Golf
Oldest PGA Tour Winners in History: The Records
The oldest PGA Tour event winner is Sam Snead, who won at age 52 years, 10 months, and 8 days at the 1965 Greater Greensboro Open but who else makes the cut? William Hill News examine golf’s older success stories.
That record still stands in 2026, with Phil Mickelson’s 2021 PGA Championship win remaining the modern benchmark for a player winning a PGA Tour event after turning 50.
These are the top ten oldest PGA Tour winners in the competition’s history:
- Sam Snead – 52 years, 10 months, 8 days
- Art Wall Jr – 51 years, 7 months, 10 days
- Davis Love III – 51 years, 4 months, 10 days
- Jim Barnes – 51 years, 3 months, 7 days
- John Barnum – 51 years, 1 month, 5 days
- Phil Mickelson – 50 years, 11 months, 7 days
- Fred Funk – 50 years, 8 months, 11 days
- Craig Stadler – 50 years, 1 month, 18 days
- Vijay Singh – 48 years, 10 months, 20 days
- Kenny Perry – 48 years, 0 months, 10 days
Oldest PGA Tour Event Winners List
Here’s a closer look at all of the top ten oldest PGA Tour event winners, including their age and when and where they secured their victories.
| Player | Age | PGA Tour Event | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam Snead | 52 years, 10 months, 8 days | Greater Greensboro Open | 1965 |
| Art Wall Jr | 51 years, 7 months, 10 days | Greater Milwaukee Open | 1975 |
| Davis Love III | 51 years, 4 months, 10 days | Wyndham Championship | 2015 |
| Jim Barnes | 51 years, 3 months, 7 days | Long Island Open | 1937 |
| John Barnum | 51 years, 1 month, 5 days | Cajun Classic | 1962 |
| Phil Mickelson | 50 years, 11 months, 7 days | PGA Championship | 2021 |
| Fred Funk | 50 years, 8 months, 11 days | Mayakoba Golf Classic | 2007 |
| Craig Stadler | 50 years, 1 month, 18 days | B.C. Open | 2003 |
| Vijay Singh | 48 years, 10 months, 20 days | Barclays Classic | 2008 |
| Kenny Perry | 48 years, 0 months, 10 days | Verizon Heritage | 2009 |
Oldest PGA Tour Winner
Sam Snead is the oldest PGA Tour winner in history, and the record is still the standard every veteran chasing a late-career title has to beat.
He was 52 years, 10 months, and 8 days old when he won the 1965 Greater Greensboro Open, and he did it in style by finishing five strokes clear.
That record matters because it sits at the top of a very short list and proves that, when you’re learning to bet on golf, age still matters most of the time. Phil Mickelson’s 2021 PGA Championship victory showed that elite players can still win major titles after 50, but Snead’s PGA Tour mark has proven tougher to topple.
Oldest Major Champion
Phil Mickelson is the oldest major champion in men’s golf history after winning the 2021 PGA Championship at 50 years, 11 months, and 7 days.
He beat Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen by two strokes at Kiawah Island, turning a late-career surge into one of the most famous age-related records in the sport and a fair challenger to the greatest moments in PGA Championship history.
That win is still the cleanest answer for fans asking whether a player can win a major after 50. Mickelson did it with a closing 73, and no one has bettered that age in a men’s major since. Take golf majors odds on this tour’s finest players at William Hill.
Who Is The Oldest PGA Championship Winner?
Phil Mickelson is also the oldest PGA Championship winner, because his 2021 victory at Kiawah Island came when he was 50 years, 11 months, and 7 days old. The result gave him a sixth major and confirmed that the PGA Championship can still produce history well into a player’s 50s.
The win also sits in a different category from the PGA Tour age record. Snead still owns the oldest PGA Tour event win overall, while Mickelson owns the oldest major championship win.
Why The Record Still Feels So Hard To Break
Snead’s record has lasted because PGA Tour events are brutal over four rounds, especially for older players who are facing younger, deeper fields. Experience helps, but the scoring pace and physical demands of modern golf make late-career wins rare.
The closest modern examples still come from players with elite timing, course management, and enough length to stay competitive. That is why Mickelson’s PGA Championship win stands out so clearly, and why any future challenger would need to be in exceptional form rather than merely hanging around.
Oldest PGA Tour Winners FAQs:
Who is the oldest PGA Tour winner?
Sam Snead is the oldest PGA Tour winner. He was 52 years, 10 months, and 8 days old when he won the 1965 Greater Greensboro Open.
How old was Phil Mickelson when he won the PGA Championship?
Phil Mickelson was 50 years, 11 months, and 7 days old when he won the 2021 edition of the PGA Championship.
