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
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 beind 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.