Ahead of the 106th edition of the US PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, here is a list of historical records achieved at the Major championship.
Most US PGA Championship Victories: Jack Nicklaus & Walter Hagen (5)
Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus both have five US PGA Championship wins, one more than Tiger Woods.
Hagen’s victories all came during the Match Play era of the tournament (1916 – 1957), which include four in a row: 1924, 1925, 1926 and 1927. Meanwhile, Nicklaus won his titles in three separate decades. The first of those came in 1963, before he added three in 1971, 1973 and 1975, and a final title in 1980.
Woods successfully defended his title twice, winning in 1999 and 2000, and 2006 and 2007. Behind Woods, with three victories each, are Gene Sarazen (1922, 1923 and 1933), Sam Snead (1942, 1949 and 1951), and Brooks Koepka (2018, 2019, 2023).
Youngest US PGA Championship winner: Gene Sarazen
Gene Sarazen was 20 years and 169 days when he became the youngest winner of the US PGA Championship in 1922 at Oakmont Country Club, achieving a record that still stands today. He followed it up with a successful defence in 1923, and completed his trio of titles 10 years later.
- 1922 Gene Sarazen - Oakmont CC (20 years, 169 days)
- 1931 Tom Creavy - Wannamoisett CC (20 years, 219 days)
- 1923 Gene Sarazen - Pelham GC (21 years, 210 days)
- 2012 Rory McIlroy - Kiawah Island (23 years, 97 days)
- 1963 Jack Nicklaus - Dallas AC (23 years, 177 days)
Oldest US PGA Championship winner: Phil Mickelson
At 50 years and 338 days, Phil Mickelson made history as the oldest champion in the history of any of the four Majors when he lifted the Wanamaker Trophy in 2021 at Kiawah Island. He bested the 53 year record held by Julius Boros, who had won in 1968 at Pecan Valley at the age of 48 years and 136 days.
- 2021 Phil Mickelson – Kiawah Island (50 years, 338 days)
- 1968 Julius Boros – Pecan Valley (48 years, 136 days)
- 1961 Jerry Barber – Olympia Fields CC (45 years, 92 days)
- 1984 Lee Trevino – Shoal Creek CC (44 years, 258 days)
- 2004 Vijay Singh – Whistling Straits (41 years, 172 days)
- 1980 Jack Nicklaus – Oak Hill (40 years, 198 days)
Largest Winning Margin: Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy won the 2012 US PGA Championship by eight strokes at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, which remains the largest margin of victory.
The previous record had been set by Jack Nicklaus, who won the 1980 PGA Championship at Oak Hill CC by seven strokes.
Wire to Wire Winners
There have been five wire to wire champions in the history of the US PGA Championship.
1964 - Bobby Nichols, Columbus CC
1971 - Jack Nicklaus, PGA National GC
1982 - Raymond Floyd, Southern Hills CC
1983 - Hal Sutton, Riviera CC
2019 - Brooks Koepka, Bethpage State Park Black Course
Lowest 18 Hole Score
There have been 18 rounds of 63 in the US PGA Championship, starting with Bruce Crampton in the second round at Firestone in 1975 and ending with Bubba Watson at Southern Hills during the second round last year. Brooks Koepka is the only player to record a 63 on more than one occasion.
1975 Bruce Crampton - Round 2 (Firestone, -7)
1982 Raymond Floyd – Round 1 (Southern Hills, -7)
1984 Gary Player – Round 2 (Shoal Creek, -9)
1993 Vijay Singh – Round 2 (Inverness Club, -8)
1995 Michael Bradley – Round 1 (Riviera CC, -8)
1995 Brad Faxon – Round 4 (Riviera, -8)
2000 Jose Maria Olazabal – Round 3 (Valhalla, -9)
2001 Mark O’Meara – Round 2 (Atlanta, -7)
2005 Thomas Bjorn – Round 3 (Baltusrol GC, -7)
2007 Tiger Woods – Round 2 (Southern Hills CC, -7)
2011 Steve Stricker - Round 1 (Atlanta, -7)
2013 Jason Dufner – Round 2 (Oak Hill, -7)
2015 Hiroshi Iwata – Round 2 (Whistling Straits GC, -9)
2016 Robert Streb – Round 2 (Baltusrol GC, -7)
2018 Charl Schwartzel - Round 2, Brooks Koepka - Round 2 (Bellrive, -7)
2019 Brooks Koepka - Round 1 (Bethpage State Park, -7)
2022 Bubba Watson - Round 2 (Southern Hills, -7)
There have been 41 occasions when a 64 has been posted.
Lowest 72 Hole Score
With rounds of 69, 63, 66 and 66, Brooks Koepka made history in 2018 with the lowest 72 hole score in the US PGA Championship of 264 (-16) at Bellerive. That total is one better than David Toms recorded in 2001 at the Atlanta Athletic Club, and two better than Phil Mickelson (2001 Atlanta Athletic Club), Jimmy Walker (2016 Baltusrol) and Tiger Woods (2018 Bellerive CC).
Lowest 72 hole score (To Par)
Jason Day set the record for the lowest 72 hole score to par at Whistling Straits in 2015, winning his sole Major championship to date on 20 under par.
He beat the previous record of 18 under par, which had been achieved on three other occasions: By Bob May and Tiger Woods at Valhalla GC in 2000, and again by Woods in 2006 at Medinah Country Club.
Lowest 9 hole score
Brad Faxon set the lowest nine-hole score in the history of the tournament with a front nine 28 during the fourth round at Riviera Country Club in 1995 (records only available since 1982).
Biggest Comeback after 54 Holes
Justin Thomas tied the record for the largest final round comeback at Southern Hills Country Club in 2022, coming from seven shots adrift at the start of the day. The record was previously set by 1978 champion John Mahaffey, who began his final round seven shots behind at Oakmont Country Club.
Largest 18 hole lead
The largest 18 hole lead in history has been three strokes, achieved three separate times.
Dick Hart was the first to hold a three shot advantage after 18 holes at Dallas Athletic Club in 1963, followed by Bobby Nichols in 1964 at Columbus Country Club, and Raymond Floyd at Southern Hills Country Club in 1982.
Largest 36 hole lead
Brooks Koepka led by seven strokes during his victory at Bethpage State Park Black K Course in 2019.
Largest 54 hole lead
On his way to victory in 2019, Koepka also set the record for the 54 hole lead – retaining a seven shot advantage over the field heading into the final round. He bested the previous 54-hole lead of five strokes, set by Raymond Floyd in 1969 at National Cash Register Country Club, and matched by Tom Watson at Oakmont in 1978, and by Floyd again at Southern Hills Country Club in 1982.
Most Tournament Appearances
Including the match play era, Sam Snead holds the most US PGA Championship appearances of all time, with 38.
In the stroke play era alone, both Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus appeared in this Major 37 times each – with Palmer’s 37 appearances also being consecutive. Nicklaus made 36 consecutive appearances from 1962 to 1997, and made his last appearance in 2000.
How many players have more than one US PGA Championship title?
There are 21 different players who have won multiple US PGA Championship titles.
Jim Barnes was the first to accomplish the feat when he won the match play title in both 1916 and 1919, while 2022 champion Justin Thomas became the 21st player to win multiple US PGA Championships when he won his second Major title five years after he claimed his first US PGA Championship in 2017.
5: Walter Hagen 1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, Jack Nicklaus 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980
4: Tiger Woods 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007
3: Gene Sarazen 1922, 1923, 1933, Sam Snead 1942, 1949, 1951, Brooks Koepka 2018, 2019, 2023
2: Jim Barnes 1916, 1919, Leo Diegel 1928, 1929, Denny Shute 1936, 1937, Paul Runyan 1934, 1938, Byron Nelson 1940, 1945, Ben Hogan 1946, 1948, Gary Player 1962, 1972, Dave Stockton 1970, 1976, Raymond Floyd 1969, 1982, Lee Trevino 1974, 1984, Larry Nelson 1981, 1987, Nick Price 1992, 1994, Vijay Singh 1998, 2004, Rory McIlroy 2012, 2014, Phil Mickelson 2005, 2021, Justin Thomas 2017, 2022
Most Runner-Up Finishes: Jack Nicklaus (4)
In addition to his five victories, Jack Nicklaus also holds the record for runner-up finishes in the US PGA Championship with four (1964,1965,1974 and 1983).
Five other players have finished as the runner-up on three occasions: Byron Nelson (1939,1941 and 1944), Billy Casper (1958,1965 and 1971), Arnold Palmer (1964,1968 and 1970), Lanny Wadkins (1982,1984 and 1987) and Tiger Woods (2002,2009 and 2018).
Most Top 10 Finishes (Stroke Play era)
Including his five wins and four runner-up finishes, Jack Nicklaus holds the record for the most top 10 finishes in this event with 15 – five more than any other players.
Behind Nicklaus are a slew of multiple Major champions: Tom Watson and Phil Mickelson both have ten top 10s apiece, with Tiger Woods one behind on nine. Four others are tied on eight top 10s: Raymond Floyd, Sam Snead, Gary Player and Bill Casper.
Wins by Native Country
With 85 victories, USA is far and away the leader in this category. Australia is next with five, while South Africa is one further back with four.
Scotland, Northern Ireland, England and Fiji each have two.
