Established in 1916, the PGA Championships quickly became one of the most prestigious events in the American sporting calendar.
Although staged at various venues right across the United States, it is usually hosted by a course situated in and around the country’s eastern seaboard. Unlike the other three majors, the PGA Championship is exclusively contested by professional players.
The tournament’s first-ever winner was the pioneering Jim Barnes, who emerged triumphant at New York’s Siwanoy Country Club over a century ago.
As the opening 39 PGA Championships (until 1957) adopted a knockout-style structure, the Englishman had to navigate four previous stages before overcoming fellow Hall of Famer Jock Hutchison in the final. After World War I pre-empted a two-year hiatus, Barnes also won the second edition of the tournament in 1919.
The match play format was adopted throughout this early period, before organisers opted to introduce stroke play in 1958.
Since then, all PGA Championships have used the standard 72-hole template we see in the majority of elite competitions, with four rounds played over the course of a long weekend.
A series of golfing legends have lifted the revered Wanamaker Trophy, considered to be one of the most prestigious pieces of silverware the sport has to offer. We list every previous PGA Championship winner below, after touching on the records and accomplishments of an extremely gifted group of players….
Who is the tournament’s most successful player?
Having won the PGA Championships on five separate occasions throughout his trophy-laden career, Jack Nicklaus is arguably the most successful player in the tournament’s history.
Walter Hagen has also been a five-time recipient of the Wanamaker Trophy, but Nicklaus’ quality and consistency – the Ohio-born icon routinely challenged at the top end of the leaderboard – give him the edge over his esteemed peer.
Here's an overview of Nicklaus’ best PGA Championship performances:
1963
Just over a year after celebrating his maiden major at the 1962 U.S Open, Nicklaus landed a first PGA Championship title.
Despite entering the final round in third place, the American ace would leapfrog Dow Finsterwald and leader Bruce Crampton – someone who later became familiar with playing second fiddle to Nicklaus at this particular tournament – to secure the top prize.
The drama unfolded on a scorching day at the Dallas Athletic Club, with temperatures exceeding 100°F (38°C). Consequently, the newly-crowned champion made the sensible decision to grip the Wanamaker Trophy with a towel before hoisting it aloft.
1964
As the 46th edition of the PGA Championships was due to be hosted in his hometown of Columbus, Nicklaus had added motivation to defend his title. An unapologetically partisan crowd supported their hero through every hole, but Bobby Nichols would prevail in the Ohioan capital.
Nicklaus shared second place with the already legendary Arnold Palmer, who was at the beginning of his ultimately fruitless search for an eighth majors success.
1965
A second consecutive runners-up medal was secured in 1965, following a tense weekend at Laurel Valley. With the progressive leader never concluding the day with more than a two-stroke advantage, the champion remained undecided until the closing stages of the competition.
Dave Marr held his nerve to clinch the title, with Nicklaus and Billy Casper on his coattails in second.
1966
Nicklaus claimed a second PGA Championship title eight years on from his first, thanks to a dazzling display at the PGA National Resort. The ‘Golden Bear’ ripped apart the field, leading from start to finish to close out the final round seven shots clear of his closest rival.
Consequently, Nicklaus became the first player in history to complete the Grand Slam twice.
1973
Having narrowly missed out on clinching the Wanamaker Trophy in his native state nine years earlier, Nicklaus avenged this disappointment by winning the 1973 PGA Championships at Ohio’s Canterbury Golf Club.
This seminal triumph in Cleveland’s eastern suburbs furnished him with an unprecedented fourteenth majors crown, ensuring he surpassed the previous record set by Bobby Jones in 1934.
1974
Although he remained within touching distance of the leader from the very first round, Nicklaus was unable to force his way into pole position by the conclusion of the 1974 PGA Championship.
The five-time PGA Player of the Year had no choice but to once again settle for second place, after losing out to Lee Trevino by the narrowest of margins.
1975
A second success on Ohioan soil came next, as Nicklaus battled to a hard-earned victory at the Firestone Country Club in Akron. Less than three months earlier, the future Congressional Gold Medal recipient acquired his fifth green jacket following a thrilling finale to the 1975 Masters.
1980
The fifth and final PGA Championship title of Nicklaus’ illustrious career arrived in 1980, when New York’s Oak Hill Country Club – soon to be used as a semi-regular host venue – staged the tournament for the very first time. Coming off the back of an underwhelming 1979 campaign, there was immense pressure on Nicklaus to perform.
Now 40 years of age, he managed to engineer the greatest margin of victory the PGA Championship had ever witnessed to date, finishing seven strokes clear at the summit of the leaderboard after being the only player to register a below-par score.
1983
Although a further 14 years passed before he finally bid farewell to the competition, Nicklaus delivered his last top-two finish at the PGA Championships in 1983. Targeting a first major title since his 1980 U.S Open triumph, Nicklaus took just 275 strokes to navigate the Riviera Country Club. Despite shooting an even-par final round, American compatriot Hal Sutton just pipped him to the post.
Other achievements
In addition to his five titles and four second-placed finishes, Nicklaus also holds a considerable set of PGA Championship records. Several of these are listed below:
Most top three finishes: 12
Most sub-70 rounds: 41
Most cuts made: 27 (shares record with two-time PGA Championship winner Raymond Floyd
Lowest scoring average (amongst players who have completed over 75 rounds): 71.37 over 128 rounds.
N.B. Only Sam Snead has made more PGA Championship appearances than Jack Nicklaus, who featured in 37 editions of the tournament. Snead’s long-standing record of 38 appearances is unlikely to ever be beaten.
Walter Hagen – a close second
Although his endeavours at the PGA Championships have been a little overshadowed by the sheer greatness of Jack Nicklaus, a special mention should always be reserved for Walter Hagen.
A crucial contributor to golf’s professionalisation and arguably the most talented player of his generation, Hagen won the PGA Championships on five occasions throughout a glittering six-year period. The New Yorker also nearly claimed the Wanamaker Trophy in 1923, when a rogue second-hole tee shot at the Pelham Country Club resulted in him losing to playoff rival Gene Sarazen.
Best performances (venue in brackets)
1921: Winner (Inwood Country Club, New York)
1923: Runner-up (Pelham Country Club, New York)
1924: Winner (Hill Course at French Lick Springs, Indiana)
1925: Winner (Olympia Fields Country Club, Illinois)
1926: Winner (Red Course at Salisbury, New York)
1927: Winner (Cedar Crest, Texas)
Tournament records
Here’s a selection of other PGA Championship records:
Oldest winner: Phil Mickelson was aged 50 years and 341 days when he won the 2021 PGA Championships at the Kiawah Island Resort.
Youngest winner: Gene Sarazen was aged 20 years and 174 days when he won the 1922 PGA Championships at the Oakmont Country Club.
Lowest 72-hole score versus par: Jason Day scored 20 under par at Whistling Straits in 2015. At the time, it was the lowest score in relation to par ever recorded at any major.
Lowest 18-hole score (strokes): Xander Schauffele achieved a first round score of 62 en route to winning the 2024 PGA Championships at Valhalla Golf Club.
Biggest winning margin (match play era): Paul Runyan won the 1938 PGA Championships after defeating Sam Snead by a score of 8&7 at the Shawnee Country Club.
Biggest winning margin (stroke play era): Rory McIlroy finished eight strokes ahead of second-placed David Lynn at the 2012 PGA Championship, after navigating the Kiawah Island Resort in just 275 shots.
Previous winners
We’ve provided a full list of PGA Championship winners below:
Stroke play era
2025: Scottie Scheffler
2024: Xander Schauffele
2023: Brooks Koepka
2022: Justin Thomas
2021: Phil Mickelson
2020: Collin Morikawa
2019: Brooks Koepka
2018: Brooks Koepka
2017: Justin Thomas
2016: Jimmy Walker
2015: Jason Day
2014: Rory McIlroy
2013: Jason Dufner
2012: Rory McIlroy
2011: Keegan Bradley
2010: Martin Kaymer
2009: Yang Yong-eun
2008: Pádraig Harrington
2007: Tiger Woods
2006: Tiger Woods
2005: Phil Mickelson
2004: Vijay Singh
2003: Shaun Micheel
2002: Rich Beem
2001: David Toms
2000: Tiger Woods
1999: Tiger Woods
1998: Vijay Singh
1997: Davis Love III
1996: Mark Brooks
1995: Steve Elkington
1994: Nick Price
1993: Paul Azinger
1992: Nick Price
1991: John Daly
1990: Wayne Grady
1989: Payne Stewart
1988: Jeff Sluman
1987: Larry Nelson
1986: Bob Tway
1985: Hubert Green
1984: Lee Trevino
1983: Hal Sutton
1982: Raymond Floyd
1981: Larry Nelson
1980: Jack Nicklaus
1979: David Graham
1978: John Mahaffey
1977: Lanny Wadkins
1976: Dave Stockton
1975: Jack Nicklaus
1974: Lee Trevino
1973: Jack Nicklaus
1972: Gary Player
1971: Jack Nicklaus
1970: Dave Stockton
1969: Raymond Floyd
1968: Julius Boros
1967: Don January
1966: Al Geiberger
1965: Dave Marr
1964: Bobby Nichols
1963: Jack Nicklaus
1962: Gary Player
1961: Jerry Barber
1960: Jay Hebert
1959: Bob Rosburg
1958: Dow Finsterwald
Match play era
1957: Lionel Hebert
1956: Jack Burke Jr.
1955: Doug Ford
1954: Chick Harbert
1953: Walter Burkemo
1952: Jim Turnesa
1951: Sam Snead
1950: Chandler Harper
1949: Sam Snead
1948: Ben Hogan
1947: Jim Ferrier
1946: Ben Hogan
1945: Byron Nelson
1944: Bob Hamilton
1943: Tournament cancelled due to World War II
1942: Sam Snead
1941: Vic Ghezzi
1940: Byron Nelson
1939: Henry Picard
1938: Paul Runyan
1937: Denny Shute
1936: Denny Schute
1935: Johnny Revolta
1934: Paul Runyan
1933: Gene Sarazen
1932: Olin Dutra
1931: Tom Creavy
1930: Tommy Armour
1929: Leo Diegel
1928: Leo Diegel
1927: Walter Hagen
1926: Walter Hagen
1925: Walter Hagen
1924: Walter Hagen
1923: Gene Sarazen
1922: Gene Sarazen
1921: Walter Hagen
1920: Jock Hutchison
1919: Jim Barnes
1917 and 1918: Tournaments cancelled due to World War I
1916: Jim Barnes