Men's major golf championships

The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the major championships,[1] and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf. In order of play date as of 2019, they are:

Jack Nicklaus won a record 18 major championships.

Importance

Alongside the biennial Ryder Cup team competition, the majors are golf's most important events. Elite players from all over the world participate in them, and the reputations of the greatest players in golf history are largely based on the number and variety of major championship victories they accumulate. The top prizes are not actually the largest in golf, being surpassed by The Players Championship, three of the four World Golf Championships events (the HSBC Champions, promoted to WGC status in 2009, has a top prize comparable to that of the majors), and some other invitational events. However, winning a major boosts a player's career far more than winning any other tournament. If he is already a leading player, he will probably receive large bonuses from his sponsors and may be able to negotiate better contracts. If he is an unknown, he will immediately be signed up. Perhaps more importantly, he will receive an exemption from the need to annually re-qualify for a tour card on his home tour, thus giving a tournament golfer some security in an unstable profession. Currently, both the PGA Tour and European Tour give a five-year exemption to all major winners.

Independent organizations, and not the PGA Tour, operate each of the majors; The Players Championship is the tour's most important event.[3] Three of the four majors take place in the United States. The Masters is played at the same course, Augusta National Golf Club, every year, while the other three rotate courses (the Open Championship, however, is always played on a links course). Each of the majors has a distinct history, and they are run by four separate golf organizations, but their special status is recognized worldwide. Major championship winners receive the maximum possible allocation of 100 points from the Official World Golf Ranking, which is endorsed by all of the main tours, and major championship prize money is official on the three richest regular (i.e. under-50) golf tours, the PGA Tour, European Tour and Japan Golf Tour.

The Players historically has offered a prize pool as large as or larger than the majors, because the PGA Tour wants its most important event to be as attractive. Although the majors are considered prestigious due to their history and traditions, besides The Players there are still other non-"major" tournaments which prominently feature top players competing for purses meeting or exceeding those of the four traditional majors, such as the European Tour's DP World Tour Championship, Dubai,[3] and World Golf Championships. With its large prize fund of any golf event and role as PGA Tour's flagship tournament, The Players is frequently considered to be an unofficial "fifth major" by players and critics. After the announcement that the Evian Masters would be recognized as the fifth women's major by the LPGA Tour, players objected to the concept of having a fifth men's major, owing to the long-standing traditions that the existing four have established.[4][5]

History

The majors originally consisted of two British tournaments, The Open Championship and The Amateur Championship, and two American tournaments, the U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur. With the introduction of the Masters Tournament in 1934, and the rise of professional golf in the late 1940s and 1950s, the term "major championships" eventually came to describe the Masters, the U.S. Open, the Open Championship, and the PGA Championship. It is difficult to determine when the definition changed to include the current four tournaments, although many trace it to Arnold Palmer's 1960 season. After winning the Masters and the U.S. Open to start the season, he remarked that if he could win the Open Championship and PGA Championship to finish the season, he would complete "a grand slam of his own" to rival Bobby Jones's 1930 feat. Until that time, many U.S. players such as Byron Nelson also considered the Western Open and the North and South Open as two of golf's "majors,"[6] and the British PGA Matchplay Championship was as important to British and Commonwealth professionals as the PGA Championship was to Americans.

During the 1950s, the short-lived World Championship of Golf was viewed as a "major" by its competitors, as its first prize was worth almost ten times any other event in the game, and it was the first event whose finale was televised live on U.S. television. The oldest of the majors is The Open Championship, commonly referred to as the "British Open" outside the United Kingdom. Dominated by American champions in the 1920s and 1930s, the comparative explosion in the riches available on the U.S. Tour from the 1940s onwards meant that the lengthy overseas trip needed to qualify and compete in the event became increasingly prohibitive for the leading American professionals. Their regular participation dwindled after the war years. Ben Hogan entered just once in 1953 and won, but never returned. Sam Snead won in 1946 but lost money on the trip (first prize was $600) and did not return until 1962.

Golf writer Dan Jenkins, who was often seen as the world authority on majors since he had attended more (200+) than anyone else, once noted that "the pros didn't talk much about majors back then. I think it was Herbert Warren Wind who starting using the term. He said golfers had to be judged by the major tournaments they won, but it's not like there was any set number of major tournaments."[7]

In 1960, Arnold Palmer entered The Open Championship in an attempt to emulate Hogan's 1953 feat of winning on his first visit. Though a runner-up by a stroke in his first attempt, Palmer returned and won the next two in 1961 and 1962. Scheduling difficulties persisted with the PGA Championship, but more Americans began competing in the 1960s, restoring the event's prestige (and with it the prize money that once made it an attractive prospect to other American pros). The advent of transatlantic jet travel helped to boost American participation in The Open. A discussion between Palmer and Pittsburgh golf writer Bob Drum led to the concept of the modern Grand Slam of Golf.[8]

In August 2017, after the previous year's edition was scheduled earlier due to golf at the 2016 Summer Olympics, the PGA of America announced that the PGA Championship would be moved to late-May beginning in 2019, in between the Masters and U.S. Open. The PGA Tour concurrently announced that it would move the Players Championship back to March the same year; as a result, the Players and the four majors will still be played across five consecutive months.[9][10]

Television coverage

United Kingdom

EventNetworks
Masters TournamentSky Sports
PGA ChampionshipSky Sports
U.S. OpenSky Sports
The Open ChampionshipSky Sports

In the United Kingdom, historically all four majors were broadcast on free to air TV. ITV has not broadcast live golf for many years. The BBC used to be the exclusive TV home of the Masters Tournament, U.S. Open and the Open Championship. By the early years of the first decade of the 21st century, only the Masters and Open Championship were broadcast live on the BBC. From 2011 onwards Sky Sports has exclusive live coverage of the first two days of the Masters, with the weekend rounds shared with the BBC. The U.S. Open is shown exclusively on Sky Sports. Beginning in 2016, Sky Sports also became the exclusive broadcaster of the Open Championship; the BBC elected to forego the final year of its contract.[11] The BBC continues to hold rights to broadcast a nightly highlights programme.[12]

Sky also held rights to the PGA Championship, but in July 2017, it was reported that the PGA of America had declined to renew its contract, seeking a different media model for the tournament in the United Kingdom.[13] The 2017 tournament was aired by the BBC (via BBC Red Button, with the conclusion of coverage on BBC Two) and streamed by GiveMeSport (via Facebook Live).[14][15] Eleven Sports UK & Ireland acquired the event for 2018, as one of the first events covered by the newly launched streaming service.[16]

United States

EventNetworks
Masters TournamentESPN/CBS
PGA ChampionshipESPN/CBS
U.S. OpenGolf Channel/NBC
The Open ChampionshipGolf Channel/NBC

As none of the majors fall under the direct jurisdiction of tours, broadcast rights for these events are negotiated separately with each sanctioning body. However, as of 2020, network television coverage of all four tournaments is split equally between the PGA Tour's two main television partners, CBS and NBC.

The Masters operates under one-year contracts; CBS has been the main TV partner every year since 1956, with ESPN broadcasting CBS-produced coverage of the first and second rounds since 2008 (replacing USA Network, which had shown the event since the early 1980s).[17]

Beginning in 1966, ABC obtained the broadcast rights for the other three majors and held them for a quarter century. The PGA Championship moved to CBS in 1991 and the U.S. Open returned to NBC in 1995.[18][19] ABC retained The Open Championship as its sole major, but moved its live coverage on the weekend to sister cable network ESPN in 2010. In June 2015, it was announced that NBC and Golf Channel would acquire rights to the Open Championship under a 12-year deal.[20] While the NBC deal was originally to take effect in 2017, ESPN chose to opt out of its final year of Open rights, so the NBC contract took effect beginning in 2016 instead.[11]

As of 2020, NBC and Golf Channel hold broadcast rights to the U.S. Open and other USGA events, replacing Fox Sports — which had assumed the rights in 2015 under a 12-year contract, but withdrew and sold the remainder of the rights to NBC in June 2020.[21][22]

As of 2020, CBS and ESPN hold the broadcast rights to the PGA Championship, under a new contract that replaces TNT as the tournament's cable partner.[23]

Distinctive characteristics of majors

Because each major was developed and is run by a different organization, each has characteristics that sets it apart. These involve the character of the courses used, the composition of the field, and other idiosyncrasies.

  • The Masters Tournament (sometimes referred to as the U.S. Masters), the season's first major championship, is the only major that is played at the same course every year (Augusta National Golf Club), being the invitational tournament of that club. The Masters invites the smallest field of the majors, generally under 100 players (although, like all the majors, it now ensures entry for all golfers among the world's top 50 prior to the event), and is the only one of the four majors that does not use "alternates" to replace qualified players who do not enter the event (usually due to injury). Former champions have a lifetime invitation to compete, and also included in the field are the current champions of the major amateur championships, and most of the previous year's PGA Tour winners (winners of "alternate" events held opposite a high-profile tournament do not receive automatic invitations). The traditions of Augusta during Tournament week, such as the Champion's Dinner, Par 3 Contest, and awarding of a green jacket to the champion, create a distinctive character for the tournament, as does the course itself, with its lack of primary rough but severely undulating fairways and greens, traditional pin placements, and punitive use of ponds and creeks on several key holes on the back nine.
  • The PGA Championship (sometimes referred to as the U.S. PGA), which from 2019 is the year's second major, is traditionally played at a parkland club in the United States, and the courses chosen tend to be as difficult as those chosen for the U.S. Open, with several, such as Baltusrol Golf Club, Medinah Country Club, Oakland Hills Country Club, Oak Hill Country Club, and Winged Foot Golf Club, having hosted both. The PGA generally does not set up the course to be as difficult as the USGA does. The PGA of America enters into a profit-sharing agreement with the host club (except when the event is hosted by Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, a club that it owns). In a parallel with The Masters, previous winners of the PGA Championship have a lifetime invitation to compete. As well as inviting recent champions of the other three professional majors and leading players from the world rankings, the PGA Championship field is completed by qualifiers held among members of the PGA of America, the organization of club and teaching professionals that are separate from the members of the PGA Tour. The PGA Championship is also the only one of the four majors to invite all winners of PGA Tour events in the year preceding the tournament, as well as inviting 20 club professionals who are non-tour regulars. Amateur golfers do not normally play on the PGA Tour, and could only qualify by winning one of the other three majors, winning a PGA Tour event while playing under a sponsor's exemption, or having a high world ranking. When the PGA Championship was held in August, it was frequently affected by the high heat and humidity that characterize the summer climate of much of the U.S., which often set it apart as a challenge from (in particular) the Open Championship, an event often played in cooler and rainy weather. With the 2019 move to a May date, heat and humidity are less likely to have major effects on the competition.
  • The third major, the U.S. Open, is notorious for being played on difficult courses that have tight fairways, challenging greens, demanding pin positions and thick and high rough, placing a great premium on accuracy, especially with driving and approach play. Additionally, while most regular tour events are played on courses with par 72, the U.S. Open has almost never been held on a par-72 course in recent decades; the 2017 event was the first since 1992 to be played at par 72.[24] During this time, the tournament course has occasionally been played to a par of 71 but most commonly par 70. The U.S. Open is rarely won with a score much under par. The event is the championship of the United States Golf Association, and in having a very strict exempt qualifiers list – made up of recent major champions, professionals currently ranked high in the world rankings or on the previous year's money lists around the world, and leading amateurs from recent USGA events – about half of the 156-person field still enters the tournament through two rounds of open qualification events, mostly held in the U.S. but also in Europe and Japan. The U.S. Open has no barrier to entry for either women or junior players, as long as they are a professional or meet amateur handicap requirements. As of 2020, however, no female golfer has yet qualified for the U.S. Open, although in 2006 Michelle Wie made it to the second qualifying stage. While the U.S. Open employed an 18-hole playoff for many years if players were tied after four rounds, the USGA announced that beginning in 2018 all of its future championships would implement a two-hole aggregate playoff format. A sudden-death playoff would follow if the players were still tied after the two playoff holes.[25] (This change also brought the U.S. Open more in line with both the Open and PGA Championships, which use four- and three-hole aggregate playoffs respectively, followed by sudden death if necessary, and most regular events as well as the Masters only have simple sudden-death playoffs.) The Sunday of the Championship has also in recent years fallen on Father's Day (at least as recognized in the US and the UK) which has lent added poignancy to winners' speeches.
  • The year's final major, The Open Championship (sometimes referred to as the British Open), is organized by The R&A, an offshoot of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, and is typically played on a links-style course in the United Kingdom (primarily Scotland or England). It carries the prestige of being the oldest professional golf tournament currently in existence and the original "Open" championship (although the very first event was held only for British professionals). It is respected for maintaining the tradition of links play that dates back to the very invention of the game in Scotland. Links courses are generally typified as coastal, flat and often very windswept, with the fairways cut through dune grass and gorse bushes that make up the "rough", and have deep bunkers. The course is generally not "doctored" to make it more difficult, effectively making the variable weather the main external influence on the field's score.[26] In fact, the greens at Open venues tend to be set up to play more slowly than those of normal tour stops. In windy conditions, a course with fast greens can become unplayable because the wind could affect balls at rest; the third round of the 2015 Open saw many delays for this very reason.[27] As well as exempting from qualifying recent professional major and amateur champions, all former Open Championship winners under age 60, and leading players from the world rankings, the R&A ensures that leading golfers from around the globe are given the chance to enter by holding qualifying events on all continents, as well as holding final qualifying events around the UK in the weeks prior to the main tournament. The champion receives (and has his name inscribed on the base of) the famous Claret Jug, a trophy that dates back to 1872 (champions from 1860 until 1871 received instead a championship belt, much like a champion professional boxer's belt nowadays) and the engraving of the champions' name on the trophy prior to them receiving it is, in itself, one of the traditions of the closing ceremony of the championship, as is the award of the silver medal to the leading amateur player to have made the cut to play the last 36 holes.

Major championship winners

The table below shows the winners of each of the recognized four major championships, listed in order of foundation. The numbers in parentheses indicate the total major wins and the chronological number of that win, and is only shown for golfers with more than one major championship.

Year The Open Championship[28] U.S. Open[29] PGA Championship[30] Masters Tournament[31]
2021 Jul 15–18, Royal St George's Jun 17–20, Torrey Pines May 20–23, Kiawah Island Apr 8–11, Augusta National
2020 Not held due to coronavirus pandemic[32] Bryson DeChambeau Collin Morikawa Dustin Johnson (2/2)
2019 Shane Lowry Gary Woodland Brooks Koepka (4/4) Tiger Woods (15/15)
2018 Francesco Molinari Brooks Koepka (2/4) Brooks Koepka (3/4) Patrick Reed
2017 Jordan Spieth (3/3) Brooks Koepka (1/4) Justin Thomas Sergio García
2016 Henrik Stenson Dustin Johnson (1/2) Jimmy Walker Danny Willett
2015 Zach Johnson (2/2) Jordan Spieth (2/3) Jason Day Jordan Spieth (1/3)
2014 Rory McIlroy (3/4) Martin Kaymer (2/2) Rory McIlroy (4/4) Bubba Watson (2/2)
2013 Phil Mickelson (5/5) Justin Rose Jason Dufner Adam Scott
2012 Ernie Els (4/4) Webb Simpson Rory McIlroy (2/4) Bubba Watson (1/2)
2011 Darren Clarke Rory McIlroy (1/4) Keegan Bradley Charl Schwartzel
2010 Louis Oosthuizen Graeme McDowell Martin Kaymer (1/2) Phil Mickelson (4/5)
2009 Stewart Cink Lucas Glover Yang Yong-eun Ángel Cabrera (2/2)
2008 Pádraig Harrington (2/3) Tiger Woods (14/15) Pádraig Harrington (3/3) Trevor Immelman
2007 Pádraig Harrington (1/3) Ángel Cabrera (1/2) Tiger Woods (13/15) Zach Johnson (1/2)
2006 Tiger Woods (11/15) Geoff Ogilvy Tiger Woods (12/15) Phil Mickelson (3/5)
2005 Tiger Woods (10/15) Michael Campbell Phil Mickelson (2/5) Tiger Woods (9/15)
2004 Todd Hamilton Retief Goosen (2/2) Vijay Singh (3/3) Phil Mickelson (1/5)
2003 Ben Curtis Jim Furyk Shaun Micheel Mike Weir
2002 Ernie Els (3/4) Tiger Woods (8/15) Rich Beem Tiger Woods (7/15)
2001 David Duval Retief Goosen (1/2) David Toms Tiger Woods (6/15)
2000 Tiger Woods (4/15) Tiger Woods (3/15) Tiger Woods (5/15) Vijay Singh (2/3)
1999 Paul Lawrie Payne Stewart (3/3) Tiger Woods (2/15) José María Olazábal (2/2)
1998 Mark O'Meara (2/2) Lee Janzen (2/2) Vijay Singh (1/3) Mark O'Meara (1/2)
1997 Justin Leonard Ernie Els (2/4) Davis Love III Tiger Woods (1/15)
1996 Tom Lehman Steve Jones Mark Brooks Nick Faldo (6/6)
1995 John Daly (2/2) Corey Pavin Steve Elkington Ben Crenshaw (2/2)
1994 Nick Price (2/3) Ernie Els (1/4) Nick Price (3/3) José María Olazábal (1/2)
1993 Greg Norman (2/2) Lee Janzen (1/2) Paul Azinger Bernhard Langer (2/2)
1992 Nick Faldo (5/6) Tom Kite Nick Price (1/3) Fred Couples
1991 Ian Baker-Finch Payne Stewart (2/3) John Daly (1/2) Ian Woosnam
1990 Nick Faldo (4/6) Hale Irwin (3/3) Wayne Grady Nick Faldo (3/6)
1989 Mark Calcavecchia Curtis Strange (2/2) Payne Stewart (1/3) Nick Faldo (2/6)
1988 Seve Ballesteros (5/5) Curtis Strange (1/2) Jeff Sluman Sandy Lyle (2/2)
1987 Nick Faldo (1/6) Scott Simpson Larry Nelson (3/3) Larry Mize
1986 Greg Norman (1/2) Raymond Floyd (4/4) Bob Tway Jack Nicklaus (18/18)
1985 Sandy Lyle (1/2) Andy North (2/2) Hubert Green (2/2) Bernhard Langer (1/2)
1984 Seve Ballesteros (4/5) Fuzzy Zoeller (2/2) Lee Trevino (6/6) Ben Crenshaw (1/2)
1983 Tom Watson (8/8) Larry Nelson (2/3) Hal Sutton Seve Ballesteros (3/5)
1982 Tom Watson (7/8) Tom Watson (6/8) Raymond Floyd (3/4) Craig Stadler
1981 Bill Rogers David Graham (2/2) Larry Nelson (1/3) Tom Watson (5/8)
1980 Tom Watson (4/8) Jack Nicklaus (16/18) Jack Nicklaus (17/18) Seve Ballesteros (2/5)
1979 Seve Ballesteros (1/5) Hale Irwin (2/3) David Graham (1/2) Fuzzy Zoeller (1/2)
1978 Jack Nicklaus (15/18) Andy North (1/2) John Mahaffey Gary Player (9/9)
1977 Tom Watson (3/8) Hubert Green (1/2) Lanny Wadkins Tom Watson (2/8)
1976 Johnny Miller (2/2) Jerry Pate Dave Stockton (2/2) Raymond Floyd (2/4)
1975 Tom Watson (1/8) Lou Graham Jack Nicklaus (14/18) Jack Nicklaus (13/18)
1974 Gary Player (8/9) Hale Irwin (1/3) Lee Trevino (5/6) Gary Player (7/9)
1973 Tom Weiskopf Johnny Miller (1/2) Jack Nicklaus (12/18) Tommy Aaron
1972 Lee Trevino (4/6) Jack Nicklaus (11/18) Gary Player (6/9) Jack Nicklaus (10/18)
1971 Lee Trevino (3/6) Lee Trevino (2/6) Jack Nicklaus (9/18) Charles Coody
1970 Jack Nicklaus (8/18) Tony Jacklin (2/2) Dave Stockton (1/2) Billy Casper (3/3)
1969 Tony Jacklin (1/2) Orville Moody Raymond Floyd (1/4) George Archer
1968 Gary Player (5/9) Lee Trevino (1/6) Julius Boros (3/3) Bob Goalby
1967 Roberto De Vicenzo Jack Nicklaus (7/18) Don January Gay Brewer
1966 Jack Nicklaus (6/18) Billy Casper (2/3) Al Geiberger Jack Nicklaus (5/18)
1965 Peter Thomson (5/5) Gary Player (4/9) Dave Marr Jack Nicklaus (4/18)
1964 Tony Lema Ken Venturi Bobby Nichols Arnold Palmer (7/7)
1963 Bob Charles Julius Boros (2/3) Jack Nicklaus (3/18) Jack Nicklaus (2/18)
1962 Arnold Palmer (6/7) Jack Nicklaus (1/18) Gary Player (3/9) Arnold Palmer (5/7)
1961 Arnold Palmer (4/7) Gene Littler Jerry Barber Gary Player (2/9)
1960 Kel Nagle Arnold Palmer (3/7) Jay Hebert Arnold Palmer (2/7)
1959 Gary Player (1/9) Billy Casper (1/3) Bob Rosburg Art Wall Jr.
1958 Peter Thomson (4/5) Tommy Bolt Dow Finsterwald Arnold Palmer (1/7)
1957 Bobby Locke (4/4) Dick Mayer Lionel Hebert Doug Ford (2/2)
1956 Peter Thomson (3/5) Cary Middlecoff (3/3) Jack Burke, Jr. (2/2) Jack Burke, Jr. (1/2)
1955 Peter Thomson (2/5) Jack Fleck Doug Ford (1/2) Cary Middlecoff (2/3)
1954 Peter Thomson (1/5) Ed Furgol Chick Harbert Sam Snead (7/7)
1953 Ben Hogan (9/9) Ben Hogan (8/9) Walter Burkemo Ben Hogan (7/9)
1952 Bobby Locke (3/4) Julius Boros (1/3) Jim Turnesa Sam Snead (6/7)
1951 Max Faulkner Ben Hogan (6/9) Sam Snead (5/7) Ben Hogan (5/9)
1950 Bobby Locke (2/4) Ben Hogan (4/9) Chandler Harper Jimmy Demaret (3/3)
1949 Bobby Locke (1/4) Cary Middlecoff (1/3) Sam Snead (4/7) Sam Snead (3/7)
1948 Henry Cotton (3/3) Ben Hogan (3/9) Ben Hogan (2/9) Claude Harmon
1947 Fred Daly Lew Worsham Jim Ferrier Jimmy Demaret (2/3)
1946 Sam Snead (2/7) Lloyd Mangrum Ben Hogan (1/9) Herman Keiser
1945 Not held due to World War II Not held due to World War II Byron Nelson (5/5) Not held due to World War II
1944 Bob Hamilton
1943 Not held due to World War II
1942 Sam Snead (1/7) Byron Nelson (4/5)
1941 Craig Wood (2/2) Vic Ghezzi Craig Wood (1/2)
1940 Lawson Little Byron Nelson (3/5) Jimmy Demaret (1/3)
1939 Dick Burton Byron Nelson (2/5) Henry Picard (2/2) Ralph Guldahl (3/3)
1938 Reg Whitcombe Ralph Guldahl (2/3) Paul Runyan (2/2) Henry Picard (1/2)
1937 Henry Cotton (2/3) Ralph Guldahl (1/3) Denny Shute (3/3) Byron Nelson (1/5)
1936 Alf Padgham Tony Manero Denny Shute (2/3) Horton Smith (2/2)
1935 Alf Perry Sam Parks, Jr. Johnny Revolta Gene Sarazen (7/7)
1934 Henry Cotton (1/3) Olin Dutra (2/2) Paul Runyan (1/2) Horton Smith (1/2)
1933 Denny Shute (1/3) Johnny Goodman Gene Sarazen (6/7) Not yet founded
1932 Gene Sarazen (4/7) Gene Sarazen (5/7) Olin Dutra (1/2)
1931 Tommy Armour (3/3)[lower-alpha 1] Billy Burke Tom Creavy
1930 Bobby Jones (6/7) Bobby Jones (7/7) Tommy Armour (2/3)[lower-alpha 1]
1929 Walter Hagen (11/11) Bobby Jones (5/7) Leo Diegel (2/2)
1928 Walter Hagen (10/11) Johnny Farrell Leo Diegel (1/2)
1927 Bobby Jones (4/7) Tommy Armour (1/3)[lower-alpha 1] Walter Hagen (9/11)
1926 Bobby Jones (2/7) Bobby Jones (3/7) Walter Hagen (8/11)
1925 Jim Barnes (4/4) Willie MacFarlane Walter Hagen (7/11)
1924 Walter Hagen (5/11) Cyril Walker Walter Hagen (6/11)
1923 Arthur Havers Bobby Jones (1/7) Gene Sarazen (3/7)
1922 Walter Hagen (4/11) Gene Sarazen (1/7) Gene Sarazen (2/7)
1921 Jock Hutchison (2/2)[lower-alpha 2] Jim Barnes (3/4) Walter Hagen (3/11)
1920 George Duncan Ted Ray (2/2) Jock Hutchison (1/2)[lower-alpha 2]
1919 Not held due to World War I Walter Hagen (2/11) Jim Barnes (2/4)
1918 Not held due to World War I Not held due to World War I
1917
1916 Chick Evans Jim Barnes (1/4)
1915 Jerome Travers Not yet founded
1914 Harry Vardon (7/7) Walter Hagen (1/11)
1913 John Henry Taylor (5/5) Francis Ouimet
1912 Ted Ray (1/2) John McDermott (2/2)
1911 Harry Vardon (6/7) John McDermott (1/2)
1910 James Braid (5/5) Alex Smith (2/2)
1909 John Henry Taylor (4/5) George Sargent
1908 James Braid (4/5) Fred McLeod
1907 Arnaud Massy Alec Ross
1906 James Braid (3/5) Alex Smith (1/2)
1905 James Braid (2/5) Willie Anderson (4/4)
1904 Jack White Willie Anderson (3/4)
1903 Harry Vardon (5/7) Willie Anderson (2/4)
1902 Sandy Herd Laurie Auchterlonie
1901 James Braid (1/5) Willie Anderson (1/4)
1900 John Henry Taylor (3/5) Harry Vardon (4/7)
1899 Harry Vardon (3/7) Willie Smith
1898 Harry Vardon (2/7) Fred Herd
1897 Harold Hilton (2/2) Joe Lloyd
1896 Harry Vardon (1/7) James Foulis
1895 John Henry Taylor (2/5) Horace Rawlins
1894 John Henry Taylor (1/5) Not yet founded
1893 Willie Auchterlonie
1892 Harold Hilton (1/2)
1891 Hugh Kirkaldy
1890 John Ball, Jnr
1889 Willie Park, Jr. (2/2)
1888 Jack Burns
1887 Willie Park, Jr. (1/2)
1886 David Brown
1885 Bob Martin (2/2)
1884 Jack Simpson
1883 Willie Fernie
1882 Bob Ferguson (3/3)
1881 Bob Ferguson (2/3)
1880 Bob Ferguson (1/3)
1879 Jamie Anderson (3/3)
1878 Jamie Anderson (2/3)
1877 Jamie Anderson (1/3)
1876 Bob Martin (1/2)
1875 Willie Park, Sr. (4/4)
1874 Mungo Park
1873 Tom Kidd
1872 Young Tom Morris (4/4)
1871 Not held; no trophy available
1870 Young Tom Morris (3/4)
1869 Young Tom Morris (2/4)
1868 Young Tom Morris (1/4)
1867 Old Tom Morris (4/4)
1866 Willie Park, Sr. (3/4)
1865 Andrew Strath
1864 Old Tom Morris (3/4)
1863 Willie Park, Sr. (2/4)
1862 Old Tom Morris (2/4)
1861 Old Tom Morris (1/4)
1860 Willie Park, Sr. (1/4)
Year The Open Championship U.S. Open PGA Championship Masters Tournament
  1. Tommy Armour was born in Scotland and became U.S. citizen thus his wins are listed under the U.S..
  2. Jock Hutchison was born in Scotland, however on April 1, 1920 he was naturalized as U.S. citizen. His 2 majors are counted to U.S. regarding the 'wins and champions per nationality' accumulation.

Major champions by nationality

The table below shows the number of major championships won by golfers from various countries. Tallies are also shown for major wins by golfers from Europe and from the "Rest of the World" (RoW), i.e. the world excluding Europe and the United States. The United States plays Europe in the Ryder Cup and an International Team representing the Rest of the World in the Presidents Cup. The table is complete through the 2019 Open. Since the establishment of The Masters in 1934, an American has won at least one major every year, with the exception of 1994.

Country1860s70s80s90s1900s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s2000s10s20sTotal
 United States7233022313133292125213276
 Scotland10910514222155
 England73346111124235
 South Africa144424322
 Australia1421241217
 Jersey32319
 Spain14218
 Northern Ireland167
 Germany1124
 Ireland314
 Argentina123
 Fiji123
 Zimbabwe33
 New Zealand112
 Canada11
 France11
 Italy11
 South Korea11
 Sweden11
 Wales11
Total10910152015303626404040404040403454

Scoring records

Scoring records - aggregate

The aggregate scoring records for each major are tabulated below, listed in order of when the majors are scheduled annually.

DateTournamentPlayerCountryRoundsScoreTo par
Nov 15, 2020Masters TournamentDustin Johnson  United States65-70-65-68268−20
Aug 12, 2018PGA ChampionshipBrooks Koepka United States69-63-66-66264−16
Jun 19, 2011U.S. OpenRory McIlroy Northern Ireland65-66-68-69268−16
Jul 17, 2016The Open ChampionshipHenrik Stenson Sweden68-65-68-63264−20

Scoring records - to par

The scoring records to par for each major are tabulated below, listed in order of when the majors are scheduled annually.

DateTournamentPlayerCountryRoundsScoreTo par
Nov 15, 2020Masters TournamentDustin Johnson  United States65-70-65-68 268−20
Aug 16, 2015PGA ChampionshipJason Day Australia68-67-66-67268−20
Jun 19, 2011U.S. OpenRory McIlroy Northern Ireland65-66-68-69268−16
Jun 18, 2017Brooks Koepka United States67-70-68-67272
Jul 17, 2016The Open ChampionshipHenrik Stenson Sweden68-65-68-63264−20

Single round records

The record for a single round in a major championship is 62 which was recorded by South African golfer Branden Grace in the third round of the 2017 Open Championship.

Consecutive victories at a major championship

Nationality Player Major # Years
 ScotlandTom Morris, Jr.The Open Championship41868, 1869, 1870, 1872[a]
 United StatesWalter HagenPGA Championship41924, 1925, 1926, 1927
 ScotlandJamie AndersonThe Open Championship31877, 1878, 1879
 ScotlandBob FergusonThe Open Championship31880, 1881, 1882
 ScotlandWillie AndersonU.S. Open31903, 1904, 1905
 AustraliaPeter ThomsonThe Open Championship31954, 1955, 1956
 ScotlandTom Morris, Sr.The Open Championship21861, 1862
 JerseyHarry VardonThe Open Championship21898, 1899
 ScotlandJames BraidThe Open Championship21905, 1906
 EnglandJohn Henry TaylorThe Open Championship21894, 1895
 United StatesJohn McDermottU.S. Open21911, 1912
 EnglandJim BarnesPGA Championship21916, 1919[a]
 United StatesGene SarazenPGA Championship21922, 1923
 United StatesBobby JonesThe Open Championship21926, 1927
 United StatesWalter HagenThe Open Championship21928, 1929
 United StatesLeo DiegelPGA Championship21928, 1929
 United StatesBobby JonesU.S. Open21929, 1930
 United StatesDenny ShutePGA Championship21936, 1937
 United StatesRalph GuldahlU.S. Open21937, 1938
 South AfricaBobby LockeThe Open Championship21949, 1950
 United StatesBen HoganU.S. Open21950, 1951
 United StatesArnold PalmerThe Open Championship21961, 1962
 United StatesJack NicklausMasters Tournament21965, 1966
 United StatesLee TrevinoThe Open Championship21971, 1972
 United StatesTom WatsonThe Open Championship21982, 1983
 United StatesCurtis StrangeU.S. Open21988, 1989
 EnglandNick FaldoMasters Tournament21989, 1990
 United StatesTiger WoodsPGA Championship21999, 2000
 United StatesTiger WoodsMasters Tournament22001, 2002
 United StatesTiger WoodsThe Open Championship22005, 2006
 United StatesTiger WoodsPGA Championship (2)22006, 2007
 IrelandPádraig HarringtonThe Open Championship22007, 2008
 United StatesBrooks KoepkaU.S. Open22017, 2018
 United StatesBrooks KoepkaPGA Championship22018, 2019

a These are consecutive because no tournaments were played in between at The Open Championship in 1871 or at the PGA Championship in 1917 and 1918.

Wire-to-wire major victories

Players who have led or been tied for the lead after each round of a major.

Top ten finishes in all four modern majors in one season

It was rare, before the early 1960s, for the leading players from around the world to have the opportunity to compete in all four of the 'modern' majors in one season, because of the different qualifying criteria used in each at the time, the costs of traveling to compete (in an era when tournament prize money was very low, and only the champion himself would earn the chance of ongoing endorsements), and on occasion even the conflicting scheduling of the Open and PGA Championships. In 1937, the U.S. Ryder Cup side all competed in The Open Championship, but of those who finished in the top ten of that event, only Ed Dudley could claim a "top ten" finish in all four of the majors in 1937, if his defeat in the last-16 round of that year's PGA Championship (then at matchplay) was considered a "joint 9th" position.

Following 1960, when Arnold Palmer's narrowly failed bid to add the Open Championship to his Masters and U.S. Open titles (and thus emulate Hogan's 1953 "triple crown") helped to establish the concept of the modern professional "Grand Slam", it has become commonplace for the leading players to be invited to, and indeed compete in, all four majors each year. Even so, those who have recorded top-ten finishes in all four, in a single year, remains a small and select group.

Nationality Player Year Wins Major championship results Lowest
placing
Masters U.S. Open Open Ch. PGA Ch.
 United StatesEd Dudley19370^3rd5th6thR16R16
 United StatesArnold Palmer19602112ndT7T7
 South AfricaGary Player19630T5T8T7T8T8
 United StatesArnold Palmer (2)19660T42ndT8T6T8
 United StatesDoug Sanders19660^T4T8T2T6T8
 United StatesMiller Barber19690^7thT610thT510th
 United StatesJack Nicklaus19711T22ndT51T5
 United StatesJack Nicklaus (2)19731T3T44th1T4
 United StatesJack Nicklaus (3)19740T4T103rd2ndT10
 South AfricaGary Player (2)197421T817thT8
 United StatesHale Irwin19750T4T3T9T5T9
 United StatesJack Nicklaus (4)197521T7T31T7
 United StatesTom Watson19751T8T919thT9
 United StatesJack Nicklaus (5)197702ndT102nd3rdT10
 United StatesTom Watson (2)197721T71T6T7
 United StatesTom Watson (3)19822T511T9T9
 United StatesBen Crenshaw19870T4T4T4T7T7
 United StatesTiger Woods200035th1115th
 SpainSergio García200208th4thT810th10th
 South AfricaErnie Els200402ndT92ndT4T9
 United StatesPhil Mickelson2004112nd3rdT6T6
 FijiVijay Singh20050T5T6T5T10T10
 United StatesTiger Woods (2)2005212nd1T4T4
 United StatesRickie Fowler20140^T5T2T2T3T5
 United StatesJordan Spieth2015211T42ndT4
 United StatesBrooks Koepka20191T22ndT41T4

^ Never won a regular tour major championship in his career.

On 13 of the 26 occasions the feat has been achieved, the player in question did not win a major that year – indeed, three of the players (Dudley, Sanders and Barber) failed to win a major championship in their careers (although Barber would go on to win five senior majors), and Fowler has also yet to win one.

Multiple major victories in a calendar year

Four

  • 1930: Bobby Jones; The Open Championship, U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur Championship, The Amateur Championship

Three

  • 1953: Ben Hogan; Masters Tournament, U.S. Open, and The Open Championship; he was unable to play in both the Open Championship and the PGA Championship because the dates effectively overlapped.
  • 2000: Tiger Woods; U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and PGA Championship

Masters and U.S. Open

Masters and Open Championship

Masters and PGA Championship

  • 1949: Sam Snead
  • 1956: Jack Burke, Jr
  • 1963: Jack Nicklaus
  • 1975: Jack Nicklaus

U.S. Open and Open Championship

U.S. Open and PGA Championship

  • 1922: Gene Sarazen
  • 1948: Ben Hogan
  • 1980: Jack Nicklaus
  • 2018: Brooks Koepka

Open Championship and PGA Championship

Consecutive major victories (including over multiple years)

Four

  • 1868–72: Young Tom Morris 1868 Open, 1869 Open, 1870 Open, 1872 Open (No Open Championship played in 1871)
  • 1930: Bobby Jones 1930 Amateur, 1930 Open, 1930 U.S. Open, 1930 U.S. Amateur
  • 2000–01: Tiger Woods 2000 U.S. Open, 2000 Open, 2000 PGA, 2001 Masters

Three

Two

Note: The order in which the majors were contested varied between 1895 and 1953. Prior to 1916, the PGA Championship did not exist; Prior to 1934, the Masters did not exist. From 1954 through 2018, the order of the majors was Masters, U.S. Open, Open Championship, PGA except in 1971, when the PGA was played before the Masters. From 2019, the order has been Masters, PGA, U.S. Open, Open Championship.

  • 1861–62: Old Tom Morris 1861 Open, 1862 Open
  • 1894–95: J.H. Taylor 1894 Open, 1895 Open
  • 1920–21: Jock Hutchison 1920 PGA, 1921 Open (The Open Championship was the first major contested in 1921)
  • 1921–22: Walter Hagen 1921 PGA, 1922 Open (The Open Championship was the first major contested in 1922)
  • 1922: Gene Sarazen 1922 U.S. Open, 1922 PGA
  • 1924: Walter Hagen 1924 Open, 1924 PGA
  • 1926: Bobby Jones 1926 Open, 1926 U.S. Open (The Open Championship was played before the U.S. Open in 1926)
  • 1927–28: Walter Hagen 1927 PGA, 1928 Open (The Open Championship was the first major contested in 1928)
  • 1930–31: Tommy Armour 1930 PGA, 1931 Open (The Open Championship was the first major contested in 1931)
  • 1932: Gene Sarazen 1932 Open, 1932 U.S. Open (The Open Championship was the first major contested in 1932, followed by the U.S. Open)
  • 1941: Craig Wood 1941 Masters, 1941 U.S. Open
  • 1948: Ben Hogan 1948 PGA, 1948 U.S. Open (The PGA was played between the Masters and U.S. Open in 1948)
  • 1949: Sam Snead 1949 Masters, 1949 PGA (As in 1948, the 1949 PGA was played between the Masters and U.S. Open)
  • 1951: Ben Hogan 1951 Masters, 1951 U.S. Open
  • 1953: Ben Hogan; 1953 Masters, 1953 U.S. Open (The 1953 Open Championship, also won by Hogan, was actually concluded only 3 days after 1953 PGA; he chose not to play in the PGA because of the strain on his legs, and the conflict with the Open championship.)
  • 1960: Arnold Palmer 1960 Masters, 1960 U.S. Open
  • 1971: Lee Trevino 1971 U.S. Open, 1971 Open
  • 1972: Jack Nicklaus 1972 Masters, 1972 U.S. Open (The 1971 PGA, also won by Nicklaus, was not consecutive due to being played prior to the Masters in 1971)
  • 1982: Tom Watson 1982 U.S. Open, 1982 Open
  • 1994: Nick Price 1994 Open, 1994 PGA
  • 2002: Tiger Woods 2002 Masters, 2002 U.S. Open
  • 2005–06: Phil Mickelson 2005 PGA, 2006 Masters
  • 2006: Tiger Woods 2006 Open, 2006 PGA
  • 2008: Pádraig Harrington 2008 Open, 2008 PGA
  • 2014: Rory McIlroy 2014 Open, 2014 PGA
  • 2015: Jordan Spieth 2015 Masters, 2015 U.S. Open

Largest margins of victory

Major championships have been won by a margin of nine strokes or greater on eight occasions. On a further eight occasions, majors have been won by a margin of eight strokes; they include the 2012 PGA Championship, which was played over the Ocean Course at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort, for which Rory McIlroy holds the PGA Championship record.[33]

NationalityPlayerMarginMajorCourse
 United StatesTiger Woods152000 U.S. OpenPebble Beach
 ScotlandOld Tom Morris131862 Open ChampionshipPrestwick
 ScotlandYoung Tom Morris121870 Open ChampionshipPrestwick
 United StatesTiger Woods121997 MastersAugusta National
 ScotlandYoung Tom Morris111869 Open ChampionshipPrestwick
 ScotlandWillie Smith111899 U.S. OpenBaltimore
 EnglandJim Barnes91921 U.S. OpenColumbia
 United StatesJack Nicklaus91965 MastersAugusta National

Most runner-up finishes in major championships

For the purposes of this section a runner-up is defined as someone who either (i) tied for the lead after 72 holes (or 36 holes in the case of the early championships) but lost the playoff or (ii) finished alone or in a tie for second place. In a few instances players have been involved in a playoff for the win or for second place prize money and have ended up taking the third prize (e.g. 1870 Open Championship, 1966 Masters Tournament). For match play PGA Championships up to 1957 the runner-up is the losing finalist.

Along with his record 18 major victories, Jack Nicklaus also holds the record for most runner-up finishes in major championships, with 19, including a record 7 at the Open Championship. He is also the only golfer with multiple runner-up finishes in all four majors. Phil Mickelson has the second most with 11 runner-up finishes after the 2016 Open Championship, which includes a record 6 runner-up finishes at the U.S. Open, the one major he has never won. Arnold Palmer had 10 second places, including three in the major he never won, the PGA Championship. There have been three golfers with 8 runner-up finishes – Sam Snead, Greg Norman and Tom Watson. Norman shares the distinction of having lost playoffs in each of the four majors with Craig Wood (who lost the 1934 PGA final – at match play – on the second extra hole).

Players with runner-up finishes in all four majors

NameMastersPGA
Championship
U.S. OpenOpen
Championship
Total
Jack Nicklaus444719
Phil Mickelson126211
Arnold Palmer234110
Tom Watson31228
Greg Norman32218
Craig Wood21115
Dustin Johnson12115
Louis Oosthuizen11114

Players with most runner-up finishes but no major victories

a Crampton was second to Jack Nicklaus on each occasion.

Most major championship appearances (100 major club)

StartsNameCountryWinsSpan
164Jack Nicklaus United States181957–2005
150Gary Player South Africa91956–2009
145Tom Watson United States81970–2016
142Arnold Palmer United States71953–2004
127Raymond Floyd United States41963–2009
118Sam Snead United States71937–1983
117Ben Crenshaw United States21970–2015
115Gene Sarazen United States71920–1976
111Phil Mickelson United States51990–2020
110Mark O'Meara United States21980–2018
109Tom Kite United States11970–2004
108Bernhard Langer Germany21976–2020
104Ernie Els South Africa41989–2019
101Fred Couples United States11979–2020
Davis Love III United States11986–2020
100Nick Faldo England61976–2015

Jay Haas, who played 87 majors, holds the record for the most major championship appearances without a victory. Lee Westwood, with 84 starts, has the second most.[34][35]

See also

References

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  3. "The Players Championship increases purse to $15 million". Golf Channel. Associated Press. January 25, 2020. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
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  5. Burke, Monte (May 9, 2012). "The Players Championship Is Not The "5th Major," But It's Still A Great Tournament". Forbes. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
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  16. MacInnes, Paul (August 13, 2018). "Eleven Sports viewers miss Brooks Koepka win US PGA Championship". The Guardian. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
  17. Sandomir, Richard (October 11, 2007). "ESPN Replaces USA as Early-Round Home of the Masters". The New York Times. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  18. "NBC gets U.S. Open golf". The New York Times. June 2, 1994. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  19. Stewart, Larry (July 21, 1995). "ABC getting a major chance with British Open coverage". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
  20. Ourand, John; Lombardo, John (June 8, 2015). "NBC, Golf Channel ending ABC/ESPN British Open reign". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved June 8, 2015.
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  26. Collins, Michael (July 17, 2016). "Michael Collins Round 4 Open grades". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 17, 2016. I noticed no one complaining about how the course was too easy or too hard. I couldn't find one bad thing on social media about the scores being too low even though 21 players finished at par or better. You know why? Because the R&A allowed Royal Troon to be itself and let whatever was going to happen, score-wise, happen.
  27. Harig, Bob (July 17, 2018). "Tiger Woods to battle past struggles with slow greens at The Open". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
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  33. "Largest margins of victory in a major". PGA of America. May 18, 2019.
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