Most major runner-up finishes
Most people – players and non-players alike – agree that major championship victories are the yardstick for ‘greatness’. But equally, all would admit that winning majors, or for that matter any tournament, requires not just great skill, but a little luck at the right time. They don’t always come together and the win slips away, into other hands.
Most major runner-up finishes
Most major runner-up finishes highlight the fierce competition and the pressure involved in these events. This intense environment also parallels the educational world, where students face their own pressures. For instance, when given the opportunity for students to write their essays fast, they can alleviate some of the stress associated with tight deadlines.
Perhaps ‘contending’, which we will here define as ‘finishing second’, is the next best yardstick, and a sign of consistently strong performances. It may also go some way to answering the eternal question: “Who is the best player never to have won a major?” (By this yardstick, it’s Colin Montgomerie.)
So who is the most frequent contender, or runner-up, in major history? Greg Norman springs to mind, perhaps because his missed opportunities at majors are so well known, and sometimes – like the 1996 Masters, when he led by six shots going into the final round, but wound up five shots behind Nick Faldo – so spectacular. But no, The Shark doesn’t even come close.
It’s Jack Nicklaus who, alongside his 18 professional major championships, had an incredible 19 runner-up finishes. And Tiger Woods? Just 6 so far.
Professional Major Championships – Runner-up finishes 1860 – 2014
| Player | Masters | US Open | Open | PGA | Total |
| Jack Nicklaus | 1981, 77, 71, 64 | 1982, 71, 68, 60(A) | 1979, 77, 76, 72, 68, 67, 64 | 1983, 74, 65, 64 | 19 |
| Phil Mickelson | 2015 | 2013, 09, 06, 04, 02, 1999 | 2016, ’11 | 2014, 01 | 9 |
| Arnold Palmer | 1965, 61 | 1967, 66, 63, 62 | 1960 | 1970, 68, 64 | 10 |
| Greg Norman | 1996, 87, 86 | 1995, 84 | 1989 | 1993, 86 | 8 |
| Sam Snead | 1957, 39 | 1953, 49, 47, 37 | – | 1940, 38 | 8 |
| Tom Watson | 1984, 79, 78 | 1987, 83 | 2009, 1984 | 1978 | 8 |
Most major runner-up finishes
| Player | Masters | US Open | Open | PGA | Total |
| Louis Oosthuizen | 2012 | 2021, ’15 | 2015 | 2021, ’17 | 7 |
| Tiger Woods | 2008, 07 | 2007, 05 | – | 2018, ’09, 02 | 7 |
| JH Taylor | – | 1900 | 1914, 17, 06, 05, 04, 1896 | – | 7 |
| Ernie Els | 2004, 00 | 2000 | 2004, 00, 1996 | – | 6 |
| Ben Hogan | 1955, 54, 46, 42 | 1956, 55 | – | – | 6 |
| Byron Nelson | 1947, 41 | 1946 | – | 1944, 41, 39 | 6 |
| Gary Player | 1965, 62 | 1979, 58 | – | 1984, 69 | 6 |
| Harry Vardon | – | 1920, 13 | 1912, 02, 01, 00, | – | 6 |
| Dustin Johnson | 2019 | 2015 | 2011 | 2020, ’19 | 5 |
| Ben Crenshaw | 1983, 76 | – | 1979, 78 | 1979 | 5 |
| Raymond Floyd | 1992, 90, 85 | – | 1978 | 1976 | 5 |
| Colin Montgomerie* | – | 2006, 1997, 94 | 2005 | 1995 | 5 |
| Tom Weiskopf | 1975, 74, 72, 69 | 1976 | – | – | 5 |
| Craig Wood | 1935, ’34 | 1939 | 1933 | 1934 | 5 |
| James Braid | – | – | 1909, 04, 02, 1897 | – | 4 |
| Billy Casper | 1969 | – | – | 1971, 65, 58 | 4 |
| Bruce Crampton* | 1972 | 1972 | – | 1975, 73 | 4 |
| Sandy Herd | – | – | 1920, 10, 1895, 92 | – | 4 |
| Bobby Jones (A) | – | 1928, 25, 24, 22 | – | – | 4 |
| Tom Kite | 1997, 86, 83 | – | 1978 | – | 4 |
| Cary Middlecoff | 1959, 48 | 1957 | – | 1955 | 4 |
| Johnny Miller | 1981, 75, 71 | – | 1973 | – | 4 |
| Willie Park Snr | – | – | 1867, 65, 62, 61 | – | 4 |
| Doug Sanders* | – | 1961 | 1970, 66 | 1959 | 4 |
| Gene Sarazen | – | 1940, 34 | 1928 | 1930 | 4 |
| Macdonald Smith* | – | 1930, 10 | 1932, 30 | – | 4 |
| Payne Stewart | – | 1998, 93 | 1990, 85 | – | 4 |
| Lanny Wadkins | – | 1986 | – | 1987, 84, 82 | 4 |
| Craig Wood | 1935, 34 | 1939 | 1933 | – | 4 |
| Sergio Garcia* | – | – | 2007 | 2014, 08, 1999 | 4 |
| Seve Ballesteros | 1987, 85 | – | 1976 | – | 3 |
| Thomas Bjørn* | – | – | 2003, 00 | 2005 | 3 |
| David Duval | 2001, 1998 | 2009 | – | – | 3 |
| Nick Faldo | – | 1988 | 1993 | 1992 | 3 |
| Walter Hagen | – | 1921 | 1923 | 1923 | 3 |
| Jock Hutchinson | 1920, 16 | – | – | 1916 | 3 |
| Justin Leonard | – | – | 1999 | 2004, 1997 | 3 |
| Gene Littler | 1970 | 1954 | – | 1977 | 3 |
| Davis Love III | 1999, 95 | 1996 | – | – | 3 |
| Tom McNamara* | – | 1915, 12, 09 | – | – | 3 |
| Tom Morris Snr | – | – | 1869, 63, 60 | – | 3 |
| Alex Smith | – | 1905, 01, 1898 | – | – | 3 |
(A) In 1960, Jack Nicklaus came second to Arnold Palmer in the US Open at Cherry Hills as an amateur. Bobby Jones remained an amateur throughout his career.
* Indicates players who have not won a major championship.
