In golf, the term “Grand Slam” usually refers to winning all four Major championships (The Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open, and The Open). However, when fans ask for the “Grand Slam Ranking,” they are typically looking for the all-time leaderboard of total Major victories.
Here is the definitive ranking of every male golfer in history who has won 5 or more Major championships.
🥇 The Ultimate Leaderboard: Most Major Wins
Only 20 men in the history of golf have managed to win 5 or more Majors. Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods sit at the very top in a tier of their own.
| Rank | Golfer | Total Majors | The Masters | PGA Champ. | U.S. Open | The Open |
| 1 | Jack Nicklaus | 18 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| 2 | Tiger Woods | 15 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 3 | Walter Hagen | 11 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 4 |
| 4 | Ben Hogan | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 4 | Gary Player | 9 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 6 | Tom Watson | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| 7 | Arnold Palmer | 7 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 7 | Sam Snead | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Gene Sarazen | 7 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 7 | Bobby Jones (Amateur)* | 7 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| 7 | Harry Vardon | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| 12 | Lee Trevino | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 12 | Nick Faldo | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 12 | Phil Mickelson | 6 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 | Brooks Koepka | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | Seve Ballesteros | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 15 | Byron Nelson | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | Peter Thomson | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 15 | J.H. Taylor | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 15 | James Braid | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Note on Bobby Jones: Jones also won 6 U.S. and British Amateur titles, which were considered Majors during his era. His recognized “modern” Major count is 7, but historically he is credited with 13 Major titles.
👑 The “Career Grand Slam” Club
Winning a high number of Majors is incredible, but winning at least one of all four different Majors requires mastering completely different styles of golf courses (from the pristine greens of Augusta to the harsh, windy links of Scotland).
In the modern era of golf, only five players have achieved the Career Grand Slam:
- Gene Sarazen (Completed in 1935 by winning The Masters)
- Ben Hogan (Completed in 1953 by winning The Open)
- Gary Player (Completed in 1965 by winning the U.S. Open)
- Jack Nicklaus (Completed in 1966 by winning The Open)
- Tiger Woods (Completed in 2000 by winning The Open)
The “Missing One” Club (Active Players)
Several modern greats are just one specific tournament away from joining the elite Career Grand Slam club. They have won 3 of the 4 Majors, but the final one continues to elude them:
- Rory McIlroy: Has 4 Majors, but is missing The Masters.
- Jordan Spieth: Has 3 Majors, but is missing the PGA Championship.
- Phil Mickelson: Has 6 Majors, but is missing the U.S. Open (he has famously finished 2nd a record six times).