The PGA Championship stands as one of golf’s four major championships and the only one organised exclusively by the PGA of America. From its match-play origins in 1916 to the high-stakes stroke-play showdowns of today, the Wanamaker Trophy has been lifted by some of the greatest names in the sport. This guide covers PGA Championship past winners, all-time records, and what history tells us heading into 2026 at Aronimink Golf Club.
A Brief History of the PGA Championship
The PGA Championship was established in 1916, making it the second-oldest of the four majors. The inaugural edition was held at Siwanoy Country Club in Bronxville, New York, with Jim Barnes claiming the first Wanamaker Trophy.
For the first 41 years, the championship was decided by match play, producing some of the most dominant individual runs in major championship history. Walter Hagen won five of the first 14 editions, including four in a row from 1924 to 1927, a consecutive streak that has never been matched. Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson were other match-play-era giants who left their mark on the trophy.
The format switched to stroke play in 1958 at Llanerch Country Club, Pennsylvania, immediately opening the door to more unpredictable outcomes and larger fields. The championship was traditionally held in August, but from 2019 onwards it shifted permanently to May, moving ahead of the US Open and The Open Championship on the calendar and giving the sport a blockbuster second major of the season following the Masters.
All-Time Records and Milestones
Most PGA Championship Wins
Jack Nicklaus and Walter Hagen share the record for most PGA Championship titles with five each. Hagen’s five came in the match-play era (1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927), while Nicklaus spread his victories across 17 years of stroke play (1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980). The Golden Bear’s fifth and final PGA title at Oak Hill in 1980 remains one of the most celebrated performances in major history.
Tiger Woods sits third on the all-time list with four victories: 1999 (Medinah), 2000 (Valhalla), 2006 (Medinah) and 2007 (Southern Hills). Woods won all four in dominant fashion, with three of those wins coming by margins of at least two shots.
In the modern era, Brooks Koepka has been the championship’s dominant force. Koepka won back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019, then returned in 2023 at Oak Hill to claim his third PGA Championship, joining a select club of three-time winners that includes Sam Snead and Rory McIlroy.
Scoring Records
Jason Day set the all-time PGA Championship scoring record at the 2015 edition at Whistling Straits, finishing 20 under par. That total of 268 across 72 holes still stands as the lowest score ever recorded at the championship and came in a tournament where Day pulled clear of Jordan Spieth and Louis Oosthuizen.
Age Records
Gene Sarazen became the youngest PGA Champion when he won in 1922 at just 20 years old, a record that has stood for over a century. At the other end of the age spectrum, Phil Mickelson made history at Kiawah Island in 2021 by winning at 50 years and 11 months, becoming the oldest major champion in the history of men’s professional golf.
PGA Championship Past Winners: 2010 to 2025
The table below covers the last 16 years of PGA Championship past winners, including venue, winning score and any notable context.
| Year | Winner | Venue | Score | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Scottie Scheffler | Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, NC | -11 (273) | Won by 5 strokes; third major title |
| 2024 | Xander Schauffele | Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, KY | -21 (263) | Schauffele’s first major; historic low score |
| 2023 | Brooks Koepka | Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester, NY | -9 (271) | Koepka’s third PGA title; fifth major overall |
| 2022 | Justin Thomas | Southern Hills CC, Tulsa, OK | -5 (275) | Playoff win over Will Zalatoris |
| 2021 | Phil Mickelson | Kiawah Island (Ocean Course), SC | -6 (282) | Oldest major champion in history (age 50) |
| 2020 | Collin Morikawa | TPC Harding Park, San Francisco, CA | -13 (267) | No fans; won in debut PGA Championship start |
| 2019 | Brooks Koepka | Bethpage Black, Farmingdale, NY | -8 (272) | Back-to-back champion |
| 2018 | Brooks Koepka | Bellerive Country Club, St. Louis, MO | -16 (264) | Koepka’s first PGA title |
| 2017 | Justin Thomas | Quail Hollow Club, Charlotte, NC | -8 (268) | Thomas’s first major at 24 |
| 2016 | Jimmy Walker | Baltusrol Golf Club, Springfield, NJ | -14 (264) | Walker’s only major title |
| 2015 | Jason Day | Whistling Straits, Haven, WI | -20 (268) | All-time scoring record at the PGA Championship |
| 2014 | Rory McIlroy | Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, KY | -16 (268) | McIlroy’s second PGA title |
| 2013 | Jason Dufner | Oak Hill Country Club, Rochester, NY | -10 (270) | Dufner’s only major |
| 2012 | Rory McIlroy | Kiawah Island (Ocean Course), SC | -13 (275) | Won by 8 strokes; dominant display |
| 2011 | Keegan Bradley | Atlanta Athletic Club, Duluth, GA | -10 (272) | Bradley’s only major |
| 2010 | Martin Kaymer | Whistling Straits, Haven, WI | E (280) | Playoff win over Bubba Watson |
Most Frequent PGA Championship Venues
Several courses have hosted the PGA Championship multiple times, becoming synonymous with the tournament’s identity.
- Oak Hill Country Club (Rochester, NY) — four editions: 1980, 2003, 2013, 2023. Jack Nicklaus won his fifth PGA here in 1980; Brooks Koepka claimed his third in 2023.
- Valhalla Golf Club (Louisville, KY) — four editions: 1996, 2000, 2014, 2024. Tiger Woods won here in 2000, Rory McIlroy in 2014, and Xander Schauffele posted a historic -21 in 2024.
- Whistling Straits (Haven, WI) — three editions: 2004, 2010, 2015. Jason Day’s record-breaking -20 in 2015 is the championship’s all-time scoring benchmark.
- Medinah Country Club (Medinah, IL) — three editions: 1975, 1999, 2006. Two of Tiger Woods’s four PGA titles came at Medinah.
- Southern Hills Country Club (Tulsa, OK) — four editions: 1970, 1982, 1994, 2007, 2022. One of the championship’s classic homes and scene of Tiger Woods’s 2007 triumph.
- Quail Hollow Club (Charlotte, NC) — two editions: 2017 (Justin Thomas) and 2025 (Scottie Scheffler). The course has quickly established itself as a modern PGA favourite.
Aronimink Golf Club: 1962 and 2026
The 2026 PGA Championship returns to Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, just outside Philadelphia. It will be only the second time Aronimink has hosted the event, the first coming in 1962 when South African legend Gary Player claimed the Wanamaker Trophy.
Player’s 1962 victory was part of a remarkable career that included nine major titles. He would go on to win the 1965 US Open and complete a career Grand Slam, cementing his status as one of the sport’s all-time greats. His win at Aronimink remains a touchstone moment in the club’s proud history.
Donald Ross designed Aronimink in 1928, and the course is widely regarded as one of his masterpieces. With its demanding par-70 layout, tight fairways and undulating greens, Aronimink will challenge the world’s best players in every department when the 2026 championship tees off in May.
2026 PGA Championship: Storylines to Watch
Rory McIlroy’s Calendar Grand Slam Bid
Rory McIlroy arrives at Aronimink with arguably the biggest prize in golf within reach. Having won the 2026 Masters to claim back-to-back Augusta titles, McIlroy is now chasing a Calendar Grand Slam, which would require victories at the PGA Championship, US Open and The Open Championship in the same calendar year.
McIlroy is a two-time PGA Championship winner (2012 and 2014) and has a strong record at the event across his career. His history with Aronimink is limited, but the Northern Irishman’s all-court game makes him well-suited to Donald Ross designs. See his full major record in our Rory McIlroy career profile.
Scottie Scheffler Defending
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler will be the man everyone is chasing. The world number one dominated Quail Hollow in 2025, winning by five strokes to claim his first Wanamaker Trophy and his third major overall. Scheffler’s consistent excellence and iron-sharp ball-striking make him the favourite to become the first back-to-back PGA champion since Brooks Koepka in 2018-19. Read more in our Scottie Scheffler career profile.
Prize Money
The total purse for the 2026 PGA Championship is set to be among the largest in major championship history. For a full breakdown of how the prize fund is distributed, see our dedicated PGA Championship 2026 prize money guide.
Contenders and Betting
Beyond McIlroy and Scheffler, a star-studded field will make Aronimink one of the most competitive major settings in recent memory. For the full picture of who to back, see our PGA Championship 2026 top contenders and our in-depth PGA Championship 2026 odds guide.
Key Facts: PGA Championship at a Glance
- Founded: 1916
- Format change: Match play (1916-1957) to stroke play (1958-present)
- Most wins: Jack Nicklaus and Walter Hagen (5 each)
- Lowest 72-hole score: -20, Jason Day, Whistling Straits 2015
- Youngest champion: Gene Sarazen, 20 years old (1922)
- Oldest champion: Phil Mickelson, 50 years old (2021)
- Most consecutive wins: Walter Hagen (4, from 1924 to 1927)
- 2025 champion: Scottie Scheffler (Quail Hollow, -11)
- 2026 venue: Aronimink Golf Club, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania
From Walter Hagen’s unmatched dominance in the 1920s to Brooks Koepka’s back-to-back brilliance and Scottie Scheffler’s 2025 coronation, the PGA Championship has consistently produced champions who define their eras. The 2026 edition at Aronimink promises to add another memorable chapter to that history, with Rory McIlroy’s Grand Slam bid providing a narrative unlike anything golf has seen in decades.
