The biggest golf legends in history have helped make golf a popular and reputable sport. From before the beginning of televised golf to today, these players listed below are truly the best of the best.
- Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer has to be the most famous golfer in history. With his charismatic smile and go-for-broke style, he invigorated modern golf. He changed the idea of golf as an elite pastime to an accessible sport. He won 4 Masters from 1958 to 1968 and ranked in the top 4 five other times. Arnold Palmer has won 62 PGA Tours and 7 Major Championships and he is the first PGA Tour millionaire. He had 15 consecutive years with at least one victory. Even though he passed away, he will always be remembered as the King of Golf.
- Jack Nicklaus
Jack Nicklaus is one of “The Big Three,” along with Gary Player and Arnold Palmer. Nicknamed as “The Golden Bear,” he has more major championships than Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer combined at a total of 18. He has 6 Masters in his back pocket along with 2 U.S. Amateurs, 3 Players titles, 73 PGA Tour victories, and 10 Championship Tour trophies. He now has a golf course design company named Nicklaus Design that has designed 410 courses open for play in 45 countries.
- Gary Player
Another member of “The Big Three,” Player has 165 worldwide victories , including 24 PGA Tour wins. He is only one of 5 players that owns a career Grand Slam. He has won the Masters and British Open three times each.
- Ben Hogan
Known as the finest ball striker in the game, Hogan has won 64 PGA Tour events including 9 majors. He is the only player to win the Masters, the U.S. Open and British Open in the same year. He pursued perfection as no golfer before him ever had, and was the fiercest competitor there is.
- Tiger Woods
Sure, Woods may have fallen off the radar the past few years, but his name will always ring true in the golf world. He has 14 major championships, 3 U.S. Amateurs, 79 PGA Tour victories, and 97 worldwide wins. He also is noted for having the lowest career scoring average in the history of the PGA Tour.