Famous 20th Century Golfers

Tiger Woods is considered as one of the greatest golfers of all time. He had a great run throughout the first decade of the 21st century. Later he had to deal with infidelity issues, marital problems and divorce and injuries, but was able to make a comeback. He holds numerous golf records and has won many World Golf Championship.

Payne Stewart was a professional golfer famous for winning eleven PGA Tour events. He won his first major title at the 1989 PGA Championship and went on to win several other titles. He was much admired for his gracefully stylish and fluid golf swings. He died in an airplane accident at the age of 42. 

Tom Watson is a retired professional golfer considered one of the leading golf players in the world in the 1970s and 1980s. During his illustrious career, he won eight major championships and headed the PGA Tour money list five times. He is counted among the greatest links players of all time and has won three Senior British Open Championship titles. 

Jack Nicklaus, also known as “The Golden Bear,” has 18 major golf championships to his credit. He has been part of 164 major golf tournaments and has won 117. He now designs golf courses through his company, Nicklaus Design. He has also authored many golf-related books, including an autobiography.

Francis Ouimet was an amateur golfer often referred to as the "ather of amateur golf. He became interested in golf at an early age and won his first significant title when he was 20 years old. He went on to win the US Open in 1913. He was posthumously inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. 

Ernie Els is a South African golfer renowned for his fluid golf swing and imposing physical stature, which has earned him the nickname, The Big Easy. A former World No. 1, Els has four major championships under his belt. Ernie Els is only one of six golfers to twice win the Open Championship as well as the U.S. Open.

Arnold Palmer was an American golfer who won 62 PGA Tour titles in a career spanning over 60 years. Nicknamed The King, Palmer is considered one of the most charismatic and greatest players in the history of professional golf. He is seen as the first superstar who helped popularize the sport in the television age, which started in the '50s.

Annika Sörenstam is a Swedish professional golfer who is often counted among the best female golfers of all time. She has won six Vare Trophies and eight Player of the Year awards. In 2003, Annika Sörenstam was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. In 2021, she was honored by Donald Trump with the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom.

A major figure in the early-20th century international golf, American golfer Walter Hagen is often hailed as the father of professional golf for his contributions towards raising the stature of the game. The first golfer to earn one million dollars, he registered 58 wins including eleven major championships and made golf popular in the USA, with his flair and style.

Bobby Jones was an American amateur golfer and lawyer. One of the most important personalities in the history of golf, Jones founded or co-founded the Augusta National Golf Club as well as the Masters Tournament. He also helped design the Augusta. Bobby Jones’ innovations, which he brought to the Masters Tournameny, have been used in professional golf tournaments around the world.

Johnny Miller is an American retired professional golfer. One of the world's best golfers during the mid-1970s, Miller won 25 PGA Tours, including two majors. In 1973, he became the first golfer to shoot 63 in the majors, winning the 1973 U.S. Open. In 1998, Johnny Miller was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Professional golfer Jim Furyk was introduced to the game by his golfer father and continuing to nurture his game throughout his student years he turned pro at the age of 22 with the Nike Tour.  A regular on the PGA Tour since 1994 and PGA Tour Champions since 2020, he has 29 professional wins including the 2003 U.S. Open Championship.

Ben Hogan was a professional golfer who is considered to be one of the greatest players in the history of the game. He won nine career professional major championships, tying with Gary Player for fourth all-time. He had a deep influence on golf swing theory. Famous for his legendary ball-striking ability, he also possessed fierce determination and an iron will.  

Lee Trevino who dominated the golf course in the 1970s has six major championship titles to his credit in his prolific career. The Mexican-American who is affectionately nicknamed Supermex for his exploits with the golf club and The Merry Mex for his humour, features in the World Golf Hall of Fame. He appeared in a sports comedy film.

Fred Couples is a professional golfer who is a former World No.1. He has competed on the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions and has won 64 professional tournaments. He is known for his long and accurate driving ability off the tee. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2013. 

Known to fans as The Slammer, American golfer Sam Snead ruled the PGA scene for decades and won more than 185 tournaments throughout his career. His record of 82 PGA tour victories remains unbroken. Cartoonist and golf lover Charles M. Schulz mentioned Snead often in his Peanuts strip.

Byron Nelson was an American golfer who won 52 PGA Tour events during his career. Considered one of the greatest in the history of the sport, Nelson won five major championships in his 64 professional wins. In 1974, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. In 1997, he won the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award.

Nancy Lopez is an American former professional golfer. She won 48 LPGA Tour events, including three majors, in an illustrious professional career that spanned more than 25 years. She was also part of the U.S. national team, helping her team win the 1990 Solheim Cup. In 1987, Nancy Lopez was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Nick Price is a Zimbabwean golfer who was considered the best player in the world in the mid-1990s; he was ranked number one as per the Official World Golf Ranking. He has won three major championships including two PGA Championships. In 2003, Nick Price was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Gene Sarazen was an American golfer who won seven major championships. Regarded as one of the greatest golfers of his generation, Sarazen is one of the five golfers who have achieved a Career Grand Slam. In 1974, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. In 1992, Sarazen was honored with the prestigious Bob Jones Award.

Hale Irwin is an American golfer who has 20 PGA Tour titles under his belt, including three U.S. Opens. In 1990, he became the oldest U.S. Open champion at age 45. Irwin was one of the best golfers in the world during the '70s and '80s. He is also considered the greatest player in the history of the Champions Tour.

Davis Love III is an American golfer. Love has won 21 PGA Tour events, including a major championship, in his illustrious career. In 2012 and 2016, he was the captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup teams, helping his team win the 2016 Ryder Cup. In 2017, Davis Love III was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Greg Norman is an Australian retired professional golfer and entrepreneur. One of the greatest Australian golfers ever, Norman was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001. In 2009, he was named in Queensland's Q150 Icons list as a sports legend. Also a philanthropist, Norman established the Greg Norman Golf Foundation, which provides guidance to students.

Ben Crenshaw is an American retired professional golfer who won 19 PGA Tour events, including two major championships; he won the 1984 and 1995 Masters Tournament. He also won three European Tour events during his career. Ben Crenshaw represented the U.S. national team, helping his team win two Ryder Cups. He was honored with the Bob Jones Award in 1991.

Cristie Kerr is an American golfer who has won 20 LPGA Tour events, including two major championships. A former world No. 1, Kerr has 24 professional wins under her belt. Cristie Kerr is also an ardent supporter of breast cancer activism. In 2006, she was honored with the LPGA Komen Award for founding an organization called Birdies for Breast Cancer.

Babe Didrikson Zaharias was an American athlete who specialized in golf, track and field, basketball, and baseball. Considered one of the greatest female athletes ever, Didrikson won two gold medals and a silver medal in track and field at the Summer Olympics in 1932. She then went on to win 10 LPGA major championships, becoming USA's first female golf celebrity.

Raymond Floyd is an American former professional golfer. He has won several tournaments, including 22 PGA Tour events. He has also competed in Senior PGA Tours, winning three senior majors. Floyd has represented U.S. national teams in tournaments like the Ryder Cup and the Dunhill Cup. He was made an inductee of the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1989.

Billy Casper was an American golfer who won three majors, including two U.S. Open Championships, in an illustrious professional career that spanned more than two decades. One of the best performers on the PGA Tour of his generation, Casper won 51 PGA Tour events. In 1978, Billy Casper was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Bryson DeChambeau is an American golfer who has won eight PGA Tours, including the 2020 U.S. Open. Having previously won the U.S. Amateur and the NCAA Division I championship, DeChambeau became the third player after Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to win those three championships. Dubbed The Scientist, DeChambeau is known for his scientific and analytical approach to the sport.

Juli Inkster is a retired professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. She played collegiate golf and later won three consecutive US Women's Amateurs, becoming the first woman since 1934 to win three consecutive US Amateur titles. She has 32 professional wins and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. She is now a golf commentator. 

Curtis Strange is a professional golfer turned TV color commentator. He started playing golf as a child and had a brilliant collegiate career. As a professional, he went on to win consecutive US Open titles. He also played in several international tournaments. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He became a commentator after retirement. 

Lanny Wadkins is an American golfer who has won 21 PGA Tour events, including the 1977 PGA Championship. He has also won events at European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, and Champions Tour. Wadkins has also represented the national team, helping his team win multiple Ryder Cups. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2009.

Peter Thomson was an Australian golfer best remembered for winning the Open Championship on five occasions between 1954 and 1965. He won three consecutive Championship titles in 1954, 1955, and 1956, becoming the only modern era golfer to win a major on three successive occasions. In 1988, Peter Thomson was made an inductee of the World Golf Hall of Fame.