List of golfers with most PGA Tour wins

Last updated

This is a list of the fifty-three golfers who have won 17 or more official (or later deemed historically significant) money events on the PGA Tour. [1] [2] It is led by Sam Snead and Tiger Woods with 82 each.

Contents

Many players won important events early in the 20th century, prior to the formation of the tour, with records being kept by the PGA of America. At various times, the PGA Tour has reassessed the status of some tournaments. In the 1980s, the significance of all historical tournaments was reassessed by golf historians, working together with PGA Tour staff, during the course of a major statistical research project. [3] The Open Championship was first recognized as an official tour event in 1995, and in 2002, all victories in earlier Open Championships were classified as official PGA Tour wins.

Accumulating 20 wins is significant, because it is one of the requirements for "life membership" on the PGA Tour. This means that the golfer does not need to requalify for membership on the tour each year by finishing in the top 125 on the money list (starting in 2013, top 125 on the FedEx Cup points list), or through an exemption for tournament victories. Many golfers struggle to do this through their late-40s, but those with 20 wins avoid this problem. However, life members are required to maintain a certain (relatively modest) standard of play to retain their playing privileges: when they can no longer do so, they are moved into the "Past champions" membership category, effectively becoming honorary members.

Since 1975, only four players have won PGA Tour events after their 50th birthday, the age at which golfers become eligible to compete on PGA Tour Champions: Craig Stadler won in 2003 at age 50, Fred Funk won in 2007 at age 50, Davis Love III won in 2015 at age 51, and Phil Mickelson won the PGA Championship in 2021 at age 50, becoming the oldest winner of a major. Sam Snead is the oldest to win a PGA event, at age 52, in 1965. Others who have won PGA Tour events past age 50 include Jim Barnes, John Barnum, and Art Wall Jr.

The list is complete as of July 16,2023. [1] [4] (Players with the same number of wins are listed alphabetically. Players under 50 years of age are shown in bold. Members of the World Golf Hall of Fame are indicated by H.)

RankPlayerLifespanWinsMajors [a] Winning
span
Span
(years)
T1 Flag of the United States.svg Sam Snead H1912–20028271936–196530
Flag of the United States.svg Tiger Woods H1975–151996–201924
3 Flag of the United States.svg Jack Nicklaus H1940–73181962–198625
4 Flag of the United States.svg Ben Hogan H1912–19976491938–195922
5 Flag of the United States.svg Arnold Palmer H1929–20166271955–197319
6 Flag of the United States.svg Byron Nelson H1912–20065251935–195117
7 Flag of the United States.svg Billy Casper H1931–20155131956–197520
T8 Flag of the United States.svg Walter Hagen H1892–196945111914–193623
Flag of the United States.svg Phil Mickelson H1970–61991–202131
T10 Flag of the United States.svg Cary Middlecoff H1921–19983931945–196117
Flag of the United States.svg Tom Watson H1949–81974–199825
12 Flag of the United States.svg Gene Sarazen H1902–19993871922–194120
13 Flag of the United States.svg Lloyd Mangrum H1914–19733611940–195617
14 Flag of Fiji.svg Vijay Singh H1963–3431993–200816
15 Flag of the United States.svg Jimmy Demaret H1910–19833131938–195720
T16 Flag of the United States.svg [b] Harry Cooper H1904–20003001923–193917
Flag of the United States.svg Horton Smith H1908–196321928–194114
T18 Flag of the United States.svg Gene Littler H1930–20192911954–197724
Flag of the United States.svg Lee Trevino H1939–61968–198417
T20 Flag of the United States.svg Leo Diegel H1899–19512821920–193415
Flag of the United States.svg Paul Runyan H1908–200221930–194112
T22 Flag of the United States.svg Henry Picard H1906–19972621932–194514
Ulster Banner.svg Rory McIlroy 1989–42010–202415
T24 Flag of the United States.svg Tommy Armour H1894–19682531920–193819
Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Miller H1947–21971–199424
Flag of Scotland.svg Macdonald Smith 1892–194901912–193625
T27 Flag of the United States.svg Dustin Johnson 1984–2422008–202013
Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Gary Player H1935–91958–197821
T29 Flag of England.svg [c] Jim Barnes H1886–19662241914–193724
Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Farrell H1901–198811921–193616
Flag of the United States.svg Raymond Floyd H1942–41963–199230
T32 Flag of the United States.svg Davis Love III H1964–2111987–201529
Flag of Scotland.svg Willie Macfarlane 1890–196111916–193621
Flag of the United States.svg Lanny Wadkins H1949–11972–199221
Flag of the United States.svg Craig Wood H1901–196821928–194417
T36 Flag of the United States.svg Hale Irwin H1945–2031971–199424
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Greg Norman H1955–21984–199714
Flag of the United States.svg Johnny Revolta 1911–199111933–194412
Flag of the United States.svg Doug Sanders 1933–202001956–197217
T40 Flag of the United States.svg Ben Crenshaw H1952–1921973–199523
Flag of South Africa.svg Ernie Els H1969–41994–201219
Flag of the United States.svg Doug Ford H1922–201821952–196312
Flag of the United States.svg Hubert Green H1946–201821971–198515
Flag of the United States.svg Tom Kite H1949–11976–199318
Flag of the United States.svg Bill Mehlhorn 1898–198901923–19308
T46 Flag of the United States.svg Julius Boros H1920–19941831952–196817
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jim Ferrier 1915–198611944–196118
Flag of the United States.svg Dutch Harrison 1910–198201939–195820
Flag of Zimbabwe.svg Nick Price H1957–31983–200220
T50 Flag of Scotland.svg Bobby Cruickshank 1894–19751701921–193616
Flag of the United States.svg Jim Furyk 1970–11995–201521
Flag of the United States.svg Harold "Jug" McSpaden 1908–199601933–194513
Flag of the United States.svg Curtis Strange H1955–21979–198911

See also

Notes

  1. Major championship wins are counted using the modern definition of The Open Championship, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and the Masters Tournament.
  2. Harry Cooper was born in England, but grew up in Dallas, Texas, and became a U.S. citizen before starting his professional career. However, he was not allowed to compete for the U.S. in the Ryder Cup. U.S. citizens born outside the country, even if they were born with only U.S. citizenship, were not eligible to represent the U.S. in the Ryder Cup until 2002. Even today, those who naturalize after age 18 are ineligible for Team USA.
  3. Jim Barnes was born in England, but became a U.S. citizen soon after moving to the United States in 1906.

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References

  1. 1 2 "Most career wins (top 50)". PGA Tour. Archived from the original on September 21, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  2. "Most Career Wins on the PGA Tour". Liveabout.com. February 17, 2024. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  3. Barkow, Al (November 1989). The History of the PGA TOUR . Doubleday. pp.  200-298. ISBN   0-385-26145-4.
  4. Anton, Josh. "Tiger Woods at PGA 2024" . Retrieved 12 November 2022.