Ranking: The 3 Best PGA Championship Golfers of Every Decade (1920s-2020s)

The PGA Championship, one of golf’s four majors, has seen dominant players shape each decade since its inception in 1916. Below is a list of the top three golfers for each decade, starting with the 1920s, based on their PGA Championship wins, runner-up finishes, and overall impact during that period. The analysis considers performance with wins as the primary criterion, followed by runner-up finishes and consistent high placements.

1920-29

1. Walter Hagen: 5 wins (1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927), one runner-up (1923) one top-5 (1929) and one other top 10 (1928). Hagen dominated the match-play era, winning all five of his PGA titles in this decade, including four straight (1924–1927). His flair and consistency easily made him the decade’s best.
2. Leo Diegel: 2 wins (1928, 1929), one runner-up (1926 to Hagen) and one top-10 (1925). Diegel’s back-to-back victories and strong match-play showings placed him second.
3. Gene Sarazen: 2 wins (1922, 1923), one top-5 (1928), and three other top-10s. Sarazen’s early PGA titles showcased his generational talent, rounding out the top three in a decade dominated by Hagen.

1930-39

1. Denny Shute: 2 wins (1936, 1937), one runner-up (1931) and one top-5 (1934). Shute’s consecutive victories in the match-play format and a runner-up finish make him the decade’s standout.
2. Paul Runyan: 2 wins (1934, 1938) and three top-10s (1933, 1935, 1939). Runyan’s two victories and consistent top performances edge him out over others, including the great Sarazen.
3. Gene Sarazen: 1 win (1933), one runner-up (1930), one top-5 and one top-10. Sarazen’s third PGA title and multiple close calls keep him among the elite. His consistency gives him two top-3 honors in two straight decades.

1940-49

1. Byron Nelson: 2 wins (1940, 1945), two runner-ups (1941, 1944), one top-5 (1942), and one top-10 (1946). Nelson’s 1940 and 1945 victories and consistent play, including two runner-ups, place him ahead of Ben Hogan amid a competitive decade.
2. Ben Hogan: 2 wins (1946, 1948) and three top-10s (1940-42). Hogan’s post-war dominance included two PGA titles, establishing him as the decade’s second best despite being limited to six starts due to World War II (1943–1945) and a car accident (1949).
3. Sam Snead: 2 wins (1942, 1949), one runner-up (1940) and two top-10s. Snead’s first of three PGA titles came in 1942, and his runner-up finish bolsters his case.

1950-59

1. Sam Snead: 1 win (1951), one solo third, and four other top-10s. Snead’s continued excellence, with another PGA title and smooth transition to stroke play era (1958-59), makes him the decade’s best performer.
2. Walter Burkemo: 1 win (1953), two runner-ups, a solo third, and four other top-20s. Burkemo’s 1953 victory and impressive showings earn him a surprising second-place spot.
3. Chick Harbert: 1 win (1954) and one runner-up. Harbert’s 1954 title and runner-up finish edge out others like Jack Burke Jr. in the final match-play years.

1960-69

1. Jack Nicklaus: 1 win (1963), two runner-ups (1964-65), and two more T3s (1962, 1967). Nicklaus’ first of five PGA titles came in 1963, signaling his emerging dominance.
2. Gary Player: 1 win (1962), one runner-up (1969) and one T3 (1966). Player’s victory and two other close calls make him a standout in the early stroke-play era.
3. Don January: 1 win (1967), one runner-up (1961), and one solo fifth (1960). January’s 1967 victory, his only career major, and two top-5 finishes place him third in what was a competitive decade which included legends like Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer.

1970-79

1. Jack Nicklaus: 3 wins (1971, 1973, 1975), one runner-up (1974) and three other top-6 finishes. Nicklaus’ three PGA titles and multiple near-misses easily cement him as the decade’s best for the second consecutive decade.
2. Dave Stockton: 2 wins (1970, 1976) and two other top-20s. The two wins keeps him ahead of one-title winners like Trevino.
3. Lee Trevino: 1 win (1974), one top-10, and four other top-20s. Trevino’s 1974 victory and consistent contention edge out others.

1980-89

1. Jack Nicklaus: 1 win (1980), one runner-up (1983) and one other top-5 (1981). Nicklaus’ fifth PGA title at age 40 (1980) and continued competitiveness make him the decade’s top performer for the third time running.
2. Lee Trevino: 1 win (1984), one runner-up (1985), one top-10 (1980) and two other top-15s. Trevino’s 1984 victory at Shoal Creek and strong finishes place him a close second to Nicklaus.
3. Larry Nelson: 2 wins (1981, 1987). Nelson earned two titles, including a playoff win in 1981, but failed to finish in the top 20 in any of his eight other starts during the decade.

1990-99

1. Nick Price: 2 wins (1992, 1994), two top-5s (1998-99), and one other top-10 (1996). Price’s dominance and consistent play make him the decade’s best in a spread-out field.
2. Steve Elkington: 1 win (1995), two top-3s, and one other top-10. Elkington’s impressive five-year run (T7, 1st, T3, T45, 3rd), from 1994-1998, earns him the second spot.
3. Vijay Singh: 1 win (1998) and two top-5s (1993, 1996). Singh’s win at Sahalee Country Club edges out players like John Daly (1 win) due to broader results.

2000-09

1. Tiger Woods: 3 wins (2000, 2006, 2007), two runner-ups (2002, 2009) and one other top-5. Woods’ three PGA titles, including back-to-back wins (2006–2007), mark him as the decade’s undisputed king.
2. Phil Mickelson: 1 win (2005), one runner-up (2001), and three other top-10s. Mickelson’s 2005 victory at Baltusrol and consistent contention place him a distant second.
3. Vijay Singh: 1 win (2004) and two top-10s. Singh’s 2004 playoff win at Whistling Straits gives him a second straight best-of-decade honor.

2010-19

1. Brooks Koepka: 2 wins (2018, 2019), two top-5s (2015-16) and two other top-15s. Koepka’s back-to-back titles, including a wire-to-wire 2019 win at Bethpage, place him atop the list.
2. Rory McIlroy: 2 wins (2012, 2014), one top-3, and one other top-10. McIlroy’s dominant victories at Kiawah (2012) and Valhalla (2014) make him the decade’s close second.
3. Jason Day: 1 win (2015), one runner-up (2016) and three other top-10s. Day’s record-setting -20 at Whistling Straits in 2015 secures third, ahead of players like Justin Thomas and Martin Kaymer.

2020-24 (partial decade)

1. Brooks Koepka: 1 win (2023) and one runner-up (2021). Koepka’s win and close second to Phil Mickelson in 2021 edges out others.
2. Collin Morikawa: 1 win (2020) and two other top-10s. Morikawa’s breakthrough at TPC Harding Park, with a clutch final round, makes him a top-3 standout.
3. Phil Mickelson: 1 win (2021). Mickelson’s historic age-50 victory at Kiawah’s Ocean Course is one of the decade’s defining moments.

Notes

Criteria: Wins were the primary factor, followed by runner-up finishes and top-5 placements. In decades with ties (e.g., 1990s), broader major performance or historical significance broke deadlocks (e.g. Phil Mickelson’s win at 50 over Xander Schauffele’s win in 2024).

Match vs. Stroke Play: The PGA was match play until 1958, which favored clutch performers like Hagen, Sarazen, Snead, and Hogan. Stroke play (1958–present) rewarded consistency, benefiting players like Nicklaus, Player, Trevino, Singh, Woods, Mickelson, and Koepka.

Data Gaps: The 2020s list is based on results through 2024, with 2025’s Quail Hollow event pending.