Rory McIlroy wants more. More Majors, that is. The great Northern Irish champion will arrive at the next PGA Championship, the next major on the calendar, having recently turned 37, so it’s never a bad idea to check how many Majors the greatest players in history added to their records from that age onwards, for example those who won five or more, which certainly aren’t that many
No need to point out that age is just another reference. Important, of course, but not the only one, since these are very different contexts and, in many cases, very different eras. Let’s take it then as a curiosity, rather than as a definitive reference. Besides, there are examples of all kinds
– Thus, Jack Nicklaus, winner of 18 Majors, recorded victory in FOUR of them after turning 37 (the 1978 Open, 1980 US Open, 1980 PGA and 1986 Masters). However, Tiger Woods, winner of fifteen Majors, could only add one win after turning 37 (2019 Masters)
– There are many great players with whom we draw a blank, as they won all their Majors before turning 37. This is the case of Walter Hagen, who won the last of his eleven Majors a few months before turning 37. A similar situation applies to Tom Watson, who won his eight Majors well before turning 37, Bobby Jones (0/7), Gene Sarazen (0/7), Arnold Palmer (0/7), Byron Nelson (0/5), Peter Thomson (0/5) and Seve Ballesteros (0/5)
– Let’s look at the cases most ‘favourable’ for Rory. The name most likely to inspire him is probably Ben Hogan. The legendary Texan won SIX of his nine Majors after turning 37 (1950 US Open, 1951 Masters, 1951 US Open, 1953 Masters, 1953 US Open and 1953 Open). Sam Snead is not a bad reference either, as he won FOUR of his seven Majors after turning 37 (1949 PGA, 1951 PGA, 1952 Masters and 1954 Masters). With Snead there’s a curious circumstance, as he turned exactly 37 three days before winning the 1949 PGA. Phil Mickelson, for his part, won THREE of his six Majors after 37 (2010 Masters, 2013 Open and 2021 PGA)
– Gary Player, for his part, secured THREE of his nine victories after turning 37 (1974 Masters, 1974 Open and 1978 Masters)
– There are three players born in the 19th century, like Hagen, who did register victories after turning 37. That was the case of Harry Vardon, who won TWO of his seven Majors (the 1911 Open and the 1914 Open), James Braid (2/5: the 1980 Open and the 1910 Open) and J. H. Taylor (2/5: the 1909 Open and the 1913 Open)
– We have three cases left to consider among those players who won five or more Majors. Lee Trevino and Nick Faldo each won only one of their six Majors after turning 37, while Brooks Koepka, already a five-time Major winner, has not yet turned 37. He turns 36 on 3 May, so this whole list can also serve as inspiration… or pure entertainment
