Golf major championship records
In recent years we’ve seen golf major championship records fall, from the lowest round in major championship history to the lowest aggregate total over 72 holes.
But who currently holds these records? We run down the golf major championship records from the youngest winner of The Open to the player who holds the most victories at Augusta National.
Golf major championship records
Most major championship wins
18, Jack Nicklaus
Oldest major champion
48 years, 4 months, 18 days – Julius Boros, 1968 PGA Championship
Youngest major champion
17 years, 156 days – Young Tom Morris, 1868 Open Championship
Lowest 18 hole score
62, Branden Grace – Third round, 2017 Open Championship, Royal Birkdale
Lowest score in relation to par
-20, Jason Day – 2015 PGA Championship, Whistling Straits
-20, Henrik Stenson – 2016 Open Championship, Royal Troon
Lowest 72-hole stroke total
264, Brooks Koepka – 2018 PGA Championship, Bellerive
264, Henrik Stenson – 2016 Open Championship, Royal Troon
Lowest 36-hole total
130, Nick Faldo – 1992 Open Championship, Muirfield
130, Brandt Snedeker – 2012 Open Championship, Royal Lytham & St Annes
130, Martin Kaymer – 2014 US Open, Pinehurst No. 2
130, Jordan Spieth – 2015 Masters, Augusta National
130, Gary Woodland – 2018 PGA Championship, Bellerive
Lowest 54-hole total
196, David Toms – 2001 PGA Championship, Atlanta Athletic Club
Highest winning margin
15, Tiger Woods – 2000 US Open, Pebble Beach
Wire-to-wire major champions
*Indicates players who were tied for the lead after the first round
Willie Anderson, 1903 US Open*
Alex Smith, 1906 US Open*
Ted Ray, 1912 Open Championship
Walter Hagen, 1914 US Open
Chick Evans, 1916 US Open
Jim Barnes, 1921 US Open
Bobby Jones, 1927 Open Championship
Gene Sarazen, 1932 Open Championship
Henry Cotton, 1934 Open Championship
Craig Wood, 1941 Masters
Ben Hogan, 1953 US Open
Tommy Bolt, 1958 US Open*
Arnold Palmer, 1960 Masters
Arnold Palmer, 1964 Masters*
Bobby Nichols, 1964 PGA Championship
Raymond Floyd, 1969 PGA Championship*
Tony Jacklin, 1970 US Open
Jack Nicklaus, 1971 PGA Championship
Jack Nicklaus, 1972 Masters
Jack Nicklaus, 1972 US Open*
Tom Weiskopf, 1973 Open Championship
Raymond Floyd, 1976 Masters
Hubert Green, 1977 US Open
Seve Ballesteros, 1980 Masters*
Jack Nicklaus, 1980 US Open
Raymond Floyd, 1982 PGA Championship
Hal Sutton, 1983 PGA Championship
Payne Stewart, 1991 US Open
Nick Price, 1994 PGA Championship*
Tiger Woods, 2000 US Open
Tiger Woods, 2000 PGA Championship*
Retief Goosen, 2001 US Open*
Tiger Woods, 2002 US Open
Phil Mickelson, 2005 PGA Championship*
Tiger Woods, 2005 Open Championship
Trevor Immelman, 2008 Masters*
Rory McIlroy, 2011 US Open
Martin Kaymer, 2014 US Open
Rory McIlroy, 2014 Open Championship
Jordan Spieth, 2015 Masters
Jimmy Walker, 2016 PGA Championship*
Jordan Spieth, 2017 Open Championship*
Masters records
Most wins
6, Jack Nicklaus
Lowest winning total
270, Tiger Woods – 1997 Masters
270, Jordan Spieth – 2015 Masters
Oldest winner
46 years, 2 months, 23 days – Jack Nicklaus, 1986 Masters
Youngest winner
21 years, 3 months, 14 days – Tiger Woods, 1997 Masters
US Open records
Most wins
4, Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus
Lowest winning total
268, Rory McIlroy – 2011 US Open, Congressional Country Club
Oldest winner
45 years and 15 days – Hale Irwin, 1990 US Open
Youngest winner
19 years, 10 months, 14 days – John J. McDermott, 1911 US Open
PGA Championship records
Most wins
5, Walter Hagen, Jack Nicklaus
Lowest winning total
264, Brooks Koepka – 2018 PGA Championship, Bellerive
Oldest winner
48 years, 4 months, 18 days – Julius Boros, 1968 PGA Championship
Youngest winner
20 years, 5 months, 22 days – Gene Sarazen, 1922 PGA Championship
Open records
Most wins
6, Harry Vardon
Lowest winning total
264, Henrik Stenson – 2016 Open Championship, Royal Troon
Oldest winner
46 years, 99 days – Old Tom Morris, 1867 Open Championship
Youngest winner
17 years, 156 days – Young Tom Morris, 1868 Open Championship
Did I make it? Breaking down the PGA Tour cut rules
Matthew Beedle
Matthew has been playing golf since he was around 13 and took up the game at a local nine-hole municipal course with his friends before joining Pontefract & District Golf Club just over the hedge.
Still a member of Pontefract with a handicap of 3, he currently sits on the board of directors to help with digital and marketing initiatives in order to improve membership and visitor income.
Matthew graduated university with a First Class in Sports Journalism from Leeds Trinity University and has been working in the golf industry since graduating.
NCG’s social media & marketing manager, Matthew’s main job role is to increase website traffic to the National Club Golfer website via our email and social media channels as well as driving entries to grow our NCG Top 100s Tour events amongst other tasks.
Not one to change his equipment too often, Matthew currently plays the TaylorMade M2 driver which has lasted the test of time in his bag. Elsewhere, you’ll find him using the TaylorMade Stealth 2 three-wood with a Ping G425 Crossover 2-iron to aid his long game.
Through his 4-iron to Gap Wedge, Matthew uses the Ping i500 irons accompanied by Ping’s Glide 3.0 56-degree and 60-degree wedges.
Another club that has stood the test of time in his bag is a Nike Method Core MC-3i putter which has had to have the SuperStroke grip changed at least three times. Ball of choice is the Titleist ProV1.
