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List of PGA Championship winners: Every champion from 1916 to present

A look at every PGA Championship inner from 1916 to present

PGA Championship winners
Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

The month of May brings the second men’s professional major tournament of the year in the PGA Championship.

Since 1916, the PGA Championship has been home to some of golf’s brightest moments in the history of the sport, from Walter Hagen’s four straight wins from 1924-27 to more recently Justin Thomas’ comeback victory in 2022 and Phil Mickelson becoming the oldest golfer to win a major tournament in 2021.

Who won the 2024 PGA Championship

In 2024, Xander Schauffele secured his first major championship by making a 6-foot putt on the 72nd hole to defeat Bryson DeChambeau by one stroke at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.

Schauffele, who posted a 9-under 62 in the first round, became the first player in major championship history to record multiple rounds of 62 after doing so during the 2023 U.S. Open.

Who won the PGA Championship 2023

In 2023, Brooks Koepka won the PGA Championship, shooting 9-under par, while defeating Viktor Hovland and Scottie Scheffler by two strokes at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y.

That marked his third PGA Championship win, tying with Gene Sarazen and Sam Snead, and only trailing Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Walter Hagen for more PGA Championship victories.

What is the name of the PGA Championship trophy?

PGA Chamionship
Credit: Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal and USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

Like some tournaments both in golf and in other sports, trophies have their own name. The Lombardi Trophy. The Stanley Cup. The Commissioner’s Trophy. The Larry O’Brien Trophy.

In golf, the most notable name outside of the PGA Championship trophy is The Claret Jug for the winner of the Open Championship. The PGA Championship trophy also have a name, called the Wanamaker Trophy.

The PGA Championship trophy is named after Rodman Wanamaker, who founded the PGA of America. Wanamaker reached out to some of game’s greats at the time in Francis Ouimet and Walter Hagen about a national organization for professional golf. At the time in the 1910s and the early 20th century, professional golfers were only hired, and Wanamaker decided to change that, forming the PGA of America in 1916.

And since its inception tournament in 1916, the Wanamaker trophy has been hoisted by the winner of the PGA Championship.  

The Wanamaker trophy is 28 inches high, 27 inches from handle to handle and weighs 27 pounds.

Related: What makes each of the four major tournaments unique?

What was the best score to win the PGA Championship?

PGA: PGA Championship - Final Round
Credit: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports

In the stroke play era of the PGA Championship from 1958 to the present, the best score was 21-under par by Xander Schauffele at Valhalla in 2024.

In the match play era of the PGA Championship from 1916 to 1957, the largest margin of victory was 8 and 7 by Paul Runyan in 1938 at Shawnee Country Club.

PGA Championship Winners

From 1916 to 1957, the PGA Championship format was Match Play. Since 1958, the PGA Championship was decided through stroke play.

PGA Championship Winners 1958-Present: Stroke Play Era

YearChampionCourseScore
2024Xander SchauffeleValhalla Gofl Club-21
2023Brooks KoepkaOak Hill C.C.-9
2022Justin ThomasSouthern Hills C.C.-5*
2021Phil MickelsonKiawah Island-6
2020Collin MorikawaTPC Harding Park-13
2019Brooks KopekaBethpage Black-8
2018Brooks KopekaBellerive C.C.-16
2017Justin ThomasQuail Hollow C.C.-8
2016Jimmy WalkerBaltusrol G.C. (Lower)-14
2015Jason DayWhistling Straits (Straits)-20
2014Rory McIlroyValhalla G.C.-16
2013Jason DufnerOak Hill C.C.-10)
2012Rory McIlroyKiawah Island (Ocean)-13
2011Keegan BradleyAtlanta Athletic Club-8*
2010Martin KaymerWhistling Straits-11*
2009Yang Yong-eunHazeltine National G.C.-8
2008Padraig HarringtonOakland Hills (South)-3
2007Tiger WoodsSouthern Hills C.C.-8
2006Tiger WoodsMedinah C.C. (#3)-18
2005Phil MickelsonBaltusrol G.C. (Lower)-4
2004Vijay SinghWhistling Straits (Straits)-8*
2003Shaun MicheelOak Hill C.C. (East)-4
2002Rich BeemHazeltine National G.C.-10
2001David TomsAtlanta Athletic Club-15
2000Tiger WoodsValhalla C.C.-18*
1999Tiger WoodsMedinah C.C. (#3)-11
1998Vijay SinghSahalee C.C.-9
1997Davis Love IIIWinged Foot C.C.-11
1996Mark BrooksValhalla G.C.-11*
1995Steve ElkingtonRiviera C.C.-17*
1994Nick PriceSouthern Hills C.C.-11
1993Paul AzingerInverness Club-12*
1992Nick PriceBellerive C.C.-6
1991John DalyCrooked Stick G.C.-12
1990Wayne GradyShoal Creek G.C.C.-6
1989Payne StewartKemper Lakes G.C.-12
1988Jeff SlumanOak Tree G.C.-12
1987Larry NelsonPGA National-1*
1986Bob TwayInverness Club-8
1985Hubert GreenCherry Hills C.C.-6
1984Lee TrevinoShoal Creek G.C.C.-15
1983Hal SuttonRiviera C.C.-10
1982Raymond FloydSouthern Hills C.C.-8
1981Larry NelsonAtlanta Athletic Club-7
1980Jack NicklausOak Hills C.C.-6
1979David GrahamOakland Hills C.C.-8*
1978John MahaffeyOakmont C.C.-8*
1977Lanny WadkinsPebble Beach Golf Links-6*
1976Dave StocktonCongressional C.C.+1
1975Jack NicklausFirestone C.C.-4
1974Lee TrevinoTanglewood Park-4
1973Jack NicklausCanterbury G.C.-7
1972Gary PlayerOakland Hills C.C.+1
1971Jack NicklausPGA National-7
1970Dave StocktonSouthern Hills C.C.-1
1969Raymond FloydNCR C.C.-8
1968Julius BorosPecan Valley G.C.+1
1967Don JanuaryColumbine C.C.-7*
1966Al GeibergerFirestone C.C.E
1965Dave MarrLaurel Valley G.C.-4
1964Bobby NicholsColumbus C.C.-9
1963Jack NicklausDallas Athletic Club-5
1962Gary PlayerAronomink G.C.-2
1961Jerry BarberOlympia Fields C.C.-3*
1960Jay HebertFirestone C.C.+1
1959Bob RosburgMinneapolis G.C.-3
1958Dow FinsterwaldLlanerch C.C.-4
(*won in playoff)

PGA Championship Winners 1916-1957: Match Play Era

YearChampionCourseScore
1957Lionel HebertMiami Valley G.C.2 and 1
1956Jack Burke Jr.Blue Hill C.C3 and 2
1955Doug FordMeadowbrook C.C4 and 3
1954Chick HarbertKeller G.C.4 and 3
1953Walter BurkemoBirmingham C.C.2 and 1
1952Jim TurnseaBig Spring C.C.1 up
1951Sam SneadOakmont C.C.7 and 6
1950Chandler HarperScioto C.C.4 and 3
1949Sam SneadBelmont Golf Course3 and 2
1948Ben HoganNorwood Hills C.C.7 and 6
1947Jim FerrierPlum Hollow C.C.2 and 1
1946Ben HoganPortland G.C.6 and 4
1945Byron NelsonMoraine C.C.4 and 3
1944Bob HamiltonManito G.C.C.1 up
 No tournament in 1943 due to WWII  
1942Sam SneadSeaview C.C.2 and 1
1941Vic GhezziCherry Hills C.C.38 holes*
1940Byron NelsonHershey C.C.1 up
1939Henry PicardPomonok C.C.37 holes*
1938Paul RunyanShawnee C.C.8 and 7
1937Denny ShutePittsburgh Field Club37 holes*
1936Denny ShutePinehurst Resort #23 and 2
1935Johnny RevoltaTwin Hills G.C.C.5 and 4
1934Paul RunyanThe Park C.C.38 holes*
1933Gene SarazenBlue Mound C.C.5 and 4
1932Olin DutraKeller G.C.4 and 3
1931Tom CreavyWannamoisett C.C.2 and 1
1930Tommy ArmourFresh Meadow C.C.1 up
1929Leo DiegelHillcrest C.C.6 and 4
1928Leo DiegelBaltimore C.C.6 and 5
1927Walter HagenCedar Crest C.C.1 up
1926Walter HagenSalisbury C.C.5 and 3
1925Walter HagenOlympia Fields C.C.6 and 5
1924Walter HagenFrench Lick Springs G.C.2 up
1923Gene SarazenPelham C.C.38 holes*
1922Gene SarazenOakmont C.C.4 and 3
1921Walter HagenInwood C.C.3 and 2
1920Jock HutchinsonFlossmoor C.C.1 up
1919Jim BarnesEngineers C.C.6 and 5
 No tournament in 1917-18 due to WWI  
1916Jim BarnesSiwanoy C.C.1 up
(* won in playoff)

Also read: Players on the all-time major tournament wins list

Who has won the most PGA Championships?

PGA: PNC Championship
Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Hagen would go on to win the PGA Championship a record five times, that would eventually be tied with Jack Nicklaus later in the century.

Here is the list of the winners of the PGA Championship who have hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy multiple times.

PlayerPGA Championship WinsYears won
Walter Hagen51921, 1924-27
Jack Nicklaus51963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980
Tiger Woods41999-00, 2006-07
Gene Sarazen31922-23, 1933
Sam Snead31942, 1949, 1951
Brooks Koepka32018-19, 2023
Ben Hogan21946, 1948
Gary Player21962, 1972
Lee Trevino21974, 1984
Phil Mickelson22005, 2021
Byron Nelson21940, 1945
Jim Barnes21916, 1919
Raymond Floyd21969, 1982
Rory McIlroy22012, 2014
Denny Shute21936-37
Larry Nelson21981, 1987
Nick Price21992, 1994
Vijay Singh21998, 2004
Leo Diegel21928-29
Paul Runyan21934, 1938
Dave Stockton21970, 1976
Justin Thomas22017, 2022
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