GOLF
Who is the oldest player to win a men’s PGA event? 50-year-old golfers who have won on tour
There may not be many of them, but that just shows the difficulty of winning a title when you’ve had half a century behind you.
The average age of a tour golfer in the men’s game is 35, but did you know that the average age of a male major winner is just shy of 33 years old? Well, while golf may not necessarily be coined as a young man’s game, especially with other sports boasting top-level champions in their early twenties, there certainly appears to be a distinct peak period for players. Nonetheless, there are always exceptions – those luminaries of the game who defy conventional wisdom and continue to shine, seemingly unaware of when to hang up their clubs.
We’ve had more than 900 winners of a PGA Tour event – there have been over 4,000 competitions in total, in case you wondered – but just eight of those champs had reached the ‘big 5-O’ by the time they lifted the trophy. This exclusive fraternity belongs to Craig Stadler, Fred Funk, John Barnum, James Barnes, Davis Love III, Art Wall, Jr., Sam Snead, and Phil Mickelson, the latter being the most recent to etch his name into the veteran record books with a historic triumph at the 2021 PGA Championship.
The oldest of these post-50s to be crowned was Snead. At the remarkable age of 52 years, 10 months, and 8 days, he stumbled around the course with his walking frame to clinch victory at the 1965 Greater Greensboro Open before collecting his prize and spare set of teeth. Let’s have a quick look at these eight impressive stick ballers.
Eight over 50s players to have won a PGA event
Craig Stadler
Known as “The Walrus,” Stadler is famed for his distinctive putting stance and won the Masters in 1982.
Fred Funk
Renowned for his accuracy and putting prowess, Funk secured eight PGA Tour victories, including The Players Championship in 2005.
John Barnum
A journeyman golfer, Barnum clinched his sole PGA Tour victory at the 1962 Cajun Classic Open Invitational.
James Barnes
A pioneer in golf history, Barnes was the first American-born golfer to win the PGA Championship in 1916.
Davis Love III
With 21 PGA Tour victories, including the 1997 PGA Championship, Love is a revered figure in golfing circles.
Art Wall, Jr.
Wall’s crowning achievement came at the 1959 Masters Tournament, where he emerged victorious in a playoff.
Sam Snead
A golfing legend, Snead boasts 82 PGA Tour victories, including seven major championships, and remains the oldest player to win on tour at 52.
Phil Mickelson
A modern golf icon, Mickelson has amassed 45 PGA Tour victories, including six majors, and secured his place in history as the oldest major champion with his win at the 2021 PGA Championship.