Top 5 Greatest PGA Tour Win Leaders of All-Time

The PGA Tour was founded in 1929, before splitting from the PGA of America in 1968. While this originated the modern PGA Tour as we know it, wins before the split still count towards this list.

Winning on the PGA Tour is of extreme importance for professionals, as 20 victories secure a permanent membership and exemption from requalifying.

5. Byron Nelson – 52 Wins

Nelson still holds the record for the most PGA Tour wins in a single season with 18 out of 30 tournaments played in 1945. He also set the record for the best winning percentage in a year.

His first PGA Tour win was at the New Jersey Open in 1935, while his last victory came in 1951 at the Bing Crosby Pro-Am.

Nelson was also the first player in Tour history to reach the 50-win mark. While most of his wins came between 1944 and 1945, he still enjoyed plenty of success prior to the War.

A five-time major champion, Nelson won the Masters and the PGA Championship twice, as well as the U.S. Open once.

4. Arnold Palmer – 62 Wins

Swing of 4-time Masters champion (1958, 1960, 1962, 1964) Arnold Palmer. pic.twitter.com/sITP7Ehyyw

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) April 9, 2020

One of the most popular players in golf history, Palmer takes the fourth spot in the list with 62 Tour wins.

His first victory came during his rookie season in 1955, at the Canadian Open, and continued to accumulate wins over the next decade. Palmer’s last win was in 1973 at the Bob Hope Desert Classic.

A seven-time major winner, Palmer is tied for sixth place in the all-time list. He won three of the four majors and was a three-time runner-up at the PGA Championship.

Palmer officially retired in 2006, after spending the remaining years of his career competing in the PGA Tour Champions.

3. Ben Hogan – 64 Wins

The greatest student of the game, Hogan overcame a number of obstacles over the course of his life in order to become one of the best players in PGA history.

He became a pro in 1930, but the first win on the PGA Tour only came in 1938. Hogan’s career was briefly interrupted for two years between 1943 and 1945, but he returned to action after World War II.

With nine major wins, Hogan is one of five players in golf history to win all four tournaments.

In 1953, he became the first player to capture the Triple Crown after winning the Masters, the U.S. Open and the Open Championship. It was his first and only appearance at the Open.

Hogan’s last win came in 1959 at the Colonial National Invitational.

Check out also the “Colonial Country Club” golf course guide, also nicknamed “Hogan’s Alley”.

2. Jack Nicklaus – 73 Wins

The all-time leader in major wins with 19, Nicklaus became the first player in golf history to achieve three career grand-slams.

Widely regarded as one of the best to ever play the game, Nicklaus made the transition to professional golf in 1961. His PGA Tour debut came in 1962.

As a rookie, Nicklaus beat Arnold Palmer to win the U.S. Open title, which also happened to be his first Tour victory.

Nicklaus also holds the record for the most Players Championship wins with three. He retired from the Tour in 1998 but continued to compete at the Senior level.

The American legend is an eight-time PGA Tour Champions winner, all of his eight wins coming at Senior majors.

You can’t hit the green from there. ?@TigerWoods has entered the chat. ? pic.twitter.com/ljPkwz8fDh

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 14, 2020

Woods and Snead are tied for first in the list with 82 wins.

Snead turned professional in 1934, scoring his first PGA Tour win in 1936 at the West Virginia Closed Pro.

His career spanned six different decades, with wins in four. Snead was also a seven-time major winner, capturing the title in three of the four tournaments.

Snead also holds the record for the oldest winner in Tour history, a feat he achieved at the 1965 Greater Greensboro Open (52 years, ten months and eight days). It was his eighth win at the tournament, a feat that has only been achieved three times in PGA history.

Woods is the only player of the list who remains active, and will likely take sole possession of the first spot in the next few years.

Second in the all-time majors winners list with 15 titles, Woods turned professional in August 1996. Two months later, he won the Las Vegas Invitational and the Walt Disney World Golf Classic for his first two career victories.

Woods won his first major a year later at the Masters.

He became the second player in PGA Tour history to achieve a career grand-slam three times. Woods also won the triple crown in 2000, becoming the first player to achieve the feat in 47 years.

Woods ended a five-year drought at the 2018 Tour Championship to clinch his 80th PGA Tour title. A year later, he won the Zozo Championship in Japan to match Snead’s record of 82 wins.

PGA Tour Winners FAQ

Who has the most wins in PGA Tour history?

Tiger Woods and Sam Snead are tied for the most wins in PGA Tour history with 82.

Who is the oldest winner in PGA Tour history?

Sam Snead is the oldest winner in PGA Tour history at 52 years, ten months and eight days.

Who has the most major titles in PGA Tour history?

Jack Nicklaus has the most major titles in PGA Tour history with 18.

You can’t hit the green from there. ?@TigerWoods has entered the chat. ? pic.twitter.com/ljPkwz8fDh

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 14, 2020

Woods and Snead are tied for first in the list with 82 wins.

Snead turned professional in 1934, scoring his first PGA Tour win in 1936 at the West Virginia Closed Pro.

His career spanned six different decades, with wins in four. Snead was also a seven-time major winner, capturing the title in three of the four tournaments.

Snead also holds the record for the oldest winner in Tour history, a feat he achieved at the 1965 Greater Greensboro Open (52 years, ten months and eight days). It was his eighth win at the tournament, a feat that has only been achieved three times in PGA history.

Woods is the only player of the list who remains active, and will likely take sole possession of the first spot in the next few years.

Second in the all-time majors winners list with 15 titles, Woods turned professional in August 1996. Two months later, he won the Las Vegas Invitational and the Walt Disney World Golf Classic for his first two career victories.

Woods won his first major a year later at the Masters.

He became the second player in PGA Tour history to achieve a career grand-slam three times. Woods also won the triple crown in 2000, becoming the first player to achieve the feat in 47 years.

Woods ended a five-year drought at the 2018 Tour Championship to clinch his 80th PGA Tour title. A year later, he won the Zozo Championship in Japan to match Snead’s record of 82 wins.

PGA Tour Winners FAQ