The 2026 men's major season concluded with Rory McIlroy defending his Masters title, Aaron Rai's breakthrough PGA Championship win, Wyndham Clark's second U.S. Open crown and Ryan Fox lifting the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale.
2026 major championships
Northern IrelandRory McIlroy
EnglandAaron Rai
United StatesWyndham Clark
New ZealandRyan Fox| Major | Venue | Dates | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | Augusta National Golf Club, United States | April 9-12, 2026 | Northern IrelandRory McIlroy |
| PGA Championship | Aronimink Golf Club, United States | May 14-17, 2026 | EnglandAaron Rai |
| U.S. Open | Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, United States | June 18-21, 2026 | United StatesWyndham Clark |
| The Open Championship | Royal Birkdale, United Kingdom | July 16-19, 2026 | New ZealandRyan Fox |
The Masters: Rory McIlroy successfully defended his Green Jacket, closing at 12-under par to beat Scottie Scheffler by one stroke.
PGA Championship: Aaron Rai claimed his first major with a final-round 65, finishing three strokes clear of Jon Rahm and Alex Smalley.
U.S. Open: Wyndham Clark claimed his second U.S. Open title, a wire-to-wire one-stroke victory over Sam Burns.
The Open Championship: Ryan Fox of New Zealand overturned a two-shot deficit on a dramatic final-day back nine to lift the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale.
Recent major champions
Northern IrelandRory McIlroy EnglandAaron Rai United StatesWyndham Clark New ZealandRyan Fox Northern IrelandRory McIlroy United StatesScottie Scheffler United StatesJ.J. Spaun United StatesScottie Scheffler United StatesScottie Scheffler United StatesXander Schauffele United StatesBryson DeChambeau United StatesXander Schauffele
SpainJon Rahm United StatesBrooks Koepka United StatesWyndham Clark United StatesBrian Harman United StatesScottie Scheffler United StatesJustin Thomas EnglandMatt Fitzpatrick
AustraliaCameron Smith
JapanHideki Matsuyama United StatesPhil Mickelson SpainJon Rahm United StatesCollin Morikawa| Year | Major | Champion | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | The Masters | Northern IrelandRory McIlroy | Augusta National |
| 2026 | PGA Championship | EnglandAaron Rai | Aronimink |
| 2026 | U.S. Open | United StatesWyndham Clark | Shinnecock Hills |
| 2026 | The Open Championship | New ZealandRyan Fox | Royal Birkdale |
| 2025 | The Masters | Northern IrelandRory McIlroy | Augusta National |
| 2025 | PGA Championship | United StatesScottie Scheffler | Quail Hollow |
| 2025 | U.S. Open | United StatesJ.J. Spaun | Oakmont Country Club |
| 2025 | The Open Championship | United StatesScottie Scheffler | Royal Portrush |
| 2024 | The Masters | United StatesScottie Scheffler | Augusta National |
| 2024 | PGA Championship | United StatesXander Schauffele | Valhalla |
| 2024 | U.S. Open | United StatesBryson DeChambeau | Pinehurst No. 2 |
| 2024 | The Open Championship | United StatesXander Schauffele | Royal Troon |
| 2023 | The Masters | SpainJon Rahm | Augusta National |
| 2023 | PGA Championship | United StatesBrooks Koepka | Oak Hill |
| 2023 | U.S. Open | United StatesWyndham Clark | Los Angeles Country Club |
| 2023 | The Open Championship | United StatesBrian Harman | Royal Liverpool |
| 2022 | The Masters | United StatesScottie Scheffler | Augusta National |
| 2022 | PGA Championship | United StatesJustin Thomas | Southern Hills |
| 2022 | U.S. Open | EnglandMatt Fitzpatrick | The Country Club, Brookline |
| 2022 | The Open Championship | AustraliaCameron Smith | St Andrews |
| 2021 | The Masters | JapanHideki Matsuyama | Augusta National |
| 2021 | PGA Championship | United StatesPhil Mickelson | Kiawah Island |
| 2021 | U.S. Open | SpainJon Rahm | Torrey Pines |
| 2021 | The Open Championship | United StatesCollin Morikawa | Royal St George's |
The four majors
The Masters
April🇺🇸 United States · Augusta National Golf Club
The only major played at the same course every year — the Green Jacket, awarded since 1934.
PGA Championship
May🇺🇸 United States · Rotates across the United States
Organised by the PGA of America — the Wanamaker Trophy, first played for in 1916.
U.S. Open
June🇺🇸 United States · Rotates across the United States
The USGA's famously demanding test — the oldest American major, first contested in 1895.
The Open Championship
July🏴 United Kingdom · Rotating links courses
Golf's oldest major — the Claret Jug, first contested in 1860.
All-time major leaders
United States Jack Nicklaus
Six Masters, five PGAs, four U.S. Opens, three Opens
United States Tiger Woods
Career Grand Slam three times over
United States Walter Hagen
The dominant figure of the 1920s
United States Ben Hogan
Won three majors in 1953 alone
South Africa Gary Player
Nine majors across three decades
United States Tom Watson
Five Claret Jugs, including the Duel in the Sun
United States Arnold Palmer
The people's champion of golf's TV age
United States Bobby Jones
The 1930 Grand Slam, all four in one year
United States Sam Snead
A record 82 PGA Tour wins
United States Gene Sarazen
Completed the career Grand Slam in 1935
How it's played
Golfers tee off and play each hole with a variety of clubs until the ball drops into the cup, counting every stroke. The lowest total over the tournament's rounds wins — on tour that's stroke play over four rounds. The four majors — The Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open — carry the most prestige.
A brief history of golf's majors
Golf is codified on Scotland's links, and in 1754 the company that becomes the Royal & Ancient Golf Club is founded at St Andrews — the 'home of golf'.
Willie Park Sr. wins the first Open at Prestwick, launching the oldest championship in golf and the original major.
The U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur are staged for the first time, and American golf quickly grows into a power that will come to dominate the professional game.
The PGA of America is founded in 1916, and Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts launch an annual invitational at Augusta National in 1934 — the tournament becomes The Masters, completing the modern four majors.
Bobby Jones wins all four majors of his era in a single calendar year — a feat never repeated and the reason golf's four biggest prizes became known as the Grand Slam.
Jack Nicklaus collects a record 18 professional majors across three decades, setting the benchmark every champion since has chased.
Tiger Woods' 15 majors and 82 PGA Tour wins transform the sport's popularity and prize money, golf returns to the Olympics in 2016, and LIV Golf's 2022 arrival reshapes the professional landscape.
World golf ranking — top 8
Scottie Scheffler continues to dominate the Official World Golf Ranking as the clear world number one heading into the final stretch of the 2026 season.
Scottie Scheffler
United States · World ranking
Scheffler maintains a commanding lead at the top of the rankings following a highly consistent 2026 campaign.
Rory McIlroy
Northern Ireland · World ranking
McIlroy remains the primary challenger to the top spot as he continues his pursuit of major titles this year.
Matt Fitzpatrick
England · World ranking
Fitzpatrick has climbed into the top three following a strong run of form throughout the 2026 season.
Cameron Young
United States · World ranking
Young continues to solidify his position among the world's elite golfers with consistent high finishes.
Wyndham Clark
United States · World ranking
Clark remains a fixture in the top five after building on his previous major championship success.
Chris Gotterup
United States · World ranking
Gotterup has surged into the top ten following a breakout performance period on the professional circuit.
Tommy Fleetwood
England · World ranking
Fleetwood maintains his status as a top-tier global competitor with steady play across international tours.
Viktor Hovland
Norway · World ranking
Hovland continues to be a major factor in world rankings, consistently contending in the biggest events.
Top 100 + 52-card playing deck — open the collector's box set on its own Legends page: the card deck, the Top 100 and every box-set game.
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