PGA Championship 2026: Walter Hagen and the lost Wanamaker—a Q&A that explains the bizarre story
For decades, there's been a legendary tale shared of Walter Hagen losing the Wanamaker Trophy. Turns out the true story is even crazier
These Q&A posts are becoming something of a tradition around major championships, mostly because there's always some weird story or piece of history that can only be uncovered by a good old-fashioned deep dive. See, for instance, the Oakmont Turnpike , the political parade at Portrush, Tree Island at Sawgrass and the odd history of Masters pairings . Today, though, I think I might have the strangest one yet, and it has to do with that time 100 years ago when Walter Hagen, the people's champion, managed to lose the Wanamaker Trophy, the hardware annual given to the winner of the PGA Championship.
"Wait," you might be thinking, "it's unfortunate to lose a trophy, but not that crazy, right? " Right. But this story is about so much more than a lost trophy.
It's about deception, and legend-making, and lies that last a century, and … well, let's just get to it. Fire up those Qs, and if you're more of a watching type, check out the video we produced here. Q: Let’s start here: What year did he lose the trophy?
A: That sounds like a simple question, and you probably think there's a simple answer, right? Right. WRONG!
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