Most Golf Major Winners
The greatest golfers in history are often measured by their major championship victories. Jack Nicklaus holds the all-time record with 18 major championships, while Tiger Woods has 15. The active leader is Rory McIlroy with 5 majors after winning the 2025 Masters.
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 | 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 |
| T12 | Rory McIlroy | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| T12 | Brooks Koepka | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| T12 | Phil Mickelson | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| T12 | Lee Trevino | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| T12 | Seve Ballesteros | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| T12 | Byron Nelson | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| T12 | James Braid | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| T12 | John Henry Taylor | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| T12 | Peter Thomson | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| T21 | Nick Faldo | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| T21 | Ernie Els | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| T21 | Raymond Floyd | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| T21 | Jim Barnes | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| T21 | Willie Anderson | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| T21 | Willie Park, Sr. | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| T21 | Tom Morris, Sr. | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| T21 | Tom Morris, Jr. | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| T29 | Scottie Scheffler | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| T29 | Jordan Spieth | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| T29 | Vijay Singh | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| T29 | Pádraig Harrington | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| T29 | Nick Price | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| T29 | Larry Nelson | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| T29 | Hale Irwin | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| T29 | Payne Stewart | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| T29 | Julius Boros | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| T29 | Billy Casper | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| T29 | Cary Middlecoff | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| T29 | Ralph Guldahl | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| T29 | Jimmy Demaret | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| T29 | Denny Shute | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| T29 | Leo Diegel | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| T29 | Henry Cotton | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| T29 | Bobby Locke | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| T29 | Willie Park, Jr. | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| T29 | Jamie Anderson | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| T29 | Bob Ferguson | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
Recent Updates (2025):
- Rory McIlroy won the 2025 Masters for his 5th major championship
- Scottie Scheffler won the 2025 PGA Championship for his 3rd major
- Tiger Woods has not played since February 2025 due to a ruptured Achilles injury
* Figures in this table are based on winning records up until July 2025. (A) = Amateur
Active Players with Multiple Majors
Among active players, Tiger Woods leads with 15 majors (though currently injured), followed by Rory McIlroy (5), Brooks Koepka (5), and Scottie Scheffler (3). Scheffler, at age 29, has joined Woods and Jack Nicklaus as the only players to win 3+ majors and 15+ PGA Tour events before turning 29.
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). He has not played since February 2025 due to a ruptured Achilles injury.
How many majors has Scottie Scheffler won?
Scottie Scheffler has won 3 major championships: The Masters in 2022 and 2024, and the PGA Championship in 2025. At age 29, he's on pace to become one of golf's all-time greats.
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 Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, continues to chase these legends.
Read a discussion on the greatest golfer ever, and cast your vote on who you think is the greatest?
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