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.
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.
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:
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.
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:
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. H a 17-year span between his first and last victory, a testament to his incredible physical and mental endurance.
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.
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.
While Hagen and Nicklaus sit atop the mountain with five wins, several other all-time greats have made their mark on this championship.
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.
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.
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.
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