Walter Hagen
11 Major Championships • 3rd All-Time
Major Championship Wins
About Walter Hagen
Walter Hagen is one of golf's all-time greats with 11 major championship victories. His first major came at the 1914 US Open at age 21. His major championship career spanned an impressive 15 years.
Learn more: Wikipedia
Career Highlights
- 1914 — Won his first major at the U.S. Open, becoming one of the early American champions
- 1922 — Became the first American-born winner of The Open Championship
- 1924-1927 — Won four consecutive PGA Championships, a record that still stands today
- 1926 — Captain of the first U.S. Ryder Cup team
- Career — Won 45 PGA Tour events and was the first golfer to earn a million dollars
Did You Know?
- "The Haig": Known for his flamboyant lifestyle and famous quote: "I never wanted to be a millionaire – I just wanted to live like one"
- Professional Pioneer: Hagen helped elevate the status of golf professionals, who were previously treated as second-class citizens compared to amateurs
- Unusual Hobby: Before becoming a golf legend, young Walter had an interest in taxidermy and stuffed birds and reptiles as a boy