The Major Championships are what define top-level golfers' careers, and winning one is an extremely difficult task and a sign that you're one of the best in the world.
Jack Nicklaus has won 18 while Tiger Woods has 15, and they are considered to be two of the greatest players of all time. But there are plenty of players who had, or are still having, hugely decorated careers that included 'just' one Major, along with incredible success on the PGA or European Tour as well as in the Ryder Cup.
Below we take a look at 15 of the best golfers to win one men's Major as well as some other notables, starting with an Argentinian player who won over 230 tournaments...
Robert De Vicenzo
- Major: 1967 Open
- Major runners-up: 1
- PGA Tour wins: 7
- Total wins: 200+
- Notable wins: 9 Argentina Open wins
Argentina's De Vicenzo is the greatest South American player of all time, with his crowning glory coming at the 1967 Open at Royal Liverpool, where he beat Jack Nicklaus to the Claret Jug.
De Vicenzo famously had to forfeit the 1968 Masters playoff to Bob Goalby after signing for an incorrect score. It was the closest he got to winning his second Major. “What a stupid I am," was his famous quote after the costly mistake.
The World Golf Hall of Famer won over 230 tournaments including the likes of the 1980 US Senior Open, nine Argentina Opens, three French Opens and the Spanish Open.
Sergio Garcia
- Major: 2017 Masters
- Major runners-up: 4
- PGA Tour wins: 11
- DP World Tour wins: 16
- Ryder Cup points: 28.5 (1st all-time)
- Notable wins: British Amateur, The Players Championship
Sergio Garcia was destined to be a Major winner from the moment he burst onto scene as the British Amateur Champion and Masters low amateur in the late 90s, and he nearly got one over the line early at Medinah in 1999 when he narrowly lost out to Tiger Woods.
Few would have believed the talented Spaniard wouldn't win a Major until the 2017 Masters, but that's golf. Garcia defeated Justin Rose in a playoff to win the Green Jacket and become a very worthy Major champion.
The LIV Golfer is, of course, the Ryder Cup's all-time points scorer with 28.5 and looks destined to be entered into the World Golf Hall of Fame one day.
Tom Weiskopf
- Major: 1973 Open
- Major runners-up: 5
- PGA Tour wins: 16
- Ryder Cup points: 7.5
- Notable wins: US Senior Open, two Canadian Opens
World Golf Hall of Famer Tom Weiskopf is synonymous with The Masters despite never actually winning the Green Jacket. The Ohioan agonisingly finished 2nd at Augusta National four times, but he did manage to become a Major Champion after winning the Claret Jug at Royal Troon in the 1973 Open.
Weiskopf also finished 2nd at the 1976 US Open and won 16 PGA Tour titles plus the 1995 US Senior Open.
Bob Charles
- Major: 1963 Open
- Major runners-up: 1
- PGA Tour wins: 6
- Notable wins: World Match Play, Canadian Open, 3x New Zealand Opens
New Zealand's Bob Charles was the first left-handed golfer to win a Major and be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Charles won the Claret Jug in 1963 at Royal Lytham and St Annes and also finished 2nd at the 1968 PGA Championship.
His incredible career included big wins like the Piccadilly World Match Play Championship, the Canadian Open and three New Zealand Opens, including the 1954 edition as an 18-year-old amateur. He went on to win the Senior Open twice in his 25 senior tour victories.
Ian Woosnam
- Major: 1991 Masters
- Major runners-up: 1
- European Tour wins: 29
- Ryder Cup points: 16.5
- Notable wins: Three World Match Play Championships, three Scottish Opens, two Volvo PGA Championships, two British Masters and two Irish Opens
Woosnam is one of Britain's greatest ever players and famously triumphed at Augusta in 1991 to win the Green Jacket.
The Welshman was small in stature but a phenomenal ball striker, and he was ranked No.1 in the world for 50 weeks during the early 90s.
Woosnam won 29 European Tour titles including two Volvo PGA Championships and was also 2nd at the 1989 US Open at Oak Hill. He captained Europe to Ryder Cup glory at the K Club in 2006.
Tom Kite
- Major: 1992 US Open
- Major runners-up: 4
- PGA Tour wins: 19
- Ryder Cup points: 17
- Notable wins: The Players Championship
Kite finally got over the line in a Major after three runners-up finishes at Pebble Beach in the 1992 US Open, where he edged out Jeff Sluman by two strokes.
The Texan went on to finish 2nd (by 12 strokes) to Tiger Woods at the 1997 Masters, which was his third runner-up at Augusta.
Kite, who was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004, won 19 times on the PGA Tour including the Players Championship, Los Angeles Open and twice at what is now the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Adam Scott
- Major: 2013 Masters
- Major runners-up: 1
- PGA Tour wins: 14
- European Tour wins: 11
- Notable wins: The Players Championship
Scott screamed "Come on Aussie!" when he holed his Masters-winning putt to become the first ever Australian to win the Green Jacket in 2013.
It came less than a year after he finished with four consecutive bogeys to hand the 2012 Open to good friend Ernie Els.
Scott then reached the World No.1 spot in 2014 in a career that included a win at TPC Sawgrass, two WGC titles, the Genesis Invitational and a total of over 30 professional victories.
Justin Rose
- Major: 2013 US Open
- Major runners-up: 4
- PGA Tour wins: 11
- European Tour wins: 11
- Ryder Cup points: 15.5
- Notable wins: Olympic Gold, FedEx Cup
Rose and Adam Scott are the same age and have had very similar career paths. You could have a good debate over which of the two has had the better career but what can't be argued is the success of both.
Rose also won his Major in 2013, coming at Merion in the US Open. He looked up to the sky after tapping in his winning putt to remember his late father on Father's Day.
The Englishman has been a Major runner-up four times, notably at the 2017 Masters where he lost to Sergio Garcia in a playoff. He most recently finished T2nd to Xander Schauffele at the 2024 Open.
His impressive career includes an Olympic gold medal, a FedEx Cup, European Tour Order of Merit and two WGC titles. He also reached the World No.1 spot in 2018.
Fred Couples
- Major: 1992 Masters
- Major runners-up: 1
- PGA Tour wins: 15
- PGA Tour Champions wins: 14
- Ryder Cup points: 9
- Notable wins: Two Players Championships, two LA Opens and the Senior Open
Couples is known for his smooth swing and calm, friendly demeanour, and we love watching him every year at Augusta National.
The American, who was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2013, famously won the 1992 Masters and also finished 2nd at the 1990 PGA Championship. He reached the World No.1 spot and has won over 60 times in his professional career.
Other big wins include two Players Championship titles, two LA Opens and the 2012 Senior Open.
Davis Love III
- Major: 1997 PGA Championship
- Major runners-up: 3
- PGA Tour wins: 21
- Ryder Cup points: 11.5
- Notable wins: Two Players Championships
Davis Love III was one of the greatest players of the 90s, with the North Carolinian regarded as one of his time's greatest ball strikers.
Love III, who was twice runner-up at The Masters and once at the US Open, captured his Major at the 1997 PGA Championship.
He lifted the Wanamaker Trophy at Winged Foot to highlight a career that included 21 PGA Tour victories including two wins at TPC Sawgrass.
Jim Furyk
- Major: 2003 US Open
- Major runners-up: 1
- PGA Tour wins: 17
- Ryder Cup points: 12
- Notable wins: FedEx Cup
Jim Furyk's golf swing might not be textbook, but it has worked incredibly well for him over the past 25 years.
The Pennsylvanian captured the 2003 US Open by a comfortable three stroke margin at Olympia Fields and came close to winning a second Major a decade later in the 2013 PGA Championship, where he was solo-2nd and two back of Jason Dufner.
Furyk won 17 PGA Tour titles as well as the FedEx Cup and owns the lowest round in PGA Tour history courtesy of an incredible 58. He is the only man to have broken 60 twice on tour, having also shot a 59.
Despite the influx of huge money into the game over recent years, he is still sixth in the PGA Tour career money list with over $71.5m.
Lanny Wadkins
- Major: 1977 PGA Championship
- Major runners-up: 1
- PGA Tour wins: 21
- Ryder Cup points: 21.5
- Notable wins: The Players Championship
Wadkins won the 1977 PGA Championship at Pebble Beach, where he beat Gene Littler in a playoff.
It was one of his 21 PGA Tour victories, which also included The Players Championship and two LA Opens.
The Virginian is fourth in the USA's all-time Ryder Cup points list and went on to captain his country in Europe's narrow victory at Oak Hill in 1995.
Wadkins' only Major runner-up came at Shinnecock Hills in the 1986 US Open, where he finished two back of Raymond Floyd.
David Duval
- Major: 2001 Open
- Major runners-up: 3
- PGA Tour wins: 13
- Ryder Cup points: 3
- Notable wins: The Players Championship
Duval had an incredible run around the turn of the century, where he managed to knock Tiger Woods off of the top spot in the world rankings.
The Floridian won an impressive 13 times between 1997 and 2001, with his Open Championship triumph at Royal Lytham and St Annes being his final PGA Tour victory. He struggled with injuries and form but showed just how talented a player he was during his relatively short peak at the top of the game.
As well as his one Major, Duval also won The Players Championship and Tour Championship. Duval was also 2nd to Tiger Woods at the 2001 Masters and T2nd at the 2009 US Open.
Gene Littler
- Major: 1961 US Open
- Major runners-up: 2
- PGA Tour wins: 29
- Ryder Cup points: 18
- Notable wins: US Amateur Championship
Littler is one of just 13 men to have won both the US Amateur and US Open.
The Californian had a long and very successful career between the 50s and 70s, winning his first PGA Tour title as an amateur at the 1954 San Diego Open (now the Farmers Insurance Open) and capturing his final win at the 1977 Houston Open.
During that spell, he won the 1961 US Open at Oakland Hills, where he beat Bob Goalby and Doug Sanders by one. He was also runner-up at the 1970 Masters after losing to Billy Casper in the final 18-hole Monday playoff as well as the 1977 PGA, which he also lost in a playoff, this time to Lanny Wadkins.
Littler also amassed an impressive 18 points for Ryder Cup Team USA.
Jason Day
- Major: 2015 PGA Championship
- Major runners-up: 4
- PGA Tour wins: 13
- Notable wins: The Players Championship, two WGC-Match Plays
Jason Day is one of the greatest ever Australian players, having spent 51 weeks as World No.1 during the prime of his career.
The Queenslander, known for his phenomenal putting and short game, was far and away the best player in the world when on form during the years of 2015-2016.
Day set a new Major record of 20-under-par to beat Jordan Spieth at the 2015 PGA Championship, which was one of five wins that year. He won three times in 2016, highlighted by The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, which came just a couple of months after his second WGC-Match Play triumph.
The 13-time PGA Tour winner could have won more Majors, too, with runner-up finishes coming at the 2011 Masters, 2011 US Open, 2013 US Open and 2023 Open.
Other notable players to win one men's Major:
Francis Ouimet
- Major: 1913 US Open
- Major runners-up: 0
- Notable wins: Two US Amateurs, World Golf Hall of Famer, regarded as the 'father of amateur golf'
Hal Sutton
- Major: 1983 PGA Championship
- Major runners-up: 0
- PGA Tour wins: 14
- Ryder Cup points: 9
- Notable wins: Two Players Championships
Henrik Stenson
- Major: 2016 Open
- Major runners-up: 0
- PGA Tour wins: 6
- European Tour wins: 11
- Ryder Cup points: 11
- Notable wins: FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai
Kev Venturi
- Major: 1964 US Open
- Major runners-up: 2
- PGA Tour wins: 14
- Ryder Cup points: 1
- Notable: Finished 2nd at The Masters twice, including as an amateur in 1956
Justin Leonard
- Major: 1997 Open
- Major runners-up: 2
- PGA Tour wins: 12
- Ryder Cup points: 5
- Notable: US Amateur, NCAA Div 1 Championship, The Players Championship
Mark Calcavecchia
- Major: 1989 Open
- Major runners-up: 1
- PGA Tour wins: 13
- Ryder Cup points: 6.5
- Notable wins: Two Honda Classics and three Phoenix Opens
Paul Azinger
- Major: 1993 PGA Championship
- Major runners-up: 1
- PGA Tour wins: 12
- Ryder Cup points: 6.5
- Notable: 2008 winning US Ryder Cup captain
Corey Pavin
- Major: 1995 US Open
- Major runners-up: 1
- PGA Tour wins: 15
- Ryder Cup points: 8
- Notable wins: Two LA Opens, two Colonial wins
David Toms
- Major: 2001 PGA Championship
- Major runners-up: 0
- PGA Tour wins: 13
- Ryder Cup points: 5
- Notable wins: US Senior Open
