Nick Bonfield sifts through the history books to bring you a list of the 10 best majors of all time
10 best Majors of all time
1950 US Open
Winner: Ben Hogan
The fact Ben Hogan was even playing in the tournament was a small miracle in its own right, given that he’d almost died 16 months previously when his car was hit by a Greyhound bus. He broke multiple bones and suffered a serious blood clot some months after the accident, leading to a permanently closed vein that left him struggling to walk, let alone play golf.
He remarkably made his way back to professional golf, and was in good form before heading to Merion for the 1950 US Open. In those days, the final 36 holes were played on one day. Hogan had to soak his legs in Epsom salts before each round and they were cramping so badly it later emerged he told his wife, Valerie, he didn’t think he’d be able to finish. The event also went to an 18-hole play-off, but Hogan still emerged victorious – a mark of his sheer will, determination, skill and high pain threshold.
Read the full story of Ben Hogan’s 1950 US Open triumph here
1970 Open Championship
Winner: Jack Nicklaus
Even those who weren’t born at the time know the story of Doug Sanders’ excruciating finish at the 1970 Open. After a gutsy up-and-down from the Road Hole bunker on St Andrews’ Old Course, he stood on the 18th tee with a one-shot lead over Jack Nicklaus. However, he took four shots from just 74 yards, including that infamous missed two-footer. Unsurprisingly, he went on to loose the resulting play-off.
1973 US Open
Winner: Johnny Miller
Johnny Miller admitted he found a ‘sort of golfing Nirvana’ in the mid-70s. Indeed, from 1973 to 1976, he won two Majors and 15-plus PGA Tour titles. In the 1973 US Open at Oakmont, Miller started the final round six shots off the lead. But he compiled a sublime 63 – the lowest ever score in a Major and widely considered to be one of the finest rounds in the history of the sport – to win by one stroke from John Schlee.
1977 Open Championship
Winner: Tom Watson
The ‘Duel in the Sun’ is generally considered as the best Major in golf’s history. Why? Because it featured the sport’s two biggest stars at the peak of their powers going head-to-head. Starting the third round in a tie for second, Nicklaus shot 65-66 over the weekend at Turnberry and still finished one behind Watson. It went right down to the wire, and while the contest was fiercely competitive, it was played in an exemplary spirit. The duo finished ten and 11 shots ahead of Hubert Green in third place.
1982 US Open
Winner: Tom Watson
Nicklaus and Watson did battle once more at Pebble Beach in 1982. With Nicklaus safely in the clubhouse on four-under and Watson two holes from home on the same score, the tournament couldn’t have been more up in the air, especially with Pebble Beach’s notoriously intimidating final two holes. Watson pulled his 2-iron to the par-3 17th and looked odds-on to drop a shot, but he produced one of the best chip shots of all time to open up a one-shot lead. He also birdied the 18th for good measure to finish two clear of Nicklaus.
1986 Masters
Winner: Jack Nicklaus
Nicklaus was already the most prolific Major winner in history before he set foot on the hallowed turf of Augusta National for the 1986 Masters. Starting the final round four shots off the lead, he compiled a sublime 65 to finish one clear of Tom Kite and Greg Norman, who bogied the last hole. In doing so, he registered his 18th Major title and became the oldest winner of The Masters.
1997 Masters
Winner: Tiger Woods
In 1997, at the age of just 21, Tiger Woods announced himself on the world stage with a record-breaking 12-shot victory at Augusta National. Remarkably, he played his first nine holes on Thursday in four-over-par 40, but came home in 30 before a second-round 66 put him in control at the halfway stage. A Saturday 65 opened up a nine-shot lead and a closing 69 secured his place in the annals of golf history.
2000 USPGA Championship
Winner: Tiger Woods
The 2000 USPGA will go down as one of the best head-to-head duels in Major history. Woods, enjoying a phenomenal season, went up against little-known Bob May, who refused to back down. Woods and May both separated themselves from the field during an enthralling Sunday back-nine tussle, which culminated in Woods responding to May’s 15-footer for birdie on 18 with a five-foot birdie putt of his own. In the resulting play-off, Woods walked a 25-footer into the cup at the first extra hole and parred the next two to secure his third Major of the season.
Tiger Woods swing sequence
2011 Masters
Winner: Charl Schwartzel
The eventual champion might not have been the most charismatic player in the field, but what preceded his crowning was one of the most exciting two hours in recent memory. As many as eight players were still very much in contention during the back nine on Sunday, including Adam Scott, Jason Day and Tiger Woods, who turned in 31. Schwartzel, though, held them all off by birdieing his final four holes to register his maiden Major title.
2016 Open Championship
Winner: Henrik Stenson
Some observers described Henrik Stenson’s victory over Phil Mickelson in the 2016 Open Championship at Royal Troon as the most impressive display of golf they had ever seen, and it’s hard to disagree with that stance. Stenson broke the record for the lowest 72-hole score in Major history and equalled the lowest final round in a Major. Had he and Mickelson been playing better ball, they would have shot 59.
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