how many amateurs have won a major golf tournament

Most Wins in Men's Professional Majors

Golfer	Major Wins	First	Last
Jack Nicklaus	18	1962 US Open	1986 Masters
Tiger Woods	15	1997 Masters	2019 Masters
Walter Hagen	11	1914 US Open	1929 British Open
Ben Hogan	9	1946 PGA Championship	1953 British Open

Jun 11 2022

Full Answer

Which golfers have won the most Majors Pro and amateur?

So, here are the top golfers when professional and amateur major wins are combined: 1 Jack Nicklaus, 20 combined wins in pro and amateur majors 2 Tiger Woods, 17 3 Bobby Jones, 13 4 Walter Hagen, 11 5 John Ball, 9 6 Ben Hogan, 9 7 Gary Player, 9 8 Arnold Palmer, 8 9 Tom Watson, 8

What golf tournaments are played on the same course every year?

The Masters Tournament (sometimes referred to as the U.S. Masters), the season's first major championship, is the only major that is played at the same course every year ( Augusta National Golf Club ), being the invitational tournament of that club.

What are the men's major golf championships?

The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the major championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf. In order of play date as of 2019, they are:

How many golfers have shot 63 in a major championship?

Greg Norman and Vijay Singh are the only golfers to record two rounds of 63 in the majors. Johnny Miller was the first golfer to shoot 63 in a major and was the only golfer to shoot 63 in the final round to win a major until Henrik Stenson did so as well during the 2016 Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Club.

How many amateurs have won a PGA Tour event?

Before Mickelson, the last of the seven amateurs to win on the PGA Tour is Scott Verplank, who won the 1985 Western Open. Doug Sanders won the 1956 Canadian Open as an amateur, while Gene Littler won the 1954 San Diego Open as part of the unpaid set.

Has an amateur ever won a U.S. Open?

Amateur Golfers Are Included in the Field Amateur Francis Ouimet was the first American to win a U.S. Open in 1913, and he remained an amateur his whole career. Bobby Jones set the standard for amateurs and won three tournaments. Johnny Goodman was the last amateur to win a U.S. Open in 1933.

Did an amature ever win the Masters?

No amateur has ever won the Masters, but a few have come close. In 1947, Frank Stranahan finished T-2, two shots behind winner Jimmy Demaret. In 1954, Billy Joe Patton finished one stroke out of the Sam Snead-Ben Hogan playoff.

How many amateurs have won the Open Championship?

The Open has always been dominated by professionals, with only six victories by amateurs, all before 1930. The last of those was Bobby Jones's third Open, which was part of his celebrated Grand Slam (four major tournament victories in one calendar year).

How many amateur golfers have won the U.S. Open?

Five amateursHas an amateur ever won the U.S. Open? Five amateurs have won eight U.S. Opens in history: Francis Ouimet (1913), Jerome D. Travers (1915), Charles Evans Jr. (1916), Bobby Jones (1923, 1926, 1929, 1930) and John Goodman (1933).

Whats the best an amateur has done in the Masters?

Has an amateur ever won The Masters? No amateur has ever won the Masters, but Frank Stranahan finished T2, two shots behind Jimmy Demaret in 1947. In 1954 Billy Joe Patton finished one stroke out of the Sam Snead-Ben Hogan play-off.

How long has it been since an amateur player won a major championship?

It is exceedingly rare for an amateur player to win a major championship. In fact, it has been 90 years since an amateur has won a major championship -- and that was back before the creation of the Masters Tournament.

Who was the last amateur to win a major?

Before then, Bobby Jones was the last amateur to win a men's major. He won the Claret Jug in 1930 in the British Open Championship, capping off a season in which he won what was then considered the Grand Slam, adding in the U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open and British Amateur.

Who won the 1956 Masters?

An amateur has never won the Masters, but Ken Venturi came closest in 1956. The leader by four shots after 54 holes, Venturi didn't actually go off in the final group, instead playing with an unfriendly Sam Snead, shooting an 8-over 80 in difficult conditions that left him a shot behind Jack Burke Jr. Burke's win remains the biggest final-round comeback in Masters history.

Who won the Claret Jug in 2013?

But back to the Open. Though it has been 85 years since an amateur won the Claret Jug, 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose had one of the best British Open finish since Jones by an amateur. He finished T-4 at Royal Birkdale in 1998 at 17. However, it was the strong Frank Stranahan who finished runner-up in the Open in 1947 and '53, which was the year Ben Hogan won the first three legs of the Grand Slam, the only time it's been done with the current major makeup.

When did golfers become amateurs?

This is a list of golfers that won a PGA Tour tournament as amateur golfers since 1945. No golfer was able to achieve the feat during the 1960s or 1970s, after which one golfer was able to win as an amateur in 1985, followed by another golfer in 1991.

Can you turn professional while playing in a PGA tournament?

Under PGA Tour rules, if a golfer plays as an amateur, they may not collect their winnings – nor can they turn professional while they are playing in a tournament. Winning a PGA Tour tournament as an amateur is a feat has been achieved by seven golfers in this timeframe, with the only golfer to win more than once as an amateur being Frank ...

What is the name of the golf tournament that is played at the same course every year?

The Masters Tournament (sometimes referred to as the U.S. Masters), the season's first major championship, is the only major that is played at the same course every year ( Augusta National Golf Club ), being the invitational tournament of that club.

What are the majors in golf?

The majors originally consisted of two British tournaments, The Open Championship and The Amateur Championship, and two American tournaments, the U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur. With the introduction of the Masters Tournament in 1934, and the rise of professional golf in the late 1940s and 1950s, the term "major championships" eventually came to describe the Masters, the U.S. Open, the Open Championship, and the PGA Championship. It is difficult to determine when the definition changed to include the current four tournaments, although many trace it to Arnold Palmer's 1960 season. After winning the Masters and the U.S. Open to start the season, he remarked that if he could win the Open Championship and PGA Championship to finish the season, he would complete "a grand slam of his own" to rival Bobby Jones 's 1930 feat. Until that time, many U.S. players such as Byron Nelson also considered the Western Open and the North and South Open as two of golf's "majors," and the British PGA Matchplay Championship was as important to British and Commonwealth professionals as the PGA Championship was to Americans.

What channel is the PGA Championship on?

Beginning in 1966, ABC obtained the broadcast rights for the other three majors and held them for a quarter century. The PGA Championship moved to CBS in 1991 and the U.S. Open returned to NBC in 1995. ABC retained The Open Championship as its sole major, but moved its live coverage on the weekend to sister cable network ESPN in 2010. In June 2015, it was announced that NBC and Golf Channel would acquire rights to the Open Championship under a 12-year deal. While the NBC deal was originally to take effect in 2017, ESPN chose to opt out of its final year of Open rights, so the NBC contract took effect beginning in 2016 instead.

Why are majors important?

Alongside the biennial Ryder Cup team competition, the majors are golf's most important events. Elite players from all over the world participate in them, and the reputations of the greatest players in golf history are largely based on the number and variety of major championship victories they accumulate. The top prizes are not actually the largest in golf, being surpassed by The Players Championship, three of the four World Golf Championships events (the HSBC Champions, promoted to WGC status in 2009, has a top prize comparable to that of the majors), and some other invitational events. However, winning a major boosts a player's career far more than winning any other tournament. If he is already a leading player, he will probably receive large bonuses from his sponsors and may be able to negotiate better contracts. If he is an unknown, he will immediately be signed up. Perhaps more importantly, he will receive an exemption from the need to annually re-qualify for a tour card on his home tour, thus giving a tournament golfer some security in an unstable profession. Currently, both the PGA Tour and European Tour give a five-year exemption to all major winners.

How long is the PGA Tour exemption?

Currently, both the PGA Tour and European Tour give a five-year exemption to all major winners. Independent organizations, and not the PGA Tour, operate each of the majors; The Players Championship is the tour's most important event. Three of the four majors take place in the United States.

How many major championships did Jack Nicklaus win?

Men's major golf championships. Jack Nicklaus won a record 18 major championships. The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the major championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf. In order of play date as of 2019, they are:

Why is each major different?

Because each major was developed and is run by a different organization, each has characteristics that sets it apart. These involve the character of the courses used, the composition of the field, and other idiosyncrasies.

How many times did Travers win the Amateur?

Travers was a leading amateur in the early 20th century, winning the U.S. Amateur four times, including back to back in 1912 and 1913.

Where was the first golf tournament held?

PINEHURST, N.C. – The oldest golf championship in America was the U.S. Amateur. It was held in 1895 at Newport Country Club — one day before the U.S. Open. There was a time when amateur golf was celebrated, and professionals were not allowed into the locker room. Now it's a professional game.

Who was the last amateur golfer to win a major?

Goodman not only is the last amateur to win one of the four current majors, he joined an elite group at North Shore in 1933 by winning the "professional" championship before winning the "amateur" championship.

Who was Jerome Travers?

Image 2 of 2. FILE - This April 9, 1934, file photo, shows golfer Jerome Travers. Travers was a leading amateur in the early 20th century, winning the U.S. Amateur four times, including back to back in 1912 and 1913. (AP Photo/File) (The Associated Press)

Who did Jones beat in the 1930s?

Jones beat Espinosa by 23 shots in the 36-hole playoff. The fourth U.S. Open title was the most important. Having already won the British Open and British Amateur, he built a five-shot lead over Harry Cooper going into the final 18 holes, closed with a 75 and won by two over McDonald Smith at Interlachen in 1930.

Who did Evans hold off in the finals?

Evans closed with a 73 to hold off Jock Hutchison, who had a 68.

Who was the best amateur golfer in the world in 1927?

Associated Press. next. Image 1 of 2. FILE - In this July 22, 1927, file photo, American amateur Bobby Jones, left, poses with his father, Robert, after winning the British Open at St. Andrews, Scotland. Jones not only was the best amateur in U.S. Open history, he remains one of the greatest to ever play the game and is celebrated ...

Who was the first amateur golfer to win the Open?

England's John Ball set several benchmarks in the sport, most notably becoming the first amateur (and Englishman) to win The Open in 1890 at Prestwick. Ball - who grew up on the Hoylake links at Royal Liverpool Golf Club - also won The Amateur Championship on a staggering eight occasions.

Who won the Northern Telecom Open?

It has now been 30 years since then-amateur Phil Mickelson won the Northern Telecom Open in Tucson. Aged 20 and on a golf scholarship at Arizona State University, the left-hander birdied two of his final three holes to clinch an unforgettable victory, seeing off the challenge of experienced heads Tom Purtzer, Bob Tway and Corey Pavin.

How many major wins does Tiger Woods have?

The List of Golf's Most Successful Major Winners (Plus First and Last Wins) Phil Mickelson (left) and Tiger Woods have 19 major wins between them - or one more than the No. 1 guy on the list. Jamie Squire/Getty Images.

What are the majors in men's golf?

The four tournaments that make up the men's majors are The Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship . In addition to the chart below, which lists major winners in descending order of number of victories, you can view the list of every major winner in one of two ways:

When did golfers start ranking by their majors?

Amateur and British Amateur championships when ranking golfers by their wins in majors. This was standard at least through the early 1960s; becoming less common until fading out probably during the 1980s. Today it is rare to do so, but occasionally a golf writer or historian will still quote a combined number.

Who is Brent Kelley?

Jamie Squire/Getty Images. Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. The record for most men's major championship wins is held by Jack Nicklaus, who won 18 of them. Tiger Woods is second with 15 major wins.

Who holds the record for most major championships?

our editorial process. Brent Kelley. Updated November 04, 2019. The record for most men's major championship wins is held by Jack Nicklaus, who won 18 of them.

How many majors did Fred Herd play?

Of all the winners in major championship history, Fred Herd was among the least tournament experienced. He played in only four majors total, the U.S. Open all four times. But he won the first one he played, the 1898 U.S. Open, to get on this list.

Why do we say "more like four"?

Why do we say more like four? Because two of the golfers on the list won a major that was being played for the first time. The first of what we now call the men's major championships was the British Open played in 1860. Obviously, every golfer in the field at that first one was playing in his first major.

Who was the first golfer to be on the list?

Ben Curtis. The four previous golfers on the list were from the early days of tournament golf, three from the 19th century. Curtis is the first modern golfer on the list. He was ranked No. 396 in the world rankings when he won the 2003 British Open by one stroke over Thomas Bjorn and Vijay Singh.

Who won the first British Open?

Willie Park Sr. The senior Park won the very first Open Championship ever played, in 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Eight golfers entered. Willie Sr. went on to win the British Open four times; his brother Mungo Park won once, and his son Willie Park Jr. won twice.

Who is Keegan Bradley?

Keegan Bradley. The last (so far) of the six golfers who won their major debut is Bradley, whose victory in the 2011 PGA Championship came in his first appearance in a major championship. Bradley, nephew of six-time LPGA major winner Pat Bradley, defeated Jason Dufner in a playoff.

Golfers With the Most Major Championship Wins

Jack Nicklaus’ unmatched major championship run spanned from 1962 to 1986 as the “Golden Bear” won major championships in three decades. Jack won multiple majors in a year an incredible four times, doing so in 1963, ’66, ’72 and ’80.

Career Grand Slams

No one has yet won all four majors in one calendar year, although Tiger Woods coined the "Tiger Slam" by simultaneously holding all four major titles. However, five elite golfers have won each of the majors throughout their careers. This achievement is known as the career grand slam. The following is a list of golfers to win the career grand slam.

Grand Slam Hopefuls

Three active players have completed three legs of the career grand slam, and need just one more to join the exclusive group of grand slam winners.

About the Author

Ryan Watson is a freelance sportswriter and history professor. He has been an avid fan of golf since his father signed him up for golf camp as a young child. Ryan enjoys following the professional game and learning about new equipment and gadgets.

Overview

Distinctive characteristics of majors

Because each major was developed and is run by a different organization, each has characteristics that sets it apart. These involve the character of the courses used, the composition of the field, and other idiosyncrasies.
• The Masters Tournament (sometimes referred to as the U.S. Masters), the season's first major championship, is the only major that is played at the same course every year (Augusta National Golf Club), being the invitational tournament of that club. The Masters invites the smallest field of the majors, generally under 100 players (althou…

History

Importance

Television coverage

Records

See also

External links