Who has the most major championship runner-up finishes?

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Most people - players and non-players alike - agree that major championship victories are the yardstick for 'greatness'
Posted on
February 27, 2018
by
The Editorial Team in
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

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

PlayerMastersUS OpenOpenPGATotal
Jack Nicklaus1981, 77, 71, 641982, 71, 68, 60(A)1979, 77, 76, 72, 68, 67, 641983, 74, 65, 6419
Phil Mickelson20152013, 09, 06, 04, 02, 19992016, '112014, 019
Arnold Palmer1965, 611967, 66, 63, 6219601970, 68, 6410
Greg Norman1996, 87, 861995, 8419891993, 868
Sam Snead1957, 391953, 49, 47, 37-1940, 388
Tom Watson1984, 79, 781987, 832009, 198419788


Most major runner-up finishes

PlayerMastersUS OpenOpenPGATotal
Louis Oosthuizen20122021, '1520152021, '177
Tiger Woods2008, 072007, 05-2018, '09, 027
JH Taylor-19001914, 17, 06, 05, 04, 1896-7
Ernie Els2004, 0020002004, 00, 1996-6
Ben Hogan1955, 54, 46, 421956, 55--6
Byron Nelson1947, 411946-1944, 41, 396
Gary Player1965, 621979, 58-1984, 696
Harry Vardon-1920, 131912, 02, 01, 00,-6
Dustin Johnson2019201520112020, '195
Ben Crenshaw1983, 76-1979, 7819795
Raymond Floyd1992, 90, 85-197819765
Colin Montgomerie*-2006, 1997, 94200519955
Tom Weiskopf1975, 74, 72, 691976--5
Craig Wood1935, '341939193319345
James Braid--1909, 04, 02, 1897-4
Billy Casper1969--1971, 65, 584
Bruce Crampton*19721972-1975, 734
Sandy Herd--1920, 10, 1895, 92-4
Bobby Jones (A)-1928, 25, 24, 22--4
Tom Kite1997, 86, 83-1978-4
Cary Middlecoff1959, 481957-19554
Johnny Miller1981, 75, 71-1973-4
Willie Park Snr--1867, 65, 62, 61-4
Doug Sanders*-19611970, 6619594
Gene Sarazen-1940, 34192819304
Macdonald Smith*-1930, 101932, 30-4
Payne Stewart-1998, 931990, 85-4
Lanny Wadkins-1986-1987, 84, 824
Craig Wood1935, 3419391933-4
Sergio Garcia*--20072014, 08, 19994
Seve Ballesteros1987, 85-1976-3
Thomas Bjørn*--2003, 0020053
David Duval2001, 19982009--3
Nick Faldo-1988199319923
Walter Hagen-1921192319233
Jock Hutchinson1920, 16--19163
Justin Leonard--19992004, 19973
Gene Littler19701954-19773
Davis Love III1999, 951996--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.

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About The Editorial Team

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