Honestly, the pga championship winners list is weird. It’s not like the Masters where you think of green jackets and pimento cheese. It’s a shifting, chaotic history of professional golfers just trying to prove they aren’t "second-class" to the rich amateurs of the early 1900s. People forget that. They see the Wanamaker Trophy—which is huge, by the way, like 27 pounds of solid silver—and think it's always been this standard stroke-play grind.
It wasn't.
If you look back at the early names, you’re looking at a completely different sport. The tournament used to be match play. It was a bracket. You had to survive one-on-one duels, sometimes playing 36 holes a day for a week straight. It was brutal.
The Men Who Owned the Wanamaker
When people talk about the greatest of all time, they usually start and end with two names. Jack Nicklaus and Walter Hagen. They both sit at the top of the pga championship winners list with five wins apiece.
But their wins couldn't be more different.
Hagen was the king of the match-play era. He won four in a row from 1924 to 1927. Think about that. In a format where one bad hole can send you packing, he didn’t lose a single match for four years. He was flamboyant, showed up in limousines, and basically invented the idea of the "pro golfer" as a celebrity.
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Then you have Jack.
Jack was the technician.
He won his five titles across three different decades (1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, and 1980). His 1980 win at Oak Hill was a masterclass—he won by seven strokes. It was a "get off my lawn" moment for the Golden Bear.
The Modern Era and the Rise of the Power Players
Moving into the 2000s, the list starts to look like a "who’s who" of ball-striking monsters. Tiger Woods has four. He went back-to-back twice (1999-2000 and 2006-2007). That 2000 win at Valhalla against Bob May is still probably the best duel in the history of the event.
You've probably seen the clip. Tiger pointing at the ball as it drops into the cup. Pure theater.
And then there's Brooks Koepka.
He sort of became the modern-day Hagen.
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Koepka won three times in six years (2018, 2019, 2023). He treats the PGA Championship like his personal playground. While everyone else is complaining about the thick rough or the 7,500-yard setups, Brooks just bullies the course into submission.
Recent Shocks and History Makers
The last few years have added some wild entries to the pga championship winners list.
- Phil Mickelson (2021): This was peak golf. At 50 years old, Phil became the oldest major winner ever at Kiawah Island. Nobody saw it coming. The scene on the 18th hole, with the fans swarming him, felt like a movie.
- Xander Schauffele (2024): Xander had the "can't win the big one" tag for years. Then he goes to Valhalla and shoots 21-under par. It was the lowest score to par in major history at the time. He needed a birdie on the 72nd hole to beat Bryson DeChambeau, and he actually drained the putt.
- Scottie Scheffler (2025): Just last year, Scottie continued his run of absolute dominance. He finished at 11-under at Quail Hollow. It wasn't flashy; it was just Scottie being Scottie.
Why the List Matters More Than You Think
The PGA Championship is often called "Glory’s Last Shot" (though they moved it to May, so that doesn't really work anymore). What makes this list unique is the variety. You have legends like Ben Hogan (2 wins) and Sam Snead (3 wins) mixed in with "one-hit wonders" like Shaun Micheel or Rich Beem.
It’s the only major that doesn't invite amateurs. It’s professionals only.
Because of that, the depth of the field is insane. You have 20 PGA club professionals—the guys who actually give lessons and run pro shops—competing against the world #1. Usually, they don't win. But the fact they’re there keeps the tournament grounded in its "working man" roots.
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Misconceptions About the Rankings
A lot of people think Tiger has the most wins. He doesn't. He’s third.
Others think Rory McIlroy has a dozen of these. He has two (2012, 2014). He's been stuck on that number for over a decade now, which is one of the biggest mysteries in the sport.
The pga championship winners list is a reflection of how golf has changed. We went from match play in the woods to 7,600-yard monster courses where you have to carry the ball 310 yards just to find the fairway.
Actionable Insights for Golf Fans
If you're looking to track the history or even predict the next name on the pga championship winners list, keep these things in mind:
- Look for Total Driving: This tournament consistently rewards players who are both long and straight. It's rarely a "short hitter's" course.
- The "Defending Champ" Curse: Back-to-back winners are incredibly rare. Since the move to stroke play in 1958, only Tiger Woods and Brooks Koepka have done it.
- Watch the World Ranking: While the Masters has a small, invite-only feel, the PGA field usually has the highest concentration of the Top 100 players in the world.
- Check the Venue: The PGA rotates to heavy-hitting courses like Bethpage Black, Oak Hill, and Whistling Straits. These aren't "finesse" tracks.
Knowing the names on this list isn't just about trivia. It’s about understanding the shift from the era of "gentleman sports" to the high-tech, athletic era we see today with guys like Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele.
To dive deeper into the current rankings or see where the 2026 championship is headed, you can follow the live updates on the official PGA Championship site. Keeping an eye on the PGA Professional Championship earlier in the year will also show you which "club pros" might make a surprise run in the main event.