Only five male golfers have completed the career Grand Slam.
Twelve more are set to join this exclusive group, but for most the window has closed.
The Grand Slam, of course, includes the four men’s majors: Masters, PGA Championship, US Open and Open Championship.
There are three active golfers who have a chance to win the Grand Slam. Here’s a look at the 12 golfers who have won three of the four majors.
Phil Mickelson
Mickelson has six majors but is also a six-time US Open runner-up: 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2013. Lefty shocked the world by winning the PGA Championship at age 50. He will be 55 the next day. the 2025 US Open.
Jim Barnes
Jim Barnes won the 1916 and 1919 PGA Championship, the 1921 U.S. Open and the 1925 Open, but by the time the Masters started in 1934, Barnes was 48 years old.
Tommy armor
Tommy Armor won the 1927 U.S. Open, the 1920 PGA Championship and the 1931 Open before playing in his first Masters in 1935 at the age of 38. His best finish at Augusta would be a tie for eighth in 1937.
Walter Hagen
Walter Hagen was a major championship-winning force in his prime. His 11 major tournaments include the US Open of 1914 and 1919, the PGA Championships of 1921, 1924, 1925, 1926 and 1927 as well as the Open Championships of 1922, 1924, 1928 and 1929. But like Barnes and Armour, early in the Masters, Hagen was 41 years old, although he was made six starts at Augusta National.
Byron Nelson
The great Bryon Nelson won the 1937 and 1942 Masters, the 1940 and 1945 PGA Championship and the 1939 U.S. Open, but it was the Open Championship that eluded Nelson’s career. In his day, it was the cost of travel that limited his opportunities. Nelson played at the Open twice – 1937 and 1955 – and his best performance was fifth in 1937.
Sam Snead
Sam Snead has finished second four times at the US Open. This is the major he would never win. His most notable snafu occurred during the 1939 U.S. Open at the Philadelphia Country Club. Snead played aggressively on the 18th hole Sunday, thinking he needed a birdie to win, when par would have done the trick. Alas, his broke mindset ended with a snowman on the scorecard, an 8 that would follow him forever in the golf world.
Arnold Palmer
The PGA Championship would be the one that would elude Arnie, leaving the Latrobe, Pennsylvania, legend one major point away from a career Grand Slam. Like Snead, Palmer faced some difficulties as he fought for PGA Championship prestige, finishing with three second-place finishes in 1964, 1969 and 1970.
Lee Trevino
Lee Trevino’s six major championships were split evenly between the US Open, The Open Championship and the PGA Championship. The Masters would be the one to come out on top for Trevino, who looked at the “high-draw friendly” layout at Augusta National and saw nothing but headaches for his low-fade game.
Raymond Floyd
Raymond Floyd never conquered the links-style tests of the Open Championship, preventing him from winning the career Grand Slam. The four-time major winner’s best chance at the final stage ended with a runner-up finish at the 1978 Open at St. Andrews. Floyd shot an impressive 68 that Sunday, catapulting the ranking to 13th. But it wouldn’t be enough to defeat that year’s champion, Jack Nicklaus.
Tom Watson
Tom Watson was an eight-time major champion but never won the Wanamaker Trophy at a PGA Championship. He got several top 10 nominations, but only three came close to winning him. The 1978 PGA Championship at Oakmont Country Club would be the toughest to swallow: Watson blew a five-shot lead, carded a 78 in the final round and lost the tournament in a playoff to John Mahaffey.
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy only needs one Masters title to end his Gent Slam career. He’s had some tough situations, including a four-shot collapse at the 2011 Masters. Many believe this is still inevitable, making him number 6 in the career Grand Slam group.
Jordan Spieth
Speith’s last major title was the 2017 Open Championship. In 2015, he won the Masters and the US Open. The PGA Championship is the one that eludes him. Of note, of the five Grand Slam club members, none have won the PGA, making him the fourth and final player Spieth needs to be included.
This article was originally published on Golfweek: Golfers who have won 3 career Grand Slams in men’s professional golf
