Two titans of the game share the record for the most PGA Championship victories, each claiming the famous Wanamaker Trophy five times. This article will not only tell you who they are but also break down how they achieved this monumental feat in very different eras of golf, and what every golfer can learn from their legendary careers.
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The Kings of the Wanamaker: Hagen and Nicklaus
The answer to the question "what golfer has won the PGA Championship 5 times?" has two names: Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus. While they stand together at the top of the PGA record book, their pathways to five victories were built in completely different formats. Hagen was the master of match play, a head-to-head king, while Nicklaus was the emperor of stroke play, conquering the entire field over 72 holes. Looking at their careers gives us an incredible view of golf's history and offers timeless lessons in how to play with confidence and strategy.
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Before Tiger Woods, before Arnold Palmer, there was Walter Hagen. "The Haig" was golf's first superstar, a man who brought flair, personality, and an air of celebrity to the game. When Hagen was in his prime, the PGA Championship was contested as a grueling match-play tournament. Players went head-to-head in single-elimination matches, a format that puts immense pressure on every single hole. You're not just playing the course, you're playing the opponent standing right in front of you.
Hagen thrived in this environment. He was an intimidating presence with unshakable self-belief. His record is astonishing:
1921: His first PGA Championship victory.
1924: The start of an unbelievable run.
1925: Back-to-back champion.
1926: A three-peat.
1927: His fifth title and an incredible fourth in a row.
Winning four consecutive PGA Championships is a record that's unlikely ever to be touched. To do it, Hagen had to win a succession of head-to-head matches against the best players of his generation, year after year. He was more than just a great ball-striker, he was a brilliant golf psychologist who often beat his opponents before they even stepped onto the first tee.
A Coach's Takeaway from "The Haig"
As a coach, I'm always telling my students that golf is more than just a swing. It's about how you think and how you carry yourself. Walter Hagen is the ultimate example of this. Two of his philosophies are pure gold for any amateur golfer:
Confidence is Everything: Hagen dressed flamboyantly, arrived in limousines, and made it clear he expected to win. He understood that projecting confidence could put doubt in his opponent's mind. For you, this doesn't mean you need a fancy car. It means standing over the ball with a clear decision made, feeling you can hit the shot. Walk with your head up, even after a bad hole. It changes how you feel and how you play. The body language of a winner matters.
Embrace Imperfection: Hagen is famous for saying, "I expect to make at least seven mistakes a round. Therefore, when I make a bad shot, I don't worry about it. It's just one of the seven." This is an incredibly powerful mindset. Golf is not a game of perfect. You willhit bad shots. The key is not letting one mistake affect the next shot. By planning for imperfection, Hagen removed the shock and anger that derails so many rounds. This is a mental skill you can start working on today.
Jack Nicklaus: The Golden Bear's Stroke-Play Supremacy
By the time Jack Nicklaus arrived on the scene, the PGA Championship had transitioned to its modern, 72-hole stroke-play format in 1958. This format is a different beast entirely. It demands consistency, patience, and meticulous planning over four long days. A single catastrophic hole can drop you so far down the leaderboard that recovery is impossible. You have to beat the entire field, not just one man.
Often considered the greatest golfer of all time, Nicklaus's record in the PGA Championship is a masterclass in longevity and consistent excellence. With a 17-year span between his first and last victory, it is a testament to his incredible physical and mental endurance.
1963: His first PGA at Dallas Athletic Club.
1971: Victory at PGA National.
1973: Win number three at Canterbury Golf Club.
1975: His fourth title at Firestone Country Club.
1980: An emotional final win at Oak Hill Country Club at age 40.
Just as impressive as his five wins are his four runner-up finishes (1964, 1965, 1974, 1983). This means Nicklaus finished first or second in the PGA Championship nine times - an absurd level of consistency. His game was built on a foundation of power, precision with his long irons, and, most importantly, a brilliant strategic mind.
A Coach's Takeaway from the Golden Bear
If Hagen teaches us about mental game and swagger, Nicklaus teaches us about strategy and course management. Weekend golfers often think they need to hit the hero shot every time, but Jack built his career on playing the smart shot.
Think Your Way Around the Course: Nicklaus was a chess master on grass. He rarely, if ever, aimed directly at the pin. His primary target was the center of the green. His goal was to eliminate the big mistake - the double or triple bogey that ruins a scorecard. He understood that two-putting for par from 30 feet is far better than short-siding yourself trying to hit a perfect shot and making a bogey or worse. Before you pull a club, ask yourself: "What's the smartest play here, not the most heroic one?"
Play to Your Strengths: Jack knew his greatest weapon was his high, soft-landing long-iron approach shot. He built his entire strategy around getting the ball into a position where he could use that strength. Are you a great driver? Are you deadly from 100 yards? Build your game plan around that. If you know the driver gets you into trouble on a tight hole, lay back with a 3-wood or hybrid to your favorite yardage. Let the hole come to you instead of trying to force your will upon it. That's how you play smart, Nicklaus-style golf.
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While Hagen and Nicklaus sit atop the mountain with five wins, several other all-time greats have made their mark on this championship.
Tiger Woods (4 wins): The most dominant golfer of the modern era, Tiger has four PGA Championship titles (1999, 2000, 2006, 2007). Two of these came in back-to-back fashion, showcasing a prime that was simply untouchable.
Sam Snead (3 wins): "Slammin' Sammy," known for his silky-smooth swing, won three PGA Championships (1942, 1949, 1951), including victories in both the match-play and stroke-play eras.
Gene Sarazen (3 wins): A pioneer of the game, Sarazen also has three wins (1922, 1923, 1933), holding off none other than Walter Hagen for his first two titles.
Names like Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas are the modern face of the championship, but they are all chasing the ghosts of Hagen and Nicklaus, men who defined greatness in their time and set a standard that still endures.
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Reaching five PGA titles in the modern era seems like an almost impossible task. The primary reason is the incredible depth of talent in professional golf. In Hagen's era, and to a lesser extent even in Nicklaus's, there was a smaller pool of players who legitimately had a chance to win a major. Today, any of the top 50, or even 100, players in the world can find their form and win in any given week.
The equipment has also become a great equalizer, and the sheer physical and mental grind of the year-long tour, combined with intense media scrutiny, makes sustained dominance over nearly two decades - like Nicklaus achieved - an incredibly tall order.
Final Thoughts
So, the next time someone asks who has won the PGA Championship five times, you can confidently name both Walter Hagen and Jack Nicklaus. You also know that their records represent two different kinds of genius - Hagen's bold, psychological mastery of match play and Nicklaus's analytical, strategic dominance over the stroke play field.
Understanding the strategies that made these legends great is one thing, but applying them to your own game under pressure is the real challenge. Inspired by geniuses like Nicklaus, we developed Caddie AI to serve as a personal golf expert, providing you with that same high-level strategic insight right on the course. Whether you need an intelligent plan for a difficult par-5 or have a query about a tricky rules situation, our goal is to give you clear, simple advice so you can play with more confidence and make smarter decisions on every single shot.
Spencer has been playing golf since he was a kid and has spent a lifetime chasing improvement. With over a decade of experience building successful tech products, he combined his love for golf and startups to create Caddie AI - the world's best AI golf app. Giving everyone an expert level coach in your pocket, available 24/7. Caddie's mission is simple: make world-class golf advice accessible to everyone, anytime.
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