The PGA Championship is one of the four major tournaments on the PGA Tour (The Masters, US Open and the Open Championship). The tournament has been held annually since 1916, except during World War I and the Second World War. The PGA Championship was determined by matchplay format until 1958 when it moved to stroke play. The winner wins the coveted Wanamaker trophy.
Jack Nicklaus (1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980) and Walter Hagen (1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927) are associated with the most PGA Championship titles. Scotty Schaeffler won the 2025 PGA Championship, earning the third biggest victory of his career.
Let’s take a look at the best PGA Championship winners of all time.
Matchplay era
1957: Lionel Hebert
1956: Jack Burke Jr.
1955: Doug Ford
1954: Chick Herbert
1953: Walter Brukemo
1952: Jim Turner
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: Cancelled by World War II
1942: Sam Snead
1941: Vic Ghezzi
1940: Byron Nelson
1939: Henry Picard
1938: Paul Runyan
1937: Denny Schute
1936: Denny Schute
1935: Johnny Rebellion
1934: Paul Runyan
1933: Disappeared
1932: Olin Dattla
1931: Tom Creeby
1930: Tommy Armor
1929: Leodigel
1928: Leo Digel
1927: Walter Hagen
1926: Walter Hagen
1925: Walter Hagen
1924: Walter Hagen
1923: Genes
1922: I’m going to Sarazin
1921: Walter Hagen
1920: Jock Hutchson
1919: Jim Burns
1918: Cancelled due to World War I
1917: Cancelled due to World War I
1916: Jim Burns
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