Jack’s Place: When talking majors, Nicklaus can’t be beat

Major golf championships started before the Civil War: Willie Park won the first British Open, a 36-hole affair at Prestwick, in 1860. The U.S. Open debuted in 1895, and it was followed by the PGA Championship (1916) and the Masters (1934). To identify the greatest major championship players of all time, SI Golf Group devised a point system, and in the end, Jack Nicklaus—the record holder with 18 professional majors—emerged as the greatest major champion. The magazine started with the 1892 British because that was the first year the event was contested over 72 holes. While players from more than a century ago competed in only two majors a year, keep in mind that fields were considerably smaller, meaning it was easier to accumulate top 10s. So the playing field is somewhat leveled when comparing one era with another.

Point System

First	100
Second	70
Third	65
Fourth	60
Fifth	55
Sixth	50
Seventh	45
Eighth	40
Ninth	35
10th	30
11th-17th	25
18th-25th	20
26th-30th	15
31st-40th	10
41st+*	5

*finishing 72 holes

Rank	Player	Points	Starts	Masters	U.S. Open	British Open	PGA
1	Jack Nicklaus	5,810	164	6 wins, 4 seconds	4 wins, 4 seconds	3 wins, 7 seconds	5 wins, 4 seconds
	Surprised? Big Jack played in the most majors and had the most wins (18), most seconds (19) and most top 10s (73).
2	Sam Snead	3,730	118	3 wins, 8 top-3s	4 seconds	1 win, 5 starts	3 wins, 2 other finals
	Had seven wins and 60 top 25s; his biggest disappointment was that he never won the U.S. Open.
3	Gary Player	3,600	150	3 wins, 15 top-10s	1 win, 2 seconds	3 wins in three decades	2 wins, 2 seconds
	Nine wins and 18 top threes, and his 70 top 25s are second only to Nicklaus’s 95.
4	Tom Watson	3,535	140	2 wins, 3 seconds	1 win, 2 seconds	5 wins, 2 seconds	1 second
	His eight wins are sixth-all time, but he never won the PGA, losing in a playoff in 1978.
5	Tiger Woods	3,255	70	4 wins, 11 top-5s	3 wins, 2 seconds	3 wins, 2 thirds	4 wins, 2 seconds
	Has a remarkable 20 percent win rate, but his victory drought is at six years and counting.
6	Gene Sarazen	3,215	116	1 win	2 wins, 7 top-3s	1 win	3 wins in match play
	First player to win the modern Grand Slam, and the first to win the U.S. Open and the PGA in the same year (1922).
7	Arnold Palmer	3,195	142	4 wins, 9 top-4s	1 win, 4 seconds	2 wins, 1 second	Three seconds
	His seven wins came in a six-year window, and he was a 10-time runner-up over his career.
8	Ray Floyd	2,715	127	1 win, 1 second	1 win	1 second	2 wins, 1 second
	Turned his only top-five in the U.S. Open into a victory in 1986 and was two back of Jack at the 1978 British.
T9	Ben Hogan	2,705	58	2 wins, 4 seconds	4 wins, 10 top-5s	1 win in only start	2 wins in match play
	Fabulous record for a late bloomer who coped with the Depression, World War II, and a serious car accident.
T9	Phil Mickelson	2,705	86	3 wins, 5 thirds	6 seconds	1 win, 1 second	1 win, 1 second
	Didn’t win his first major until age 34, and he holds a dubious record in the U.S. Open.
11	Walter Hagen	2,630	54	No top-10s	Two wins, 1 second	Four wins, 1 second	Five wins in match play
	Most wins of anyone before World War II, and his 20.7 percent win rate is the best of all time.
12	Ernie Els	2,610	85	Two seconds	Two wins, 1 second	Two wins, 9 top-fives	2 thirds
	Has won majors in three decades, and he was in contention on Sunday in six of Tiger’s 14 victories.
13	Greg Norman	2,405	91	3 seconds, 9 top-sixes	Two seconds	Two wins, 1 second	Two seconds
	What could have been—he was in the hunt, if not in the lead, in a dozen majors on the back nine on Sunday.
14	Nick Faldo	2,390	98	3 wins	Lost playoff in 1988	3 wins, 1 second	1 second, 1 third
	Six-time winner, made most of his opportunities after being in contention just 12 times.
15	Ben Crenshaw	2,366	116	2 wins, 2 seconds	1 third	2 seconds	Lost playoff in 1979
	In contention more than a dozen times, but had problems closing the door on the back nine.
16	Tom Kite	2,200	109	3 seconds	1 win	1 second	2 fourths
	Accumulated a lot of points due to longevity as well as his 16 top-fives.
17	Lee Trevino	2,180	89	Tenth two times	2 wins	2 wins, 1 second	2 wins, 1 second
	Only flaw for this six-time champion was his indifferent play at Augusta National.
18	Fred Couples	2,120	96	1 win, 11 top-10s	One third	Two thirds	One second
	Contended in all four and was at his best in the Masters (five top-5s) and the British (nine top-10s).
19	Byron Nelson	2,115	53	2 wins, 2 seconds	1 win, 1 second	1 fifth	2 wins in match play
	Excellent record despite playing during the Great Depression and World War II, retired in his prime at age 34.
20	Billy Casper	2,090	94	1 win, 1 second	2 wins	1 fourth	3 seconds
	Won in three decades and only played the British five times, never before age 38.

Point System

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