As the golf world turns its attention to the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club, May 15-18, Rory McIlroy stands on the cusp of history. Fresh off his dramatic playoff victory at the 2025 Masters, McIlroy has a chance to join an exclusive club: golfers who have won The Masters and PGA Championship in the same year. Only three players—Sam Snead (1949), Jack Nicklaus (1963, 1975), and Arnold Palmer (1962)—have achieved this rare double, and McIlroy’s form and familiarity with Quail Hollow make him a prime candidate to become the fourth.

A Historic Feat

The Masters-PGA double is a testament to a golfer’s versatility and peak performance. Snead’s 1949 season saw him dominate with his silky swing, winning the Masters by three strokes and the PGA Championship in match play. Palmer’s 1962 campaign included a thrilling Masters playoff and a two-stroke PGA victory, cementing his status as a fan favorite. Nicklaus, the only golfer to accomplish the feat twice, showcased his prodigious talent in 1963 and his enduring greatness in 1975, the latter featuring one of Augusta’s most iconic finishes. No one has managed this double since Nicklaus’s 1975 triumph, making it a 50-year drought McIlroy aims to end.

McIlroy’s Masters Triumph

McIlroy’s 2025 Masters win was a career-defining moment. After an 11-year major drought, the 35-year-old Northern Irishman defeated Justin Rose in a sudden-death playoff, sinking a 3-foot birdie putt on the 18th to claim his first green jacket and complete the career Grand Slam. The victory was anything but straightforward—McIlroy double-bogeyed the first and 13th holes, bogeyed the 72nd to force the playoff, and admitted to wondering, “Have I let this slip again?” Yet, his resilience shone through, earning him a place alongside Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods as one of six men with all four modern majors.

“It was all relief,” McIlroy said, tears streaming as he fell to his knees. “This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time.” The win, his third of 2025 alongside the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Players Championship, signals a return to peak form, with McIlroy gaining 2.65 strokes per round, surpassing his prime seasons.

Quail Hollow: McIlroy’s Playground

The PGA Championship’s return to Quail Hollow Club, a 7,558-yard, par-71 course, plays directly into McIlroy’s strengths. He has won the Wells Fargo Championship there four times. McIlroy’s recent Masters triumph, combined with his unparalleled success at Quail Hollow, positions him as a leading contender to join this elite group of only 3 players who have complete the double in the same year. However, the pressure of history, fierce competition from players like Scottie Scheffler, and the need to sustain peak form will test his resolve. As the golf world descends on Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina – all eyes will be on McIlroy to see if he can etch his name into another chapter of golfing legend.

Sources: ESPN, The Athletic, PGA TOUR, Golf Digest, Yahoo Sports

The history of professional golf is defined by its major championships, where the greatest players cement their legacies. For men, the PGA Tour recognizes four majors: The Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and PGA Championship. For women, the LPGA Tour currently recognizes five: The Chevron Championship, U.S. Women’s Open, Women’s PGA Championship, The Women’s Open, and The Evian Championship. This article compares the top major winners in both circuits, highlights recent performances, and offers an opinion on the greatest male and female golfers of all time.

Top PGA Men’s Major Winners

The PGA’s major championships have been contested since 1860 (The Open Championship), with the modern era of four majors solidified by the 1930s. Below are the top five male golfers by major victories, based on historical records:

1. Jack Nicklaus – 18 majors (1962–1986)
   • Masters: 6 (1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986)
   • U.S. Open: 4 (1962, 1967, 1972, 1980)
   • The Open: 3 (1966, 1970, 1978)
   • PGA Championship: 5 (1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980)
   • Nicklaus’s record spans three decades, with his 1986 Masters win at age 46 remaining iconic.
2. Tiger Woods – 15 majors (1997–2019)
   • Masters: 5 (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019)
   • U.S. Open: 3 (2000, 2002, 2008)
   • The Open: 3 (2000, 2005, 2006)
   • PGA Championship: 4 (1999, 2000, 2006, 2007)
   • Woods dominated the late 1990s and 2000s, achieving the “Tiger Slam” (holding all four majors simultaneously in 2000–2001).
3. Walter Hagen – 11 majors (1914–1929)
   • U.S. Open: 2 (1914, 1919)
   • The Open: 4 (1922, 1924, 1928, 1929)
   • PGA Championship: 5 (1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927)
   • Hagen’s charisma and competitive spirit elevated golf’s professional status.
4. Ben Hogan – 9 majors (1946–1953)
   • Masters: 2 (1951, 1953)
   • U.S. Open: 4 (1948, 1950, 1951, 1953)
   • The Open: 1 (1953)
   • PGA Championship: 2 (1946, 1948)
   • Hogan’s precision and comeback from a near-fatal car accident in 1949 define his legacy.
5. Gary Player – 9 majors (1959–1978)
   • Masters: 3 (1961, 1974, 1978)
   • U.S. Open: 1 (1965)
   • The Open: 3 (1959, 1968, 1974)
   • PGA Championship: 2 (1962, 1972)
   • Player, the first global golf superstar, won majors across three continents.

Recent PGA Major Winners (2023–2025)

• 2023: Jon Rahm (Masters), Brooks Koepka (PGA Championship), Wyndham Clark (U.S. Open), Brian Harman (The Open).
• 2024: Scottie Scheffler (Masters), Xander Schauffele (PGA Championship, The Open), Bryson DeChambeau (U.S. Open).
• 2025: Rory McIlroy (Masters), completing his career Grand Slam.
• Scheffler and Schauffele have emerged as dominant forces, with Scheffler’s consistency and Schauffele’s clutch performances in 2024. McIlroy’s 2025 Masters win ended a decade-long major drought, solidifying his elite status.

Top LPGA Women’s Major Winners

The LPGA’s major championships have evolved since the 1930 Women’s Western Open, with five majors recognized since 2013. The list of top winners is complicated by retroactive designations (e.g., Titleholders Championship, Women’s Western Open) and changing major statuses. Below are the top five female golfers by major victories:

1. Patty Berg – 15 majors (1937–1958)
   • Titleholders Championship: 7 (1937–1939, 1948, 1953, 1955, 1957)
   • Women’s Western Open: 7 (1941, 1943, 1948, 1951, 1955, 1957, 1958)
   • U.S. Women’s Open: 1 (1946)
   • Berg, an LPGA co-founder, dominated early women’s golf, with eight of her majors retroactively recognized.
2. Mickey Wright – 13 majors (1958–1966)
   • U.S. Women’s Open: 4 (1958, 1959, 1961, 1964)
   • Women’s PGA Championship: 4 (1958, 1960, 1961, 1963)
   • Titleholders Championship: 2 (1961, 1962)
   • Women’s Western Open: 3 (1962, 1963, 1966)
   • Wright won 12 majors in seven years (1958–1964), a feat praised by Ben Hogan for her swing.
3. Louise Suggs – 11 majors (1946–1959)
   • U.S. Women’s Open: 2 (1949, 1952)
   • Women’s PGA Championship: 1 (1957)
   • Titleholders Championship: 4 (1946, 1954, 1956, 1959)
   • Women’s Western Open: 4 (1946, 1947, 1949, 1953)
   • Suggs, another LPGA co-founder, won her 1949 U.S. Women’s Open by 14 shots.
4. Annika Sörenstam – 10 majors (1995–2006)
   • U.S. Women’s Open: 3 (1995, 1996, 2006)
   • Women’s PGA Championship: 3 (2003–2005)
   • Chevron Championship: 3 (2001, 2002, 2005)
   • The Women’s Open: 1 (2003)
   • Sörenstam’s dominance included eight LPGA Player of the Year awards and a 59 in competition.
5. Babe Zaharias – 10 majors (1940–1954)
   • U.S. Women’s Open: 3 (1948, 1950, 1954)
   • Titleholders Championship: 3 (1947, 1950, 1952)
   • Women’s Western Open: 4 (1940, 1944, 1945, 1950)
   • A multi-sport legend, Zaharias won all three 1950 majors, the closest to a Grand Slam.

Recent LPGA Major Winners (2023–2025)

• 2023: Lilia Vu (Chevron Championship, The Women’s Open), Ruoning Yin (Women’s PGA Championship), Allisen Corpuz (U.S. Women’s Open), Amy Yang (The Evian Championship).
• 2024: Nelly Korda (Chevron Championship), Yuka Saso (U.S. Women’s Open), Amy Yang (Women’s PGA Championship), Ayaka Furue (The Evian Championship), Lydia Ko (The Women’s Open).
• 2025: Lydia Ko (Chevron Championship, ongoing recovery from arm injury).
• Korda’s 2024 Chevron win and Ko’s resurgence (two majors in 2024–2025) highlight the LPGA’s depth. Yang’s consistency and Saso’s versatility also stand out.

Comparative Analysis

Historical Context

• PGA: Men’s majors have been stable since the 1930s, with four consistent tournaments. The global prestige and larger fields (often 100+ players) make men’s majors highly competitive. Nicklaus and Woods faced deep fields, including international stars like Player and Seve Ballesteros.
• LPGA: Women’s majors have fluctuated (2–5 per season), with retroactive designations inflating early winners’ totals (e.g., Berg’s 15 majors include 14 from discontinued events). The LPGA’s smaller fields and less global reach historically reduced competition depth, though modern fields are stronger.

Major Totals

• PGA: Nicklaus’s 18 majors are the benchmark, with Woods close at 15. Only three other men have reached double digits (Hagen, Hogan, Player).
• LPGA: Berg’s 15 majors lead, but Wright’s 13 and Sörenstam’s 10 are notable for occurring in more competitive eras. Seven women have 7+ majors, reflecting the LPGA’s evolving major structure.

Career Grand Slams

• PGA: Six men have completed the career Grand Slam (winning all four majors): Gene Sarazen, Hogan, Player, Nicklaus, Woods, and McIlroy (2025).
• LPGA: Seven women have won four different majors (career Grand Slam): Pat Bradley, Juli Inkster, Sörenstam, Suggs, Karrie Webb, Mickey Wright, and Inbee Park. Webb is the only “Super Grand Slam” winner, claiming all five modern majors.

Recent Trends

• PGA: Scheffler and Schauffele dominate, with McIlroy’s 2025 Masters win signaling a potential resurgence. The LIV Golf-PGA Tour split has fragmented fields, but majors remain unified.
• LPGA: Korda, Ko, and Vu lead a globalized field, with Asian players (Saso, Yin, Furue) rising. The LPGA’s five majors offer more opportunities but dilute the Grand Slam’s prestige compared to the PGA’s four.

Opinion: Greatest Golfers

Greatest Male Golfer: Tiger Woods

While Jack Nicklaus holds the record with 18 majors, Tiger Woods is my pick for the greatest male golfer. His 15 majors, including the Tiger Slam, came during a hyper-competitive era with deeper fields than Nicklaus faced. Woods’s 82 PGA Tour wins (tied with Sam Snead) and global impact—elevating golf’s popularity, prize money, and diversity—set him apart. His 2019 Masters comeback after personal and physical struggles showcased unmatched resilience. Nicklaus’s longevity is remarkable, but Woods’s peak dominance and cultural influence tip the scales.

Greatest Female Golfer: Annika Sörenstam

Choosing the greatest female golfer is tougher due to the LPGA’s shifting majors. Patty Berg’s 15 majors are impressive, but many were in less competitive, retroactively designated events. Mickey Wright’s 13 majors and condensed dominance are compelling, especially with praise from Hogan. However, Annika Sörenstam gets my vote. Her 10 majors were won in a modern, globalized era against strong fields, including Nancy Lopez and Karrie Webb. Sörenstam’s 72 LPGA wins, eight Player of the Year awards, and record-low 59 in competition highlight her versatility. Her 2003 Women’s Open win and 2003 PGA Tour appearance (Colonial) further showcase her pioneering spirit. Wright’s swing was legendary, but Sörenstam’s sustained excellence and impact on women’s golf make her the greatest.

Conclusion

The PGA and LPGA major landscapes differ in structure and history, but both celebrate excellence. Nicklaus and Woods lead men’s golf with unparalleled major hauls, while Berg, Wright, and Sörenstam define women’s golf through dominance in varied eras. Recent stars like Scheffler, Korda, and Ko continue to push the game forward. Woods and Sörenstam stand as the greatest, not just for their titles but for transforming golf’s global stage.