Golf’s grandest stages often produce the most remarkable displays of talent, resilience and excellence.

The sport’s four major championships—the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and Open Championship—are the ultimate battlegrounds where legends are made and history is written.

We dive into the illustrious careers of the top five all-time major winners, explore the unique identities and challenges of each major tournament and examine the coveted Grand Slam and Career Grand Slam. We’ll also look at contemporary golfers striving to etch their names into the record books and identify future stars poised to leave their mark on the sport.

From Jack Nicklaus’s unparalleled 18 major titles to the rising stars aiming for greatness, this is a look at the past, present and future of golf’s elite.

• Which golfers are the top major winners? The five golfers with the most major championship titles are Jack Nicklaus (18), Tiger Woods (15), Walter Hagen (11), Ben Hogan (9), and Gary Player (9). Each has had tremendous impact on the sport.
• What are the four majors in golf? The Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and Open Championship are the pinnacle tournaments in golf and bring together the world’s best players in high-pressure competition. Each has its own distinct character and history.
• What is the Grand Slam in golf? Winning all four majors in one season, known as the Grand Slam, has never been achieved. The Career Grand Slam—winning all four majors in a career—has been accomplished by Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.
• Who are golf's current and future contenders for winning a bunch of majors? While Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka might have the best chance to approach the top five in major wins, current stars like Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, and John Rahm, and rising talents like Viktor Hovland, Tom Kim and Ludvig Aberg aspire to a place among golf’s immortals.
  

Jack Nicklaus holds the record for the most major championship victories in golf history. He won six Masters, four U.S. Opens, three Open Championships and five PGA Championships, In these tournaments, he also collected 19 runner-up finishes.

Nicklaus’ major wins span 25 years. His sustained excellence at the game’s highest level is unmatched. In the 1986 Masters, at age 46, the Golden Bear roared back from four strokes behind with a final round 65 to eke out a one-stroke victory in one of golf’s most inspiring moments. Nicklaus also boasts 73 PGA Tour victories, highlighting his dominance. His epic duels with Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Tom Watson are etched in golfing lore. Factoring in his Ryder Cup heroics, sportsmanship, role as founder and host of the Memorial Tournament, and career as a golf course designer, Jack Nicklaus merits the lead position on golf’s Mount Rushmore.

Tiger Woods has amassed four Masters titles, three U.S. Opens, three Open Championships and five PGA Championships. It’s easy to make the case for Woods as golf’s GOAT. A child prodigy with an illustrious amateur record, he won his first major, the 1997 Masters, at age 21. When he won the 2001 Masters, he became the only player to hold all four professional majors simultaneously, known as the Tiger Slam. Tiger Woods’ will to win set him apart. In 2008, he famously won the U.S. Open on a broken leg, and in 2019, after a fall from grace, numerous injuries, and 11 straight majors which he either missed or didn’t make the weekend, he scored his last Masters victory.

In his prime, Woods utterly dominated golf. Fellow competitors feared him, and tournaments, including the Masters, started “Tiger-proofing” their courses. Woods held the world no. 1 ranking for a record 683 weeks, including 281 straight. With 82 PGA Tour titles, he is tied with Sam Snead, but Tiger’s 22% career win percentage surpasses that of Snead (14%) and Nicklaus (12.5%).

Despite numerous physical setbacks, Woods still plays, albeit on a limited basis. Since he took center stage in the late 1990s, Tiger Woods has sparked global interest and diversified golf's fanbase. He's thrilled us and he's had us wondering if he would be able to walk again, let alone play, after his horrific 2021 car accident. Whether it’s local affiliates broadcasting CBS produced coverage of the Masters, Sky Sports transmitting in the United Kingdom and around the world, or the accounts you read from traditional golf outlets, attention spikes significantly whenever Tiger Woods steps onto a golf course.

Stay in the Swing with GolfPass!

Get exclusive tips from the pros, in-depth course reviews, the latest gear updates, and more delivered straight to your inbox.

Subscribe

Competing in the 1920s and early 1930s, an era when there were only three professional majors (before the Masters), Walter Hagen won 11 major titles, including two U.S. Opens. He was the first native-born American to win the Open Championship, achieving this four times. He shares the record for most PGA Championships (5) with Jack Nicklaus.

A key figure in the rise of professional golf, Walter Hagen played in hundreds of exhibition matches to popularize the sport. He was the first golfer to make a million dollars. Hagen was instrumental in establishing the Ryder Cup, captaining the first six U.S. teams, and he helped form the PGA Tour. His dashing style and bold confidence broke down social barriers in golf at a time when amateurs dominated and professionals were often slighted and denied clubhouse entry. Walter Hagen’s triumphs, style and vision shaped golf’s landscape for decades.

Ben Hogan captured titles in four U.S. Opens, two Masters, two Open Championships (British Open), and one PGA Championship. Despite a near-fatal car accident in 1949, he came back to win six of his majors after his recovery. In the 1953 season, he won the three majors he entered (in the years following his accident, Hogan skipped the PGA Championship due to the physical demands of its match-play format). Besides his majors, Hogan won 64 PGA Tour titles, the third-most all time. Known for his near-perfect swing, Hogan's contributions to golf swing mechanics and his reputation as one of the finest ball strikers in the history of the sport further solidify his legacy as one of golf’s all-time greats.

With victories in four Masters, three Open Championships, two PGA Championships, and one U.S. Open, South African Gary Player is one of just five golfers to complete the career Grand Slam. Most memorably, in the 1978 Masters, Player overcame a seven-stroke deficit in the final round to win his last major at age 42, becoming the oldest Masters champion at the time.

Player traveled more extensively for golf than anyone, winning over 150 titles worldwide. Along with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, he helped popularize golf to a wide TV audience in the 1960s and 1970s. With boundless energy, competitive fire and extreme devotion to fitness, Gary Player has embodied the role of golf’s global ambassador.

Winning the four major golf tournaments—the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and Open Championship—in one season constitutes the Grand Slam. It’s a feat that has yet to be achieved. “Grand slam” doesn’t come from baseball, as many believe, but rather stems from the card game contract bridge, where taking all the tricks is a grand slam. The term was adopted in first in golf and later in tennis to denote winning all four major championships in a season or calendar year.

Bobby Jones, a great amateur player who outshone all other golfers in the 1920s, accomplished a remarkable feat in 1930 by winning the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, Open Championship and British Amateur Championship. These were the four top tournaments an amateur could win, and a golf writer fittingly dubbed Jones’s feat the Grand Slam. The term caught on and Jones became a legendary sporting figure for his achievement.

Later in the century, the modern grand slam took precedence and the amateur championships of Great Britain and the United States no longer counted as majors. Golf majors came to refer to the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and Open Championship. Jones’s official major total stands at seven—four U.S. Opens and three Open Championships. He never played the PGA and his playing career predated the Masters tournament (which he co-founded in 1934).

In 1960, Arnold Palmer's victories at the Masters and U.S. Open prompted discussions about modernizing the Grand Slam. Palmer, reminiscing about Bobby Jones' feat, lamented the absence of a professional opportunity to achieve it. Golf writer Bob Drum led the call to add the Open Championship and the PGA Championship to promote the concept of the modern Grand Slam.

Chasing the slam, Palmer reinvigorated the Open Championship in 1960 by entering the field at a time when most of the top U.S. players skipped it. Excitement ensued not only from Palmer’s presence but from his charge toward a third consecutive major. Ultimately, he finished in second, a single stroke behind Ken Nagle.

Though Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods also started seasons by winning the first two majors, no one has come closer to getting the first three than Jordan Spieth in 2015. Anticipation mounted when he picked up a green jacket and the U.S Open trophy. At the Open Championship at the Old Course at St. Andrews, Spieth was tied for the lead with two holes to go. Alas, his dream faded with a bogey on 17, the “Road Hole,” leading to a tie for fourth, one stroke out of a playoff.

With the calendar slam being so elusive, the notion of a career grand slam—winning all four majors during a career—has generated excitement. It is an extremely rare yet realistic accomplishment. Winning all four majors stands as an extraordinary career achievement that demonstrates a player’s ability to excel on a variety of courses and conditions. It showcases their versatility, dominance and composure across golf's signature championships​.

The Elite Five
Only five players have managed to complete the career Grand Slam—Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Play, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. They’ve been dubbed the “Elite Five.” Nicklaus and Woods have each completed the feat three times over.

Some of the biggest names in golf history are on the 12-man list of players who triumphed in three of the four majors. Sam Snead never captured the U.S. Open (four second-place finishes), while Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson couldn’t get over the hump at the PGA Championship. Palmer had tied for second three times. Watson’s closest call came in 1978, when he lost on the second hole of a sudden death playoff.

Among active players, Phil Mickelson is only missing the U.S. Open, a tournament he’s finished runner-up in six times. In 2006, he led on the tee box of the 72nd hole. Rory McIlroy has won all but the Masters. In 2011, he blew a four-stroke lead entering the final round by shooting an 80. Jordan Spieth needs a PGA Championship win to complete the career grand slam. He's finished second once at the PGA.

Golf’s most prestigious professional tournaments—the Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and Open Championship—have unique identities, qualification rules and rich histories. The majors are scheduled annually beginning with the Masters in April and ending with the Open Championship in July. They are all 72-hole stroke-play tournaments, though each with a different playoff format. Especially now, with the divisions between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf, these tournaments bring the world’s best golfers together to compete against each other.

The Masters, the year’s first major, is the only one played on the same course every year: Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. The great amateur golfer Bobby Jones co-founded the club and the tournament which was first played in 1934. Known for its beauty, challenge, traditions, exclusivity and pristine conditions, The Masters has a smaller field of 85 to 100 “invitees.” Each competes for the coveted green jacket that goes to the winner (something akin to a champion professional boxer’s belt). Winners also get a lifetime invitation to compete in the tournament. Jack Nicklaus holds the Masters record with six wins, followed by Tiger Woods with five and Arnold Palmer with four.

Augusta National Golf Club has undergone significant alterations since Bobby Jones and Alister MacKenzie designed it in 1932, but it has always favored long hitters with a high ball flight. While the layout emphasizes second shots, requiring mastery of the hilly terrain's angles and nuances, Augusta National’s fast, sloping and big-breaking greens are its ultimate defense. No course demands more prudent course management. Not surprisingly, golfers with experience playing it have a considerable advantage. The last debut winner was Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.

The PGA Championship has changed more than any other major. From 1916 to 1957, the PGA was played using a match-play format; since 1958, it has been a 72-hole stroke-play tournament. The PGA Championship field is considered the deepest in golf, inviting the best professionals worldwide. This strong field makes it one of the toughest tournaments to win. Golf's top three all-time major winners have won the most Wanamaker trophies, which are given to the champion.

In conducting its signature tournament, the PGA of America selects impressive courses. They include, U.S. Open venues (Southern Hills, Inverness Club, Congressional, Baltusrol), current and former PGA-owned courses (Valhalla, PGA National, PGA Frisco), and modern resort courses like Whistling Straits' Straits Course and Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course. These courses offer greater variety and showcase top golf course architects. Compared to the U.S. Open, notorious for its tight fairways and challenging greens, the PGA Championship features more player-friendly conditions. Setups balance difficulty and playability for potentially lower scores. This year’s championship at Valhalla, won by Xander Schauffele, produced the lowest scoring in major championship history.

The U.S. Open, regarded as golf’s toughest major, has multi-stage qualifying open to anyone with the appropriate low handicaps. In recent years, the United States Golf Association has accepted more than 10,000 entries. Though the championship is played at various locations around the country, some regular sites include Oakmont, Merion, Pebble Beach, Shinnecock Hills and Bethpage Black. The 2024 championship marks the fourth time at Pinehurst No. 2.

A U.S. Open course offers a stern challenge, testing a player’s physical and mental abilities and all aspects of one’s game. The USGA often favors long layouts with narrow fairways, thick rough and very fast greens, though setups have varied more in the past 15 years. Weather isn’t necessary to make scoring difficult, but it can cause scores to soar.

Winners of the U.S Open often finish over par. Since 1930, 34 winners have done so. Top players frequently dominate the leaderboard. Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Bobby Jones and Willie Anderson have each won four times. Hale Irwin and Tiger Woods are the only three-time winners.

The Open Championship, dating back to 1860, is the oldest major. Organized by the R&A, it currently rotates among nine courses in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland, with the Old Course at St. Andrews hosting approximately every five years. All of the courses in the rota are true links that ramble beside the sea and feature uneven, sandy, treeless terrain that is fully exposed to the elements.

Fortune plays a significant role due to the nature of links golf. Conditions vary drastically. Links terrain, inclement weather and wind could affect balls unpredictably. Players must adapt to good or bad luck and persevere.

Each year The Open winner will be crowned the “Champion Golfer of the Year” and awarded the Claret Jug trophy. This championship was the first to be open to anyone. Nowadays, at least 50 of the 156 spots in the Open Championship field are reserved for qualifiers. The field is the most diverse among the majors. While some unlikely winners have emerged (see Ben Curtis in 2003 and Todd Hamilton in 2004), top players usually prevail. Harry Vardon holds the Open Championship record with six wins, and Tom Watson leads a group of four players with five victories each.

These current players stand out as the most likely to add to their major championship totals.

Rory McIlroy —With 26 career PGA TOUR titles, including two in 2024, McIlroy is one of the favorites every time he tees it up in a major.  He’s won four so far, but what's concerning is his last two came way back in 2014.

Brooks Koepka—Now toiling on the LIV Golf tour, Brooks Koepka is looking to add to his total of five majors that include three PGA Championships (most recently Oak Hill in 2023), and two U.S. Opens. He’s finished runner-up twice in the Masters and tied for fourth at the Open Championship.

Scottie Scheffler—Now the most dominant force of the PGA Tour, Scheffler has won two Masters tournaments and counts tied for second as his best finish in both the U.S. Open and PGA Championships. He seemed well poised to win at Valhalla this year until his bizarre and unsettling trip to jail before the second round.

Jon Rahm—The fiery Spaniard won the 2023 Masters and the 2021 U.S. Open. He’s been ranked the No. 1 golfer in the world. A big question is what impact, if any, his jump to LIV is having on his quest to accumulate majors.

Collin Morikawa—This 27-year-old pure ball striker already has a PGA Championship and a U.S. Open on his resume. His top three and top four finishes at this year’s Masters and PGA Championship indicate he might be ready to add to his major total. He needs to make putts, though.

Xander Schauffele—Perennially a contender, Schauffele had been considered the best active player not to have won a major. That changed when he birdied the 72nd hole at Valhalla to hold off Bryson DeChambeau to win the 2024 PGA Championship.

Bryson DeChambeau—The eccentric 2020 U.S Open winner came up just short at this year’s PGA Championship, but hit the shot of a lifetime to win the 2024 U.S. Open, his second. DeChambeau, who has shown he’ll radically remake his body in a quest to win majors, hits the ball so far he’s always a threat when his short game and putting are on.

Keep an eye out for these players as the try make a breakthrough as major championship winners.

Victor Hovland—With six PGA Tour wins, including the 2023 PGA TOUR Championship, this Norwegian star may now be the best player who hasn’t won a major.

Tom Kim—Budding South Korean superstar Tom Kim already has three PGA Tour titles and he’s only 21.

Ludvig Aberg—A 24-year-old Swedish phenom, Aberg notched PGA Tour and DP World Tour wins in 2023 and capped the year on the winning European team in the Ryder Cup. In his Masters debut this year, he finished alone in second place.

Sahith Theegala—This charismatic Indian-American, age 26, notched his first win on the PGA Tour in 2023. Currently ranked 12 in the world, he entered the final round at Valhalla just one stroke off the lead.

This year the USGA will crown another major championship winner at Pinehurst. While the major championship prize money is impressive, the winner gains a place in golf history that can't be measured in dollars. Performances in the four majors in golf define a player's legacy. The distinctive characteristics of majors present challenges that consistently reveal the top players. Only five players have ever won all four (the career grand slam) and the accomplishments of Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods tower above everyone.

Will anyone emerge to challenge the Nicklaus-Woods lead in the sport? Though brilliant players like Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka and Scottie Scheffler have a shot to be all-time greats, and rising talents like Viktor Holland, Ludvig Aberg and Tom Kim show enormous potential, the breadth of talent in golf today makes it likely that Jack's and Tiger's places are secure. Only time will tell, and as time marches on, new chapters on the history of majors in golf will be written.

Jack Nicklaus holds the record for most wins in the majors with 18.

The Masters, U.S Open, Open Championship (British Open) and PGA Championship are the four men's major golf championships. They are golf's most prestigious tournaments.

The Grand Slam consists of winning all four majors in one year. It's never been done, though in 1930 the great amateur player Bobby Jones won an early variation consisting of the U.S. and British Amateur championships in addition to the U.S. Open and Open Championship. The career grand slam, winning the four majors during a career, is a feat that's only been accomplished by five players. Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods notably won the career grand slam three times over.

Phil Mickelson (U.S. Open), Rory McIlroy (The Masters), and Jordan Spieth (PGA Championship) need just one specific major victory to complete the feat.

Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, Tom Kim, and Sahith Theegala are all young and possess great talent.