Golf's Major Winners Over the Age of 40

Phil Mickelson is one of the golfers who has won a major after turning 40 years old

How many times has a golfer over the age of 40 won a major championship? It's not exactly a rare feat, but most years the four major winners in men's golf are under the age of 40. The longest gaps without any 40-and-over major winners have been 33 years (1876-1909, when there was only one major for the early years and then only two majors), and 26 years (1921-1947). In other years, however, there have been multiple major winners in their 40s.

Before we get to the full list of major winners in their 40s, let's look at another question: Which golfer won the most majors after turning 40? The answer is the second major championship winner of them all, Old Tom Morris.

Golfers Who Won the Most Majors in Their 40s

Old Tom Morris, 4 wins in his 40s
Ben Hogan, 3
Jack Nicklaus, 3
Julius Boros, 2
Mark O'Meara, 2
Phil Mickelson, 2
Harry Vardon, 2

The above are the only golfers who won multiple men's majors after turning age 40. (Phil Mickelson is the oldest major winner at 50.) And below is the full list of 40-and-over major champs.

The List: Golfers In Their 40s Who've Won Men's Majors

This is the full list of every golfer age 40 and over who has won one of the major championships of men's professional golf. The list is in chronological order. You can click on the tournament name to see the final scores and more details.

1861 British Open, Old Tom Morris, 40
1862 British Open, Old Tom Morris, 41
1864 British Open, Old Tom Morris, 43
1867 British Open, Old Tom Morris, 46
1875 British Open, Willie Park Sr., 42
1910 British Open, James Braid, 40
1911 British Open, Harry Vardon, 41
1913 British Open, J.H. Taylor, 42
1914 British Open, Harry Vardon, 44
1920 U.S. Open, Ted Ray, 43
1948 British Open, Henry Cotton, 41
1953 Masters, Ben Hogan, 40
1953 U.S. Open, Ben Hogan, 40
1953 British Open, Ben Hogan, 40
1954 Masters, Sam Snead, 41
1958 U.S. Open, Tommy Bolt, 42
1961 PGA Championship, Jerry Barber, 45
1963 U.S. Open, Julius Boros, 43
1967 British Open, Robert De Vicenzo, 44
1968 PGA Championship, Julius Boros, 48
1978 Masters, Gary Player, 42
1980 U.S. Open, Jack Nicklaus, 40
1980 PGA Championship, Jack Nicklaus, 40
1984 PGA Championship, Lee Trevino, 44
1986 Masters, Jack Nicklaus, 46
1986 U.S. Open, Raymond Floyd, 43
1990 U.S. Open, Hale Irwin, 45
1992 U.S. Open, Tom Kite, 42
1995 Masters, Ben Crenshaw, 43
1998 Masters, Mark O’Meara, 41
1998 British Open, Mark O’Meara, 41
1999 U.S. Open, Payne Stewart, 42
2004 PGA Championship, Vijay Singh, 41
2011 British Open, Darren Clarke, 42
2012 British Open, Ernie Els, 42
2013 British Open, Phil Mickelson, 43
2016 British Open, Henrik Stenson, 40
2019 Masters, Tiger Woods, 43
2021 PGA Championship, Phil Mickelson, 50