan Opens. His best years in professional golf were in the early 1950s; he won the PGA Championship in 1953 and was runner-up in 1951 and 1954. Although he was one of the most consistent top-10 finishers on the tour, he would go on to win one only more event, the Mayfair Inn Open in 1957. He was a member of the Ryder Cup team in 1953.
...
Wikipedia