Men's major golf championships
:
"Majors" redirects here. For other uses, see Major (disambiguation).The
Major Championships, often referred to simply as the "Majors", are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in men's professional
golf. The "majors" originally consisted of the
The Open Championship, the British Amateur or
The Amateur Championship, the
US Open and the
US Amateur.
Bobby Jones completed the
Grand Slam in
1930 when he won all four tournaments. 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
US Open, the
Open, 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, when after winning the Masters and the US Open to start the season he remarked that if he could win the Open and PGA Championship to finish the season, he would complete "a grand slam of his own" to rival Bobby Jones' 1930 feat.
The oldest of the majors is
The Open Championship, which is often referred to as the "British Open" outside the
United Kingdom. The other three majors all 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. Each of the majors has a distinct history, and they are run by four different golfing organisations, but their special status is recognized worldwide. Major championship winners receive the maximum possible allocation of 50 points from the
Official World Golf Rankings, which are endorsed by all of the main men's
tours, and major championship prize money is official on the three richest regular (ie under-50) golf tours, the
PGA TOUR,
European Tour and
Japan Golf Tour. In order of their playing date the majors are:
# April -
The Masters (weekend ending 2nd Sunday in April) - hosted as an invitational by and played at
Augusta National Golf Club# June -
US Open (weekend ending with the 3rd Sunday in June) - hosted by the
USGA and played at various locations in the USA# July -
The Open Championship (weekend containing the 3rd Friday in July) - hosted by
The R&A and always played on a links course at various locations in the UK # August -
PGA Championship (4th weekend after The Open Championship) - hosted by the
Professional Golfers' Association of America and played at various locations in the USA.
Alongside the biennial
Ryder Cup and
Presidents Cup team competitions, the majors are golf's marquee events. Elite players from all over the world participate in them, and the reputations of the greatest male players in golf history are largely based on the number of major championship victories they accumulate. The top prizes are not actually the largest in golf, being surpassed by
The Players Championship, the three individual
World Golf Championships events, and one or two invitational events, but 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 requalify for a tour card on his home tour, thus giving a tournament golfer some security in an unstable profession. Currently the PGA Tour gives a five-year exemption to all major winners.
In recent years
The Players Championship, which takes place two weeks before The Masters, has been begun to be boosted as "the fifth major" by elements of the American media. This has not been publicly encouraged by the golfing authorities, but the tournament does attract a similar strength of field. With the Players moving to May starting in 2007, many fans (mainly in North America) believe that the Players should be considered a
de facto major championship, even if it's not considered part of "the grand slam". Outside the United States the idea of increasing the proportion of majors held in the United States from three out of four to four out of five is much less popular. In addition, three
World Golf Championship events were established in 1999, bringing to eight the total number of events in which virtually all of the world's top 40 players compete against each other every year.
For each golfer with more than one major championship victory, his total number of wins and the place of each win in his sequence is shown in brackets. For example, Tiger Woods' win in the 2005 Masters was the ninth of his eleven major titles to date. There is a more detailed table for each tournament in its own article.
| U.S. Open | The Open Championship | PGA Championship | | 2006 | Phil Mickelson (3/3) | Geoff Ogilvy | Tiger Woods (11/11) | August 17-20 |
| 2005 | Tiger Woods (9/11) | Michael Campbell | Tiger Woods (10/11) | Phil Mickelson (2/3) |
| 2004 | Phil Mickelson (1/3) | Retief Goosen (2/2) | Todd Hamilton | Vijay Singh (3/3) |
| 2003 | Mike Weir | Jim Furyk | Ben Curtis | Shaun Micheel |
| 2002 | Tiger Woods (7/11) | Tiger Woods (8/11) | Ernie Els (3/3) | Rich Beem |
| 2001 | Tiger Woods (6/11) | Retief Goosen (1/2) | David Duval | David Toms |
| 2000 | Vijay Singh (2/3) | Tiger Woods (3/11) | Tiger Woods (4/11) | Tiger Woods (5/11) |
| 1999 | José María Olazábal (2/2) | Payne Stewart (3/3) | Paul Lawrie | Tiger Woods (2/11) |
| 1998 | Mark O'Meara (1/2) | Lee Janzen (2/2) | Mark O'Meara (2/2) | Vijay Singh (1/3) |
| 1997 | Tiger Woods (1/11) | Ernie Els (2/3) | Justin Leonard | Davis Love III |
| 1996 | Nick Faldo (6/6) | Steve Jones | Tom Lehman | Mark Brooks |
| 1995 | Ben Crenshaw (2/2) | Corey Pavin | John Daly (2/2) | Steve Elkington |
| 1994 | José María Olazábal (1/2) | Ernie Els (1/3) | Nick Price (2/3) | Nick Price (3/3) |
| 1993 | Bernhard Langer (2/2) | Lee Janzen (1/2) | Greg Norman (2/2) | Paul Azinger |
| 1992 | Fred Couples | Tom Kite | Nick Faldo (5/6) | Nick Price (1/3) |
| 1991 | Ian Woosnam | Payne Stewart (2/3) | Ian Baker-Finch | John Daly (1/2) |
| 1990 | Nick Faldo (3/6) | Hale Irwin (3/3) | Nick Faldo (4/6) | Wayne Grady |
| 1989 | Nick Faldo (2/6) | Curtis Strange (2/2) | Mark Calcavecchia | Payne Stewart (1/3) |
| 1988 | Sandy Lyle (2/2) | Curtis Strange (1/2) | Seve Ballesteros (5/5) | Jeff Sluman |
| 1987 | Larry Mize | Scott Simpson | Nick Faldo (1/6) | Larry Nelson (3/3) |
| 1986 | Jack Nicklaus (18/18) | Ray Floyd (4/4) | Greg Norman (1/2) | Bob Tway |
| 1985 | Bernhard Langer (1/2) | Andy North (2/2) | Sandy Lyle (1/2) | Hubert Green (2/2) |
| 1984 | Ben Crenshaw (1/2) | Fuzzy Zoeller (2/2) | Seve Ballesteros (4/5) | Lee Trevino (6/6) |
| 1983 | Seve Ballesteros (3/5) | Larry Nelson (2/3) | Tom Watson (8/8) | Hal Sutton |
| 1982 | Craig Stadler | Tom Watson (6/8) | Tom Watson (7/8) | Ray Floyd (3/4) |
| 1981 | Tom Watson (5/8) | David Graham (2/2) | Bill Rogers | Larry Nelson (1/3) |
| 1980 | Seve Ballesteros (2/5) | Jack Nicklaus (16/18) | Tom Watson (4/8) | Jack Nicklaus (17/18) |
| 1979 | Fuzzy Zoeller (1/2) | Hale Irwin (2/3) | Seve Ballesteros (1/5) | David Graham (1/2) |
| 1978 | Gary Player (9/9) | Andy North (1/2) | Jack Nicklaus (15/18) | John Mahaffey |
| 1977 | Tom Watson (2/8) | Hubert Green (1/2) | Tom Watson (3/8) | Lanny Wadkins |
| 1976 | Ray Floyd (2/4) | Jerry Pate | Johnny Miller (2/2) | Dave Stockton (2/2) |
| 1975 | Jack Nicklaus (13/18) | Lou Graham | Tom Watson (1/8) | Jack Nicklaus (14/18) |
| 1974 | Gary Player (7/9) | Hale Irwin (1/3) | Gary Player (8/9) | Lee Trevino (5/6) |
| 1973 | Tommy Aaron | Johnny Miller (1/2) | Tom Weiskopf | Jack Nicklaus (12/18) |
| 1972 | Jack Nicklaus (10/18) | Jack Nicklaus (11/18) | Lee Trevino (4/6) | Gary Player (6/9) |
| 1971 | Charles Coody | Lee Trevino (2/6) | Lee Trevino (3/6) | Jack Nicklaus (9/18) |
| 1970 | Billy Casper (3/3) | Tony Jacklin (2/2) | Jack Nicklaus (8/18) | Dave Stockton (1/2) |
| 1969 | George Archer | Orville Moody | Tony Jacklin (1/2) | Ray Floyd (1/4) |
| 1968 | Bob Goalby | Lee Trevino (1/6) | Gary Player (5/9) | Julius Boros (3/3) |
| 1967 | Gay Brewer | Jack Nicklaus (7/18) | Roberto DeVicenzo | Don January |
| 1966 | Jack Nicklaus (5/18) | Billy Casper (2/3) | Jack Nicklaus (6/18) | Al Geiberger |
| 1965 | Jack Nicklaus (4/18) | Gary Player (4/9) | Peter Thomson (5/5) | Dave Marr |
| 1964 | Arnold Palmer (7/7) | Ken Venturi | Tony Lema | Bobby Nichols |
| 1963 | Jack Nicklaus (2/18) | Julius Boros (2/3) | Bob Charles | Jack Nicklaus (3/18) |
| 1962 | Arnold Palmer (5/7) | Jack Nicklaus (1/18) | Arnold Palmer (6/7) | Gary Player (3/9) |
| 1961 | Gary Player (2/9) | Gene Littler | Arnold Palmer (4/7) | Jerry Barber |
| 1960 | Arnold Palmer (2/7) | Arnold Palmer (3/7) | Kel Nagle | Jay Hebert |
| 1959 | Art Wall, Jr. | Billy Casper (1/3) | Gary Player (1/9) | Bob Rosburg |
| 1958 | Arnold Palmer (1/7) | Tommy Bolt | Peter Thomson (4/5) | Dow Finsterwald |
| 1957 | Doug Ford (2/2) | Dick Mayer | Bobby Locke (4/4) | Lionel Hebert |
| 1956 | Jack Burke (1/2) | Cary Middlecoff (3/3) | Peter Thomson (3/5) | Jack Burke (2/2) |
| 1955 | Cary Middlecoff (2/3) | Jack Fleck | Peter Thomson (2/5) | Doug Ford (1/2) |
| 1954 | Sam Snead (7/7) | Ed Furgol | Peter Thomson (1/5) | Chick Harbert |
| 1953 | Ben Hogan (7/9) | Ben Hogan (8/9) | Ben Hogan (9/9) | Walter Burkemo |
| 1952 | Sam Snead (6/7) | Julius Boros (1/3) | Bobby Locke (3/4) | Jim Turnesa |
| 1951 | Ben Hogan (5/9) | Ben Hogan (6/9) | Max Faulkner | Sam Snead (5/7) |
| 1950 | Jimmy Demaret (3/3) | Ben Hogan (4/9) | Bobby Locke (2/4) | Chandler Harper |
| 1949 | Sam Snead (3/7) | Cary Middlecoff (1/3) | Bobby Locke (1/4) | Sam Snead (4/7) |
| 1948 | Claude Harmon | Ben Hogan (2/9) | Henry Cotton (3/3) | Ben Hogan (3/9) |
| 1947 | Jimmy Demaret (2/3) | Lew Worsham | Fred Daly | Jim Ferrier |
| 1946 | Herman Keiser | Lloyd Mangrum | Sam Snead (2/7) | Ben Hogan (1/9) |
| 1945 | No tournament (WWII) | No tournament (WWII) | No tournament (WWII) | Byron Nelson (5/5) |
| 1944 | No tournament (WWII) | No tournament (WWII) | No tournament (WWII) | Bob Hamilton |
| 1943 | No tournament (WWII) | No tournament (WWII) | No tournament (WWII) | No tournament (WWII) |
| 1942 | Byron Nelson (4/5) | No tournament (WWII) | No tournament (WWII) | Sam Snead (1/7) |
| 1941 | Craig Wood (1/2) | Craig Wood (2/2) | No tournament (WWII) | Vic Ghezzi |
| 1940 | Jimmy Demaret (1/3) | Lawson Little | No tournament (WWII) | Byron Nelson (3/5) |
| 1939 | Ralph Guldahl (3/3) | Byron Nelson (2/5) | Richard Burton | Henry Picard (2/2) |
| 1938 | Henry Picard (1/2) | Ralph Guldahl (2/3) | Reg Whitcombe | Paul Runyan (2/2) |
| 1937 | Byron Nelson (1/5) | Ralph Guldahl (1/3) | Henry Cotton (2/3) | Denny Shute (3/3) |
| 1936 | Horton Smith (2/2) | Tony Manero | Alf Padgham | Denny Shute (2/3) |
| 1935 | Gene Sarazen (7/7) | Sam Parks, Jr | Alf Perry | Johnny Revolta |
| 1934 | Horton Smith (1/2) | Olin Dutra (2/2) | Henry Cotton (1/3) | Paul Runyan (1/2) |
| 1933 | Not yet founded | Johnny Goodman | Denny Shute (1/3) | Gene Sarazen (6/7) |
| 1932 | Not yet founded | Gene Sarazen (4/7) | Gene Sarazen (5/7) | Olin Dutra (1/2) |
| 1931 | Not yet founded | Billy Burke | Tommy Armour (3/3) | Tom Creavy |
| 1930 | Not yet founded | Bobby Jones (6/7) | Bobby Jones (7/7) | Tommy Armour (2/3) |
| 1929 | Not yet founded | Bobby Jones (5/7) | Walter Hagen (11/11) | Leo Diegel (2/2) |
| 1928 | Not yet founded | Johnny Farrell | Walter Hagen (10/11) | Leo Diegel (1/2) |
| 1927 | Not yet founded | Tommy Armour (1/3) | Bobby Jones (4/7) | Walter Hagen (9/11) |
| 1926 | Not yet founded | Bobby Jones (2/7) | Bobby Jones (3/7) | Walter Hagen (8/11) |
| 1925 | Not yet founded | Willie MacFarlane | Jim Barnes (4/4) | Walter Hagen (7/11) |
| 1924 | Not yet founded | Cyril Walker | Walter Hagen (5/11) | Walter Hagen (6/11) |
| 1923 | Not yet founded | Bobby Jones (1/7) | Arthur Havers | Gene Sarazen (3/7) |
| 1922 | Not yet founded | Gene Sarazen (1/7) | Walter Hagen (4/11) | Gene Sarazen (2/7) |
| 1921 | Not yet founded | Jim Barnes (3/4) | Jock Hutchison (2/2) | Walter Hagen (3/11) |
| 1920 | Not yet founded | Ted Ray (2/2) | George Duncan | Jock Hutchison (1/2) |
| 1919 | Not yet founded | Walter Hagen (2/11) | No tournament (WWI) | Jim Barnes (2/4) |
| 1918 | Not yet founded | No tournament (WWI) | No tournament (WWI) | No tournament (WWI) |
| 1917 | Not yet founded | No tournament (WWI) | No tournament (WWI) | No tournament (WWI) |
| 1916 | Not yet founded | Chick Evans | No tournament (WWI) | Jim Barnes (1/4) |
| 1915 | Not yet founded | Jerome Travers | No tournament (WWI) | Not yet founded |
| 1914 | Not yet founded | Walter Hagen (1/11) | Harry Vardon (7/7) | Not yet founded |
| 1913 | Not yet founded | Francis Ouimet | John Henry Taylor (5/5) | Not yet founded |
| 1912 | Not yet founded | John McDermott (2/2) | Ted Ray (1/2) | Not yet founded |
| 1911 | Not yet founded | John McDermott (1/2) | Harry Vardon (6/7) | Not yet founded |
| 1910 | Not yet founded | Alex Smith (2/2) | James Braid (5/5) | Not yet founded |
| 1909 | Not yet founded | George Sargent | John Henry Taylor (4/5) | Not yet founded |
| 1908 | Not yet founded | Fred McLeod | James Braid (4/5) | Not yet founded |
| 1907 | Not yet founded | Alec Ross | Arnaud Massy | Not yet founded |
| 1906 | Not yet founded | Alex Smith (1/2) | James Braid (3/5) | Not yet founded |
| 1905 | Not yet founded | Willie Anderson (4/4) | James Braid (2/5) | Not yet founded |
| 1904 | Not yet founded | Willie Anderson (3/4) | Jack White | Not yet founded |
| 1903 | Not yet founded | Willie Anderson (2/4) | Harry Vardon (4/7) | Not yet founded |
| 1902 | Not yet founded | Laurie Auchterlonie | Sandy Herd | Not yet founded |
| 1901 | Not yet founded | Willie Anderson (1/4) | James Braid (1/5) | Not yet founded |
| 1900 | Not yet founded | Harry Vardon (4/7) | John Henry Taylor (3/5) | Not yet founded |
| 1899 | Not yet founded | Willie Smith | Harry Vardon (3/7) | Not yet founded |
| 1898 | Not yet founded | Fred Herd | Harry Vardon (2/7) | Not yet founded |
| 1897 | Not yet founded | Joe Lloyd | Harold Hilton (2/2) | Not yet founded |
| 1896 | Not yet founded | James Foulis | Harry Vardon (1/7) | Not yet founded |
| 1895 | Not yet founded | Horace Rawlins | John Henry Taylor (25) | Not yet founded |
| 1894 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | John Henry Taylor (1/5) | Not yet founded |
| 1893 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Willie Auchterlonie | Not yet founded |
| 1892 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Harold Hilton (1/2) | Not yet founded |
| 1891 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Hugh Kirkaldy | Not yet founded |
| 1890 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | John Ball, Jnr | Not yet founded |
| 1889 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Willie Park, Jnr (2/2) | Not yet founded |
| 1888 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Jack Burns | Not yet founded |
| 1887 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Willie Park, Jnr (1/2) | Not yet founded |
| 1886 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | David Brown | Not yet founded |
| 1885 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Bob Martin (2/2) | Not yet founded |
| 1884 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Jack Simpson | Not yet founded |
| 1883 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Willie Fernie | Not yet founded |
| 1882 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Bob Ferguson (3/3) | Not yet founded |
| 1881 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Bob Ferguson (2/3) | Not yet founded |
| 1880 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Bob Ferguson (1/3) | Not yet founded |
| 1879 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Jamie Anderson (3/3) | Not yet founded |
| 1878 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Jamie Anderson (2/3) | Not yet founded |
| 1877 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Jamie Anderson (1/3) | Not yet founded |
| 1876 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Bob Martin (1/2) | Not yet founded |
| 1875 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Willie Park, Snr (4/4) | Not yet founded |
| 1874 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Mungo Park | Not yet founded |
| 1873 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Tom Kidd | Not yet founded |
| 1872 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Tom Morris, Jnr (4/4) | Not yet founded |
| 1871 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Not played | Not yet founded |
| 1870 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Tom Morris, Jnr (3/4) | Not yet founded |
| 1869 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Tom Morris, Jnr (2/4) | Not yet founded |
| 1868 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Tom Morris, Jnr (1/4) | Not yet founded |
| 1867 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Tom Morris, Snr (4/4) | Not yet founded |
| 1866 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Willie Park, Snr (3/4) | Not yet founded |
| 1865 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Andrew Strath | Not yet founded |
| 1864 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Tom Morris, Snr (3/4) | Not yet founded |
| 1863 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Willie Park, Snr (2/4) | Not yet founded |
| 1862 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Tom Morris, Snr(2/4) | Not yet founded |
| 1861 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Tom Morris, Snr(1/4) | Not yet founded |
| 1860 | Not yet founded | Not yet founded | Willie Park Snr (1/4) | Not yet founded |
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), ie 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 2006 Open Championship.
| ARG | AUS | CAN | ENG | FIJ | FRA | GER | NZL | NIR | SCO | ZAF | ESP | USA | WAL | ZIM | EUR | RoW | | 1 | 14 | 1 | 38 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 55 | 18 | 7 | 251 | 1 | 3 | 105 | 42 |
|---|
| 2000s | 27 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 3 | - | 19 | - | - | - | 8 |
| 1990s | 40 | - | 4 | - | 4 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 10 |
| 1980s | 40 | - | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 2 | - | 4 | 29 | - | - | 9 | 2 |
| 1970s | 40 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 1 | 33 | - | - | 2 | 5 |
| 1960s | 40 | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 4 | - | 31 | - | - | 1 | 8 |
| 1950s | 40 | - | 4 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | - | 31 | - | - | 1 | 8 |
| 1940s | 26 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 22 | - | - | 2 | 2 |
| 1930s | 36 | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 30 | - | - | 6 | - |
| 1920s | 30 | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 25 | - | - | 5 | - |
| 1910s | 15 | - | - | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 9 | - | - | 6 | - |
| 1900s | 20 | - | - | - | 5 | - | 1 | - | - | - | 14 | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | - |
| 1890s | 15 | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | 15 | - |
| 1880s | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - |
| 1870s | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | - |
| 1860s | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | - |
*
Golfers with most major championship wins*
Chronological list of men's major golf champions*
Grand Slam (golf)*
Senior major golf championships*
Women's major golf championships*
2006 in golf*
golfmajorchampionships.com, comprehensive cross-referenced listing of golf major championship courses, winners and countries
