Golf is a sport that allows the best players to compete into their middle age and beyond – both at club level and at major championships.
Phil Mickelson became the oldest winner of a men’s major in 2021 by winning the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, beating Brooks Koepka by two shots in dramatic fashion.
It was his first major win since securing The Open Championship in 2013 at Muirfield – an incredibly emotional win for him and his caddie Bones McKay.
Many legends of the game have won majors into their 40s and 50s. Tom Watson almost won The Open in 2009 at the age of 58, but his heart and the hearts of thousands of golf fans were broken by Stewart Cink at Turnberry.
It has taken some defiant performances over the decades, but here is our list of the oldest golfers to win a major championship in the men’s game…
Oldest major winner: Golf countdown
10. Raymond Floyd
1986 US Open – 43 years, 9 months, 11 days
The American won four majors in a 40-year career, the last of which was when he edged out Chip Beck and Lanny Wadkins at Shinnecock Hills.
9. Harry Vardon
1914 Open Championship – 44 years, 41 days
Harry Vardon beat the defending champion J.H Taylor by three strokes at Prestwick. He won The Open Championship six times between 1896 and 1914.
8. Roberto de Vicenzo
1967 Open – 44 years, 93 days
Roberto De Vicenzo was the 54-hole leader and never moved from the top of the leaderboard on the final day of the 1967 Open, eventually seeing off Jack Nicklaus by two at Hoylake.
7. Lee Trevino
1984 PGA Championship – 44 years, 8 months, 18 days
Lee Trevino won six majors in his glittering career, another player to complete the Grand Slam. Trevino finished four shots clear at Oak Hill, from the ever-present Jack Nicklaus at the 1984 PGA Championship. He never won the Masters, but he won each of the other three majors twice.
6. Hale Irwin
1990 US Open – 45 years, 15 days old
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Hale Irwin remains the oldest US Open winner to this day. His win in 1990 was all the more memorable as it was the first US Open to be decided by a sudden-death finish after he tied Mike Donald after the 18-hole playoff.
5. Jerry Barber
1961 PGA Championship – 45 Years, 3 months, 6 days
Herry Barber beat Don January on the first playoff hole to win his only major at the 1961 PGA Championship at Olympia Fields.
4. Jack Nicklaus
1986 Masters – 46 years, 2 months, 23 days
Jack Nickalus fought off Seve Ballesteros, Tom Kite and Greg Norman to win the 1986 Masters – arguably the most famous major tournament in the history of the sport. It was his sixth win at Augusta National.
3. Tom Morris Sr
1867 Open – 46 years, 99 days
Old Tom beat Willie Park Sr at Prestwick for his fourth Open win. More than 150 years on, he remains the oldest winner of golf’s oldest major.
2. Julius Boros
1968 PGA Championship – 48 years, 4 months, 18 days
Despite not turning professional until the age of 29, Julian Boros soon caught up. He won three majors and was golf’s oldest major champion when he won the 1968 PGA Championship at Pecan Valley Golf Club.
1. Phil Mickelson
2021 PGA Championship – 50 years 11 months 7 days
Eight years after his fifth major win and seemingly out of form and done with major contention, Phil Mickelson carded rounds of 70, 69, 70 and 73 to win his second Wanamaker Trophy.
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