50 Greatest Golfers of All Time | Famous Sports People

American·Golf

Jack Nicklaus

American professional golfer widely regarded as the greatest golfer of all time, winning a record 18 major championships during his illustri

18 majors · 73 tour wins

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2

TW

American·Golf

Tiger Woods

American professional golfer widely regarded as one of the greatest players in golf history, with 15 major championships and 82 PGA Tour vic

15 majors · 82 tour wins

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3

BH

American·Golf

Ben Hogan

Golf demands extraordinary technical precision, strategic course management and the mental strength to perform under the pressure of major c

9 majors

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4

SS

American·Golf

Sam Snead

Slammin' Sam — 82 PGA Tour victories including the all-time wins record, yet he never won the US Open despite finishing second four times.

7 majors

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5

AP

American·Golf

Arnold Palmer

American professional golfer who won seven major championships and helped popularize golf on television during the sport's transition into t

7 majors · 62 tour wins

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6

GP

South African·Golf

Gary Player

The Black Knight — one of only five players to complete the career Grand Slam.

9 majors · 163 tour wins

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7

BJ

American·Golf

Bobby Jones

American amateur golfer who completed the Grand Slam in 1930, winning all four major championships in a single year before retiring at age 2

13 majors

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8

WH

American·Golf

Walter Hagen

American professional golfer who won 11 major championships and was one of the first golf superstars, helping elevate the professional game'

11 majors · 45 tour wins

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9

TW

American·Golf

Tom Watson

Eight major titles including five British Opens — and nearly won a sixth at age 59.

8 majors · 39 tour wins

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10

GS

American·Golf

Gene Sarazen

American golfing pioneer who invented the sand wedge and was the first player to win all four modern major championships, a showman whose sk

7 majors · 38 tour wins

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11

SB

Spanish·Golf

Seve Ballesteros

Spanish professional golfer widely regarded as one of the greatest and most charismatic players in golf history, known for his creativity an

5 majors · 90 tour wins

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12

NF

British·Golf

Nick Faldo

British professional golfer widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, known for his methodical approach and major champion

6 majors · 41 tour wins

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13

LT

American·Golf

Lee Trevino

The Merry Mex — six majors and one of golf's most entertaining personalities, who taught himself to play on a pitch-and-putt course.

6 majors

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14

RM

Northern Irish·Golf

Rory McIlroy

Northern Irish professional golfer who became the youngest player to reach €10 million in European Tour earnings and has spent over 100 week

5 majors · 26 tour wins

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15

PM

American·Golf

Phil Mickelson

American professional golfer known for his left-handed swing and short game wizardry, winner of six major championships including three Mast

6 majors · 45 tour wins

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16

GN

Australian·Golf

Greg Norman

The Great White Shark — two Open Championships and the greatest collection of near-misses in major history.

2 majors · 91 tour wins

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17

EE

South African·Golf

Ernie Els

The Big Easy — four majors across two decades and one of the most elegant swings in golf history.

4 majors · 91 weeks at No.1

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18

VS

Fijian·Golf

Vijay Singh

Three majors and the most dedicated practitioner in golf — Vijay Singh ended Tiger Woods' world number one reign through sheer volume of vic

3 majors · 34 tour wins

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19

FC

American·Golf

Fred Couples

American Masters champion and crowd favourite whose languid swing, effortless rhythm and undeniable ball-striking talent made him one of the

1 majors · 15 tour wins

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20

JM

Spanish·Golf

José María Olazábal

Spanish professional golfer who won two Masters Tournaments and formed legendary Ryder Cup partnership with Seve Ballesteros, captaining Eur

2 majors

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21

PH

Irish·Golf

Padraig Harrington

Irish professional golfer who won three major championships including consecutive Open Championships in 2007 and 2008, plus the 2008 PGA Cha

3 majors

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22

NP

Zimbabwean·Golf

Nick Price

Three majors in two years — Nick Price's 1992-1994 peak was the most dominant stretch in golf outside of Nicklaus and Woods.

3 majors · 44 weeks at No.1

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23

JR

British·Golf

Justin Rose

Britain's last male Major champion — 2013 US Open winner and Olympic gold medallist at Rio 2016, who turned pro at 17 and missed his first 2

1 majors · 45 weeks at No.1

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24

DJ

American·Golf

Dustin Johnson

American professional golfer known for his powerful driving and two major championship victories, former world number one for 135 weeks.

2 majors · 24 tour wins

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25

CM

American·Golf

Collin Morikawa

American professional golfer who became the first player to win two different majors on debut, capturing the 2020 PGA Championship and 2021

2 majors · 7 tour wins

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26

SS

American·Golf

Scottie Scheffler

American professional golfer who became world number one in 2022 and won multiple major championships including two Masters Tournament victo

2 majors · 12 tour wins

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27

JR

Spanish·Golf

Jon Rahm

Spanish professional golfer who became world number one and won two major championships including the 2021 US Open and 2023 Masters Tourname

2 majors · 26 tour wins

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28

BK

American·Golf

Brooks Koepka

Five major championships including three US Opens — the most dominant major player of the late 2010s.

5 majors · 9 tour wins

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29

HM

Japanese·Golf

Hideki Matsuyama

Japanese professional golfer who became the first male Japanese player to win a major championship when he captured the 2021 Masters Tournam

1 majors

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30

XS

American·Golf

Xander Schauffele

American professional golfer who won two major championships in 2024 and Olympic gold in 2021, known for his consistency and clutch performa

2 majors · 6 tour wins

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31

BC

American·Golf

Billy Casper

American professional golfer who won 51 PGA Tour events including three major championships and was renowned for his exceptional putting ski

3 majors · 51 tour wins

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32

SL

Scottish·Golf

Sandy Lyle

Scottish professional golfer who became the first British player to win the Masters Tournament in 1988 and claimed The Open Championship in

2 majors · 1 weeks at No.1

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33

IW

Welsh·Golf

Ian Woosnam

Welsh professional golfer who won the 1991 Masters Tournament and reached World No. 1, known for his powerful driving despite his small stat

1 majors · 50 weeks at No.1

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34

BL

German·Golf

Bernhard Langer

German professional golfer and two-time Masters Tournament champion, known for his meticulous approach and exceptional putting skills on tou

2 majors · 3 weeks at No.1

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35

LW

English·Golf

Lee Westwood

English professional golfer who reached world number 1 ranking and won multiple European Tour Order of Merit titles without winning a major

22 weeks at No.1

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36

HS

Swedish·Golf

Henrik Stenson

Swedish professional golfer who became world No. 1 in 2016, winning The Open Championship, Olympic gold medal, and both FedEx Cup and Race t

1 majors · 5 weeks at No.1

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37

SG

Spanish·Golf

Sergio Garcia

Spanish professional golfer known for his Masters Tournament victory in 2017 and long career as one of Europe's top players in major champio

1 majors

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38

AS

Australian·Golf

Adam Scott

Australian professional golfer who became the first Australian to win the Masters Tournament in 2013 and former World No. 1 ranked player.

1 majors · 14 tour wins

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39

JD

Australian·Golf

Jason Day

Australian professional golfer who became World No. 1 in 2015 after winning the PGA Championship, known for his powerful driving and putting

1 majors · 13 tour wins

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40

MW

American·Golf

Mickey Wright

American professional golfer who dominated women's golf in the early 1960s, winning 82 LPGA Tour events including 13 major championships.

13 majors

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41

BD

American·Golf

Babe Didrikson Zaharias

American multi-sport athlete who excelled in golf, track and field, and basketball, winning Olympic gold medals and multiple major golf cham

10 majors

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42

NL

American·Golf

Nancy Lopez

American professional golfer who won 48 LPGA Tour tournaments including three major championships and was inducted into the World Golf Hall

9 majors · 158 weeks at No.1

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43

AS

Swedish·Golf

Annika Sörenstam

Swedish professional golfer who won 10 major championships and dominated women's golf in the 1990s and 2000s, becoming one of the greatest f

10 majors · 60 weeks at No.1

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44

IP

South Korean·Golf

Inbee Park

South Korean professional golfer and seven-time major champion, known for her dominant putting and consistent performance on the LPGA Tour.

7 majors · 104 weeks at No.1

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45

KW

Australian·Golf

Karrie Webb

Australian professional golfer who dominated women's golf in late 1990s and 2000s, winning seven major championships and 41 LPGA Tour titles

7 majors · 121 weeks at No.1

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46

JI

American·Golf

Juli Inkster

American professional golfer who achieved the career Grand Slam and is one of the most successful players in LPGA Tour history with 31 tourn

7 majors · 4 weeks at No.1

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47

KW

American·Golf

Kathy Whitworth

American professional golfer who holds the record for most LPGA Tour victories (88) and dominated women's golf from the 1960s through 1980s.

6 majors

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48

PB

American·Golf

Pat Bradley

American professional golfer who became the first woman to complete the modern career Grand Slam, winning six major championships between 19

6 majors

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49

PS

American·Golf

Patty Sheehan

American professional golfer who won 6 major championships and 35 LPGA Tour titles during her distinguished career from 1980 to 1997.

6 majors

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50

RF

American·Golf

Ray Floyd

American professional golfer who won four major championships and 22 PGA Tour events, becoming the oldest U.S. Open champion at age 43 in 19

4 majors · 22 tour wins

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