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Golf fans know the legends. These are the 10 greatest PGA Tour players of all-time and why they deserve that spot.
Legendary is a title earned, not given.
The PGA Tour has had its fair share of outstanding players over the years. But these 10 have earned the legend label. These are players that, regardless of someone’s golf knowledge, they know who they are.
Comparing Old Tom to Jack Nicklaus or even Tiger Woods isn’t fair. Golf isn’t the same as it was in its infant stages, and like any other sport, it’s incredibly difficult to rank between eras.
The following list came together from a few different elements. PGA Tour wins, major championships and Ryder Cup performances are just a few of the things considered when ranking these men. Other factors include historic feats and other ways they’ve impacted golf.
There is no denying that these 10 men are all-time greats.
Nevertheless, it’s still difficult making this list.
So, here are some of our honorable mentions: Walter Hagen, Lee Trevino, Gene Sarazen, Tom Watson, Byron Nelson and Ernie Els. These men deserve spots on the all-time greats list but just missed the cut.
Here are the 10 all-time greatest PGA Tour golfers, ranked.
10. Nick Faldo
The player who just made the cut is Sir Nick Faldo, who dominated golf during the 1990s. Queen Elizabeth II awarded Faldo a knighthood in 2009 for his services to golf, per Golf Channel.
He won six majors, three Masters and three Opens. Faldo played on five winning European Ryder Cup teams. Those Ryder Cup wins cemented his legacy as one of the best players in the world.
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9. Seve Ballesteros
Another international player who was one of the most relatable people in the sport is Seve Ballesteros. He recorded 65 worldwide wins and racked up five majors, including three Open Championships. Ballesteros could get out of any lie or condition, which is one of the reasons that he is so great.
He helped make the Ryder Cup an iconic event. Ballesteros captained the 1997 European Ryder Cup team victory in Spain, his home country.
8. Gary Player
Gary Player is an international ambassador for golf and one of the best to ever play. He paved the way for international players to have more opportunities on the PGA Tour. Player has 150 worldwide wins, 24 PGA Tour victories and nine major titles. He is one of only five players to have won all four of the modern majors.
7. Phil Mickelson
Known as “Lefty,” Phil Mickelson is the No. 7 player on this list. He became the oldest player to win a major in 2021, and by a wide margin. He won the PGA Championship at 50 years 11 months.
That victory gave him six majors in his career, and Mickelson has 45 PGA Tour total victories. Lefty has played in a record-holding 12 Ryder Cups and 47 matches.
He might not have made this list if not for the unbelievable PGA Championship win though.
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6. Bobby Jones
Bobby Jones was the Nicklaus of the early days, winning 13 major championships. He is the only player to win all four majors in 1930, giving him the career grand slam. The U.S. and British Amateurs were two of the four majors back then.
Nevertheless, to win 13 of those tournaments in an eight-year span (1923-1930) is incredible.
His greatest gift to the game, though, was co-founding the Masters Tournament with Clifford Roberts and creating Augusta National Golf Club with Alister MacKenzie.
5. Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer comes in at No. 5 not only because of his prowess on the course, but he is also credited with helping increase prize money for players.
Palmer was a fan favorite, and his popularity is still appreciated today. He won seven majors. Augusta was where he dominated the most, winning four Masters titles. However, his comeback victory at the 1960 U.S. Open will go down as one of his greatest feats. He beat out Hogan and Nicklaus that week.
4. Sam Snead
Sam Snead is tied with Tiger Woods for the most ever PGA Tour wins at 82. He also has seven major championships to his credit.
Snead did not complete the career grand slam, having never won the U.S. Open, so he sits at No. 4 on this list. But no one can deny how good Snead was. His swing looked effortless, and he competed with the best for five decades.
3. Ben Hogan
Ben Hogan won nine major championships and was one of the best ball strikers ever. His swing book is still something golfers reference when learning the game. He is No. 3 because his tenacity wouldn’t let him give up golf even after that terrible car crash. Hogan won six majors after that accident, including three in 1953 — The U.S. Open, Masters and Open Championship.
2. Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus narrowly lost out on the top spot on our list.
The Bear has 18 majors under his belt, which is the most ever. That includes six green jackets. Nicklaus also has the third most PGA Tour wins at 73. He played in six Ryder Cups and captained the 1983 and 1987 American teams.
Nicklaus’ incredible consistency and power made him a force of nature on the course. He was so dominant during his prime. He took down Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman, and many others when he won his final green jacket in 1986 at 46 years old.
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1. Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods is the No. 1 player on this list because he transformed golf in a significant way. There was so much he did as an African American that opened the doors for minorities in a primarily white-male dominated sport.
Plus, he is one of the reasons technology started to change in golf.
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His presence generated so much television revenue that tournament purses suddenly reached historic levels. Golfers worldwide have now been given an opportunity to make a career out of playing the beloved sport, even without winning.
Tiger has 82 PGA Tour wins, tied for the most ever with Snead. He has 108 wins worldwide. Woods has won 15 major championships, including five Masters — most recently in 2019.
There are also 18 World Golf Championship on his resume. Woods has been on eight Ryder Cup teams and a part of nine Presidents Cups. He also captained the 2019 Presidents Cup victory for the Americans. The list could go on for a while, but making the case for Woods is quite easy.
Do you agree with the list? Who is your hierarchy in golf history? Let us know in the comments below.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and on Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.
