Jack Nicklaus has won the most golf majors of all time with 18, followed by Tiger Woods with 15 and Walter Hagen with 11. Among active players, Rory McIlroy leads with 6 majors after back-to-back Masters wins in 2025 and 2026, ahead of Brooks Koepka (5) and Scottie Scheffler (4). The full ranked list of every multiple-major winner is below.

Last updated: 1 September 2026

18 Jack Nicklaus All-Time Leader
15 Tiger Woods 2nd All-Time
6 Rory McIlroy Active Leader
4 Scottie Scheffler Rising Star

List of Total Major Wins

Rank Name Masters US Open British Open PGA Total
1 Jack Nicklaus 6 4 3 5 18
2 Tiger Woods 5 3 3 4 15
3 Walter Hagen 0 2 4 5 11
T4 Gary Player 3 1 3 2 9
T4 Ben Hogan 2 4 1 2 9
6 Tom Watson 2 1 5 0 8
T7 Rory McIlroy 2 1 1 2 6
T7 Arnold Palmer 4 1 2 0 7
T7 Gene Sarazen 1 2 1 3 7
T7 Sam Snead 3 0 1 3 7
T7 Bobby Jones (A) 0 4 3 0 7
T7 Harry Vardon 0 1 6 0 7
T13 Brooks Koepka 0 2 0 3 5
T13 Phil Mickelson 3 0 1 1 5
T13 Lee Trevino 0 2 2 1 5
T13 Seve Ballesteros 2 0 3 0 5
T13 Byron Nelson 2 1 0 2 5
T13 James Braid 0 0 5 0 5
T13 John Henry Taylor 0 0 5 0 5
T13 Peter Thomson 0 0 5 0 5
T21 Nick Faldo 3 0 3 0 6
T22 Scottie Scheffler 2 0 1 1 4
T22 Ernie Els 0 2 2 0 4
T22 Raymond Floyd 1 1 0 2 4
T22 Jim Barnes 0 1 1 2 4
T22 Willie Anderson 0 4 0 0 4
T22 Willie Park, Sr. 0 0 4 0 4
T22 Tom Morris, Sr. 0 0 4 0 4
T22 Tom Morris, Jr. 0 0 4 0 4
T30 Jordan Spieth 1 1 1 0 3
T30 Vijay Singh 1 0 0 2 3
T30 Pádraig Harrington 0 0 2 1 3
T30 Nick Price 0 0 1 2 3
T30 Larry Nelson 0 1 0 2 3
T30 Hale Irwin 0 3 0 0 3
T30 Payne Stewart 0 2 0 1 3
T30 Julius Boros 0 2 0 1 3
T30 Billy Casper 1 2 0 0 3
T30 Cary Middlecoff 1 1 0 1 3
T30 Ralph Guldahl 1 2 0 0 3
T30 Jimmy Demaret 3 0 0 0 3
T30 Denny Shute 0 0 1 2 3
T30 Leo Diegel 0 0 0 3 3
T30 Henry Cotton 0 0 3 0 3
T30 Bobby Locke 0 0 3 0 3
T30 Willie Park, Jr. 0 0 3 0 3
T30 Jamie Anderson 0 0 3 0 3
T30 Bob Ferguson 0 0 3 0 3

Recent Updates (2025–2026):

  • Rory McIlroy won the 2026 Masters, his 6th major and second Masters in a row after his 2025 win
  • Scottie Scheffler won the 2025 Open Championship for his 4th major, adding to his 2025 PGA Championship win
  • Rory McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam with his 2025 Masters victory
  • Tiger Woods has not added to his total of 15; his most recent major win remains the 2019 Masters

* Figures in this table are based on winning records up until the 2026 Open Championship. (A) = Amateur

Active Players with Multiple Majors

Among active players, Rory McIlroy leads with 6 majors, followed by Brooks Koepka (5) and Scottie Scheffler (4). Tiger Woods still sits far ahead with 15 but has not played competitively since a 2025 Achilles injury and last won a major in 2019. Scheffler, at age 29, has joined Woods and Jack Nicklaus as one of the few players to win 15+ PGA Tour events and 3+ majors before turning 29.

The modern era of Irish golf is defined by the global success of stars like Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry. With both players established as perennial contenders on the world stage, major championship weeks have become some of the busiest periods of the year for bookmakers in Ireland, as everyone rally behind their homegrown heroes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has won the most majors in golf?

Jack Nicklaus has won the most major championships in golf history with 18 victories (6 Masters, 4 U.S. Opens, 3 British Opens, 5 PGA Championships).

How many majors has Tiger Woods won?

Tiger Woods has won 15 major championships (5 Masters, 3 U.S. Opens, 3 British Opens, 4 PGA Championships), the second most of all time. His most recent major win was the 2019 Masters, and he has not played competitively since a 2025 Achilles injury.

How many majors has Rory McIlroy won?

Rory McIlroy has won 6 major championships and is the active leader. He won back-to-back Masters titles in 2025 and 2026, and his 2025 Masters victory completed the career Grand Slam.

How many majors has Scottie Scheffler won?

Scottie Scheffler has won 4 major championships: The Masters in 2022 and 2024, the PGA Championship in 2025, and The Open Championship in 2025. Only a U.S. Open win separates him from the career Grand Slam.

What are the 4 major golf championships?

The four major golf championships are: The Masters (April at Augusta National), PGA Championship (May), U.S. Open (June), and The Open Championship (British Open, July).

Who has completed the career Grand Slam?

Only 6 golfers have won all four majors in the modern era: Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, and Rory McIlroy (who completed it with his 2025 Masters win).

Discussion

The number of Major wins is not the only factor to determine the greatest golfer, but it is a significant indicator. Jack Nicklaus's 18 majors may never be surpassed, though Tiger Woods came close before injuries derailed his career. The new generation, led by Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, continues to chase these legends.

Read a discussion on the greatest golfer ever, and cast your vote on who you think is the greatest?