Q&A → Most Majors All Time
Who Has Won the Most Majors in Golf?
The race to accumulate major championships is the defining measure of greatness in professional golf. Jack Nicklaus set the benchmark that has shaped the conversation around every champion since — and Tiger Woods spent 20 years chasing it.
All-Time Major Championship Leaders
| Rank | Player | Total | Masters | US Open | The Open | PGA | Era |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jack Nicklaus | 18 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1962–1986 |
| 2 | Tiger Woods | 15 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 1997–2019 |
| 3 | Walter Hagen | 11 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 1914–1929 |
| 4 | Ben Hogan | 9 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1946–1953 |
| 4 | Gary Player | 9 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1959–1978 |
| 6 | Tom Watson | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1975–1983 |
| 6 | Harry Vardon | 7* | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1896–1914 |
| 6 | Arnold Palmer | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1958–1964 |
| 9 | Gene Sarazen | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1922–1935 |
| 10 | Sam Snead | 7 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1942–1954 |
| 11 | Phil Mickelson | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2004–2021 |
| 11 | Nick Faldo | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1987–1996 |
| 11 | Lee Trevino | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1968–1984 |
| — | Brooks Koepka (active) | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2017–2023 |
| — | Rory McIlroy (active) | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2011–2026 |
| — | Scottie Scheffler (active) | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2022–2025 |
*Vardon's total includes pre-modern Open Championships; PGA Championship didn't exist in his era.
Jack Nicklaus: The Record Explained
Nicklaus's 18 majors were won across an astonishing 24-year span (1962–1986). His final major — the 1986 Masters at age 46 — is widely considered the most dramatic victory in golf history. He won majors in five different decades and is the only player to win all four major championships at least three times.
Nicklaus by Major
- Masters — 6 wins: 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986
- PGA Championship — 5 wins: 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980
- US Open — 4 wins: 1962, 1967, 1972, 1980
- The Open Championship — 3 wins: 1966, 1970, 1978
Active Players: Who Could Move Up the List?
The 2026 season features several players with realistic chances of adding to their major tallies:
- Scottie Scheffler (4 majors, age 29) — World No. 1. Has the game and age to become the all-time active leader and potentially threaten the top 5 historically. Needs the US Open for the Career Grand Slam.
- Rory McIlroy (6 majors, age 36) — Career Grand Slam complete. Back-to-back Masters champion (2025, 2026). Could realistically push to 8–10 majors before his career ends.
- Brooks Koepka (5 majors, age 35) — Elite major performer, though LIV schedule limits his opportunities.
- Jordan Spieth (3 majors, age 32) — Needs the PGA for the Career Grand Slam. Still has the ability on his day.