It is rare that a golfer becomes a repeat winner in the PGA Championship. Only six players have won a PGA Championship in back-to-back years, with only two of those having come in stroke play.
There won’t be a repeat champion this year, as 2021 winner Phil Mickelson withdrew his name from the PGA Championship field before the tournament.
But there are still several golfers who could make history by adding to their win totals. Tiger Woods could tie Jack Nicklaus for the record of most PGA Championship wins if he collects his fifth victory in the event. Brooks Koepka or Rory McIlroy could become only the sixth golfer to win at least three times in the event.
Whichever golfer comes out on top in 2022 will be adding his name to a list of the greatest golfers in the sport’s history, with past winners like Walter Hagen, Sam Snead, Gene Sarazen, Gary Player and more.
Here’s a look at the golfers who have won the PGA Championship:
PGA Championship winners by year
No one has won the PGA Championship in the stroke play era more than Nicklaus. The Golden Bear holds the record with five wins in the tournament over his career, having collected victories in 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975 and 1980.
Woods is right behind him with four wins, which came in 1999, 2000, 2006 and 2007.
Here’s a look at the winners in the stroke play era:
| Year | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1958 | Dow Finsterwald | -4 |
| 1959 | Bob Rosburg | -3 |
| 1960 | Jay Herbert | +1 |
| 1961 | Jerry Barber | -3 |
| 1962 | Gary Player | -2 |
| 1963 | Jack Nicklaus | -5 |
| 1964 | Bobby Nichols | -9 |
| 1965 | Dave Marr | -4 |
| 1966 | Al Geiberger | E |
| 1967 | Don January | -7 |
| 1968 | Julius Boros | +1 |
| 1969 | Raymond Floyd | -8 |
| 1970 | Dave Stockton | -1 |
| 1971 | Jack Nicklaus | -7 |
| 1972 | Gary Player | +1 |
| 1973 | Jack Nicklaus | -7 |
| 1974 | Lee Trevino | -4 |
| 1975 | Jack Nicklaus | -4 |
| 1976 | Dave Stockton | +1 |
| 1977 | Lanny Wadkins | -6 |
| 1978 | John Mahaffey | -8 |
| 1979 | David Graham | -8 |
| 1980 | Jack Nicklaus | -6 |
| 1981 | Larry Nelson | -7 |
| 1982 | Raymond Floyd | -8 |
| 1983 | Hal Sutton | -10 |
| 1984 | Lee Trevino | -15 |
| 1985 | Hubert Green | -10 |
| 1986 | Bob Tway | -8 |
| 1987 | Larry Nelson | -1 |
| 1988 | Jeff Sluman | -12 |
| 1989 | Payne Stewart | -12 |
| 1990 | Wayne Grady | -6 |
| 1991 | John Daly | -12 |
| 1992 | Nick Price | -6 |
| 1993 | Paul Azinger | -12 |
| 1994 | Nick Price | -11 |
| 1995 | Steve Elkington | -17 |
| 1996 | Mark Brooks | -11 |
| 1997 | Davis Love III | -11 |
| 1998 | Vijay Singh | -9 |
| 1999 | Tiger Woods | -11 |
| 2000 | Tiger Woods | -18 |
| 2001 | David Toms | -15 |
| 2002 | Rich Beem | -10 |
| 2003 | Shaun Micheel | -4 |
| 2004 | Vijay Singh | -8 |
| 2005 | Phil Mickelson | -4 |
| 2006 | Tiger Woods | -18 |
| 2007 | Tiger Woods | -8 |
| 2008 | Padraig Harrington | -3 |
| 2009 | Y.E. Yang | -8 |
| 2010 | Martin Kaymer | -11 |
| 2011 | Keegan Bradley | -8 |
| 2012 | Rory McIlroy | -13 |
| 2013 | Jason Dufner | -10 |
| 2014 | Rory McIlroy | -16 |
| 2015 | Jason Day | -20 |
| 2016 | Jimmy Walker | -14 |
| 2017 | Justin Thomas | -8 |
| 2018 | Brooks Koepka | -16 |
| 2019 | Brooks Koepka | -8 |
| 2020 | Collin Morikawa | -13 |
| 2021 | Phil Mickelson | -6 |
Before there was stroke play, golfers competed in match play, working their way through a bracket.
During that period, Hagen won the tournament five times, holding the record for the most wins all time in the PGA Championship until Nicklaus tied him much later.
Hagen won in 1921 to pick up his first victory and proceeded to win it four straight years in 1924, 1925, 1926 and 1927 in the only event winning streak longer than three consecutive years.
Here’s a look at the golfers who won in the match play era:
| Year | Golfer |
|---|---|
| 1916 | James M. Barnes |
| 1919 | James M. Barnes |
| 1920 | Jock Hutchison |
| 1921 | Walter Hagen |
| 1922 | Gene Sarazen |
| 1923 | Gene Sarazen |
| 1924 | Walter Hagen |
| 1925 | Walter Hagen |
| 1926 | Walter Hagen |
| 1927 | Walter Hagen |
| 1928 | Leo Diegel |
| 1929 | Leo Diegel |
| 1930 | Tommy Armour |
| 1931 | Tom Creavy |
| 1932 | Olin Dutra |
| 1933 | Gene Sarazen |
| 1934 | Paul Runyan |
| 1935 | Johnny Revolta |
| 1936 | Denny Shute |
| 1937 | Denny Shute |
| 1938 | Paul Runyan |
| 1939 | Henry Picard |
| 1940 | Byron Nelson |
| 1941 | Vic Ghezzi |
| 1942 | Sam Snead |
| 1944 | Bob Hamilton |
| 1945 | Byron Nelson |
| 1946 | Ben Hogan |
| 1947 | Jim Ferrier |
| 1948 | Ben Hogan |
| 1949 | Sam Snead |
| 1950 | Chandler Harper |
| 1951 | Sam Snead |
| 1952 | Jim Turnesa |
| 1953 | Walter Burkemo |
| 1954 | Chick Harbert |
| 1955 | Doug Ford |
| 1956 | Jack Burke Jr. |
| 1957 | Lionel Hebert |
*There was no PGA Championship in 1917, 1918 or 1943 due to war.
How much does the PGA Championship winner make?
Golfers in the PGA Championship always leave with a hefty payday. Since 2014, winners have earned at least $1.8 million by winning the tournament.
That is a drastic increase from the $500 earned by James Barnes in 1916, when he won the first PGA Championship — even with inflation, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has that payday as worth only $13,509.77 in 2022.
Here’s a look at the payout for each PGA Championship winner, according to GolfLink.
| Year | Payout |
|---|---|
| 1916 | $500 |
| 1919 | $500 |
| 1920 | $500 |
| 1921 | $500 |
| 1922 | $500 |
| 1923 | $1,000 |
| 1924 | $1,000 |
| 1925 | $1,000 |
| 1926 | $1,000 |
| 1927 | $1,000 |
| 1928 | $1,000 |
| 1929 | $1,000 |
| 1930 | $1,000 |
| 1931 | $1,000 |
| 1932 | $1,000 |
| 1933 | $1,000 |
| 1934 | $1,000 |
| 1935 | $1,000 |
| 1936 | $1,000 |
| 1937 | $1,000 |
| 1938 | $1,100 |
| 1939 | $1,100 |
| 1940 | $1,100 |
| 1941 | $1,100 |
| 1942 | $1,000 |
| 1944 | $3,500 |
| 1945 | $3,750 |
| 1946 | $3,500 |
| 1947 | $3,500 |
| 1948 | $3,500 |
| 1949 | $3,500 |
| 1950 | $3,500 |
| 1951 | $3,500 |
| 1952 | $3,500 |
| 1953 | $5,000 |
| 1954 | $5,000 |
| 1955 | $5,000 |
| 1956 | $5,000 |
| 1957 | $8,000 |
| 1958 | $5,500 |
| 1959 | $8,250 |
| 1960 | $11,000 |
| 1961 | $11,000 |
| 1962 | $13,000 |
| 1963 | $13,000 |
| 1964 | $18,000 |
| 1965 | $25,000 |
| 1966 | $25,000 |
| 1967 | $25,000 |
| 1968 | $25,000 |
| 1969 | $35,000 |
| 1970 | $40,000 |
| 1971 | $40,000 |
| 1972 | $45,000 |
| 1973 | $45,000 |
| 1974 | $45,000 |
| 1975 | $45,000 |
| 1976 | $45,000 |
| 1977 | $45,000 |
| 1978 | $50,000 |
| 1979 | $60,000 |
| 1980 | $60,000 |
| 1981 | $60,000 |
| 1982 | $65,000 |
| 1983 | $100,000 |
| 1984 | $125,000 |
| 1985 | $125,000 |
| 1986 | $145,000 |
| 1987 | $150,000 |
| 1988 | $160,000 |
| 1989 | $200,000 |
| 1990 | $225,000 |
| 1991 | $230,000 |
| 1992 | $280,000 |
| 1993 | $300,000 |
| 1994 | $310,000 |
| 1995 | $360,000 |
| 1996 | $430,000 |
| 1997 | $470,000 |
| 1998 | $540,000 |
| 1999 | $630,000 |
| 2000 | $900,000 |
| 2001 | $936,000 |
| 2002 | $990,000 |
| 2003 | $1,080,000 |
| 2004 | $1,125,000 |
| 2005 | $1,170,000 |
| 2006 | $1,224,000 |
| 2007 | $1,260,000 |
| 2008 | $1,350,000 |
| 2009 | $1,350,000 |
| 2010 | $1,350,000 |
| 2011 | $1,445,000 |
| 2012 | $1,445,000 |
| 2013 | $1,445,000 |
| 2014 | $1,800,000 |
| 2015 | $1,800,000 |
| 2016 | $1,800,000 |
| 2017 | $1,890,000 |
| 2018 | $1,980,000 |
| 2019 | $1,980,000 |
| 2020 | $1,980,000 |
| 2021 | $2,160,000 |
| 2022 | $2,160,000* |
*Expected winner’s payout for 2022