Senior major golf championships

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Men's professional senior golf is for players aged 50 and above. Golf differs from all other sports in having lucrative competitions for this age group. The leading senior tour is the U.S.-based PGA Tour Champions, which was established in 1980 (as the Senior PGA Tour). It has established a roster of five major championships.[1] These events are all played over four rounds, whereas other senior tournaments are generally played over three rounds—only one other current Champions Tour event, the limited-field and season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship, is played over four rounds. A golfer's performances can be quite variable from one round to the next, so playing an extra round increases the likelihood that the senior majors will be won by leading players.

In the current order of play, the senior majors are:

The Senior PGA Championship, U.S. Senior Open, and Senior Open Championship, have fields of 144 to 156 players and a 36-hole cut. The Tradition and Senior Players Championship have 81 player fields and no 36-hole cut.

The order of play has changed many times during the history of senior golf, especially since 2006:

  • In 2006 the U.S. Senior Open, Senior Players Championship, and Senior Open were held in July and were consecutive on the schedule. There was no event in the week after the Senior Players, allowing golfers adequate time to travel to the United Kingdom and acclimate for the Senior Open two weeks later. This gave the Champions Tour a very clear peak period, which is not found on most other tours, including the PGA Tour. The Tradition was the last major on the schedule.
  • In 2007 the Senior Players Championship moved to October, two months after The Tradition, to spread the majors over a longer period of time.
  • In 2008, the U.S. Senior Open moved to the week after the Senior Open. This once again gave the Champions Tour a clear peak period, with no tournament held between the U.S. Senior Open and The Tradition (a one-week break in 2008, two weeks in 2009). In 2010, there was a regular tournament in the week after the U.S. Senior Open, followed by a one-week break before The Tradition.
  • The 2011 season saw another significant schedule change. The Tradition moved from late August to early May, becoming the first major of the season. The Senior Players Championship moved from October to the August date vacated by The Tradition.
  • In 2012, the order was almost completely reshuffled. The schedule was also greatly compressed, with all five majors now being played in a two-month period:
    • The Senior PGA Championship remained at its end of May slot.
    • The Tradition moved from early May to mid-June.
    • The Senior Players Championship, formerly the last major of the season in August, moved to late June/early July
    • The U.S. Senior Open remains the fourth major in schedule order, but is now held in mid-July.
    • The Senior Open kept its 2011 date, but due to the other schedule changes is now the final major.

Unlike the mainstream majors, two of the senior majors have title sponsors, and the Senior PGA Championship and Senior Open have presenting sponsors whose names appear after the tournament title. Also unlike the mainstream majors, none of which falls under the direct jurisdiction of any professional tour, the Champions Tour directly operates two of its majors—The Tradition and the Senior Players Championship. The other three senior majors are operated by the same bodies that organize their mainstream counterparts—the PGA of America for the Senior PGA, The R&A for the Senior Open, and the USGA for the U.S. Senior Open.

The Senior PGA is by far the oldest of the senior majors, having commenced in the 1930s. The other four tournaments all date from 1980 or later, having been founded in the era when senior golf became a commercial success. This occurred when the first big golf stars of the television era, men such as Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, began to reach the relevant age.

Unlike mainstream men's golf, the senior game does not have a globally agreed set of majors. The three majors recognized by the European Senior Tour are the Senior PGA Championship and the U.S. and British Senior Opens. However, the Champions Tour is much more dominant in global senior golf than the PGA Tour is in mainstream men's golf.

Senior major winners

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The table below shows the results of all the events designated as majors by the Champions Tour. As the order in which the majors were played frequently changes, they are listed in the current order of play. Winners of Senior PGA Championships played before December 1979 (from the 1980 to 1983 seasons, and again in the 1985 season, it was the winner of the Senior PGA Championship in December of the previous calendar year) and Senior Opens played before 2003 are not listed here as they were not Champions Tour majors at the time nor retroactively recognized as majors. Those winners are shown in the tournaments' articles. The other three tournaments have been Champions Tour majors throughout their existence. Because of the time the Senior PGA Championship was held from 1979-82 and again in 1984 as a December tournament, December playings of the tournament are regarded as wraparound seasons for the subsequent year.

Bernhard Langer holds the record for the most senior majors won with twelve. Gary Player has also won nine championships that are now considered senior golf majors, but three of his titles came at the Senior Open Championship before this tournament officially gained senior major status. Jack Nicklaus has won eight senior majors and holds the record for the most regular majors won (18).

Bernhard Langer is the only player to have won each of the five senior major championships and is therefore held to have won the 'Career Grand Slam.' In his time, Nicklaus also held a 'Career Grand Slam' as the Senior Open did not become the fifth senior major until 2003, by which time Nicklaus had effectively retired from senior golf (his only appearance in the Senior Open was in 2003).

Year The Tradition Senior PGA
Championship
[a]
U.S. Senior Open Kaulig Co.
Championship
The Senior Open
Championship
[b]
2024   Doug Barron   Richard Bland (1/2)   Richard Bland (2/2)   Ernie Els   K. J. Choi
2023   Steve Stricker (5/7)   Steve Stricker (6/7)   Bernhard Langer (12/12)   Steve Stricker (7/7)   Alex Čejka (3/3)
2022   Steve Stricker (4/7)   Steven Alker   Pádraig Harrington   Jerry Kelly (2/2)   Darren Clarke
2021   Alex Čejka (1/3)   Alex Čejka (2/3)   Jim Furyk   Steve Stricker (3/7)   Stephen Dodd
2020 Canceled[c] Canceled[c][6] Canceled[c][7]   Jerry Kelly (1/2) Canceled[c][8]
2019   Steve Stricker (1/7)   Ken Tanigawa   Steve Stricker (2/7)   Retief Goosen   Bernhard Langer (11/12)
2018   Miguel Ángel Jiménez (1/2)   Paul Broadhurst (2/2)   David Toms   Vijay Singh   Miguel Ángel Jiménez (2/2)
2017   Bernhard Langer (8/12)   Bernhard Langer (9/12)   Kenny Perry (4/4)   Scott McCarron   Bernhard Langer (10/12)
2016   Bernhard Langer (6/12)   Rocco Mediate   Gene Sauers   Bernhard Langer (7/12)   Paul Broadhurst (1/2)
2015   Jeff Maggert (1/2)   Colin Montgomerie (3/3)   Jeff Maggert (2/2)   Bernhard Langer (5/12)   Marco Dawson
2014   Kenny Perry (3/4)   Colin Montgomerie (1/3)   Colin Montgomerie (2/3)   Bernhard Langer (3/12)   Bernhard Langer (4/12)
2013   David Frost   Kōki Idoki   Kenny Perry (2/4)   Kenny Perry (1/4)   Mark Wiebe
2012   Tom Lehman (3/3)   Roger Chapman (1/2)   Roger Chapman (2/2)   Joe Daley   Fred Couples (2/2)
2011   Tom Lehman (2/3)   Tom Watson (6/6)   Olin Browne   Fred Couples (1/2)   Russ Cochran
2010   Fred Funk (3/3)   Tom Lehman (1/3)   Bernhard Langer (2/12)   Mark O'Meara   Bernhard Langer (1/12)
2009   Mike Reid (2/2)   Michael Allen   Fred Funk (2/3)   Jay Haas (3/3)   Loren Roberts (4/4)
2008   Fred Funk (1/3)   Jay Haas (2/3)   Eduardo Romero (2/2)   D. A. Weibring   Bruce Vaughan
2007   Mark McNulty   Denis Watson   Brad Bryant   Loren Roberts (3/4)   Tom Watson (5/6)
2006   Eduardo Romero (1/2)   Jay Haas (1/3)   Allen Doyle (4/4)   Bobby Wadkins   Loren Roberts (2/4)
2005   Loren Roberts (1/4)   Mike Reid (1/2)   Allen Doyle (3/4)   Peter Jacobsen (2/2)   Tom Watson (4/6)
2004   Craig Stadler (2/2)   Hale Irwin (7/7)   Peter Jacobsen (1/2)   Mark James   Pete Oakley
2003   Tom Watson (3/6)   John Jacobs   Bruce Lietzke   Craig Stadler (1/2)   Tom Watson (2/6)
2002   Jim Thorpe   Fuzzy Zoeller   Don Pooley   Stewart Ginn   Noboru Sugai
2001   Doug Tewell (2/2)   Tom Watson (1/6)   Bruce Fleisher   Allen Doyle (2/4)   Ian Stanley
2000   Tom Kite   Doug Tewell (1/2)   Hale Irwin (6/7)   Raymond Floyd (4/4)   Christy O'Connor Jnr (2/2)
1999   Graham Marsh (2/2)   Allen Doyle (1/4)   Dave Eichelberger   Hale Irwin (5/7)   Christy O'Connor Jnr (1/2)
1998   Gil Morgan (2/3)   Hale Irwin (3/7)   Hale Irwin (4/7)   Gil Morgan (3/3)   Brian Huggett
1997   Gil Morgan (1/3)   Hale Irwin (2/7)   Graham Marsh (1/2)   Larry Gilbert   Gary Player (9/9)
1996   Jack Nicklaus (8/8)   Hale Irwin (1/7)   Dave Stockton (3/3)   Raymond Floyd (3/4)   Brian Barnes (2/2)
1995   Jack Nicklaus (7/8)   Raymond Floyd (2/4)   Tom Weiskopf   J. C. Snead   Brian Barnes (1/2)
1994   Raymond Floyd (1/4)   Lee Trevino (4/4)   Simon Hobday   Dave Stockton (2/3)   Tom Wargo (2/2)
1993   Tom Shaw   Tom Wargo (1/2)   Jack Nicklaus (6/8)   Jim Colbert   Bob Charles (2/2)
1992   Lee Trevino (3/4)   Lee Trevino (2/4)   Larry Laoretti   Dave Stockton (1/3)   John Fourie
1991   Jack Nicklaus (5/8)   Jack Nicklaus (3/8)   Jack Nicklaus (4/8)   Jim Albus   Bobby Verwey
1990   Jack Nicklaus (1/8)   Gary Player (7/9)   Lee Trevino (1/4)   Jack Nicklaus (2/8)   Gary Player (8/9)
1989   Don Bies   Larry Mowry   Orville Moody (1/2)   Orville Moody (2/2)   Bob Charles (1/2)
1988 Not yet founded   Gary Player (4/9)   Gary Player (6/9)   Billy Casper (2/2)   Gary Player (5/9)
1987   Chi-Chi Rodríguez (2/2)   Gary Player (2/9)   Gary Player (3/9)   Neil Coles
1986   Gary Player (1/9)   Dale Douglass   Chi-Chi Rodríguez (1/2) Not yet founded
1985   Peter Thomson (Dec 84)   Miller Barber (5/5)   Arnold Palmer (5/5)
1984   Arnold Palmer (3/5) (Jan 84)   Miller Barber (4/5)   Arnold Palmer (4/5)
1983   Don January (2/2) (Dec 82)   Billy Casper (1/2)   Miller Barber (3/5)
1982   Miller Barber (1/5) (Dec 81)   Miller Barber (2/5) Not yet founded
1981   Arnold Palmer (1/5) (Dec 80)   Arnold Palmer (2/5)
1980   Don January (1/2) (Dec 79)   Roberto De Vicenzo

Note: The Senior PGA Championship was held in December from 1979 to 1984, with one exception. For consistency reasons of golf seasons, which at times have been wraparound seasons before the tournament moved to late May, December tournament of the Senior PGA Championship are regarded as the following year's season.

By country

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Senior major championship winning golfers by country
Country The Tradition Senior PGA Championship U.S. Senior Open Kaulig Companies Championship Senior Open Championship Total
  United States 27 29 32 33 12 133
  Germany 3 2 2 3 5 15
  South Africa 1 3 3 3 5 15
  England 0 3 2 1 2 8
  Australia 1 1 1 1 1 5
  Scotland 0 2 1 0 2 5
  Ireland 1 0 1 0 2 4
  Argentina 1 0 2 0 0 3
  New Zealand 0 1 0 0 2 3
  Japan 0 1 0 0 1 2
  Spain 1 0 0 0 1 2
  Wales 0 0 0 0 2 2
  Fiji 0 0 0 1 0 1
  Northern Ireland 0 0 0 0 1 1
  South Korea 0 0 0 0 1 1
  Zimbabwe 0 1 0 0 0 1

Source:[3][9][10][11][12]

Notes

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  1. ^ The 1979 to 1982, and the December 1984, Senior PGA Championships are regarded as the championship of the subsequent season.
  2. ^ Editions before 2003 were not considered to be a 'Champions Tour' major, subsequently were unofficial wins. Since 2018, all pre-2003 editions have been considered to be senior major championships and are official wins on the tour.
  3. ^ a b c d Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

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  1. ^ "Which tournaments count as senior golf majors on PGA Tour Champions?". Golf News Net. September 20, 2018. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Official PGA Tour Guide 2021-22". PGA Tour. pp. 172, 177. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "US Senior Open History". USGA. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  4. ^ "Official PGA Tour Guide 2021-22". PGA Tour. p. 172. Retrieved February 17, 2022.
  5. ^ "The Senior Open Championship". The R&A. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  6. ^ "Senior PGA Championship, scheduled for May, canceled". ESPN. Associated Press. April 2, 2020.
  7. ^ Barrett, Scott (April 6, 2020). "U.S. Senior Open at Newport County Club canceled". The Newport Daily News. Retrieved April 6, 2020.
  8. ^ Dempster, Martin (July 2, 2020). "Senior Open cancelled for first time in its history". The Scotsman. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  9. ^ "Past Results - Regions Tradition". PGA Tour. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  10. ^ "Past Results - Senior Players Championship". PGA Tour. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  11. ^ "Past Winners - Senior Open Championship". PGA Tour. Retrieved February 18, 2022.
  12. ^ "Past Winners - Senior PGA Championship". PGA Tour. Retrieved February 18, 2022.