The Grand Slam tournaments are a magnificent source of names and figures that illustrate the stars of world golf over the years. For many years, since the first edition of the oldest of the Majors, the British Open, dates back to the distant 1860s.
The only player who has managed to complete the Grand Slam in the same year was Bobby Jones, who achieved the feat in 1930, when then the majors were the British Amateur, the British Open, the US Open and the US Amateur, all four played in a period of only four months. The brilliant American golfer, who was 28 years old and never gave up his amateur status, retired from competitions for good only a few months later. Among the ingenious phrases he left for posterity is this one: “The secret of golf is to turn three strokes into two”.
The term Grand Slam was first applied to Jones’ feat in 1930. Until then there was no expression to define an achievement of such magnitude. An Atlanta journalist coined the term Grand Slam by borrowing it from a bridge card play. Another journalist wrote that Jones had blown up “the impenetrable ring of golf,” and another that he had made “the most triumphant journey any man had ever made in the sport.”
Since the modern era of the Grand Slam, with the irruption of the Masters, played for the first time in 1934, there are two names that are repeated with assiduity in the annals of the Majors: Jack Nickalus, with 18 victories, and Tiger Woods, with 14. The latter is the only one, apart from Jones, to win the four majors consecutively, although not in the same year. He did so in the 2000 and 2001 seasons, starting with victory in the second Grand Slam event (US Open) and ending the following year with victory in the Masters.
In the compilation of records recorded at the Grand Slam there is a lot of interesting information: Do you know who had the lowest round, the best overall result, the youngest winner? The answers, below.
FEWER STROKES IN 72 HOLES
LOW 72-HOLE SCORE
MASTERS TOURNAMENT
270, Tiger Woods: 1997, 70-66-65-69; Jordan Spieth: 2015, 64-66-70-70-70 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.
U.S. OPEN
268, Rory McIlroy: 2011, 65-66-68-68-69 at Congressional Country Club, Bethesda, Md.
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
267, Greg Norman: 1993, 66-68-69-64 at Royal St. George’s in Sandwich, England
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
265, David Toms: 2001, 66-65-65-69 at Atlanta Athletic Club, Johns Creek, Ga.
BEST UNDER PAR IN 72 HOLES
LOW 72-HOLE SCORE (with relation to par)
MASTERS TOURNAMENT
18 under, Tiger Woods: 1997, 70-66-65-69; Jordan Spieth: 2015, 64-66-70-70 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.
U.S. OPEN
16 under, Rory McIlroy: 2011, 65-66-68-69 at Congressional Golf Club in Bethesda, Md.
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
19 under, Tiger Woods: 2000, 67-66-67-69 at St. Andrews (Old) in St. Andrews, Scotland
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
18 under, *Tiger Woods: 2000, 66-67-70-67; Bob May: 2000, 72-66-66-66-66-66 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky. (* won playoff)
BEST 18 HOLES
LOW 18-HOLE SCORE
MASTERS TOURNAMENT
63, Nick Price (1986, third round); Greg Norman (1996, first)
U.S. OPEN
63, Johnny Miller (1973, fourth round); Jack Nicklaus (1980, first); Tom Weiskopf (1980, first); Vijay Singh (2003, second)
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
63, Mark Hayes (1977, second round); Isao Aoki (1980, third); Greg Norman (1986, second); Paul Broadhurst (1990, third); Jodie Mudd (1991, fourth); Nick Faldo (1993, second); Payne Stewart (1993, fourth); Rory McIlroy (2010, first).
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
63, Bruce Crampton (1975, second round); Raymond Floyd (1982, first); Gary Player (1984, second); Vijay Singh (1993, second); Michael Bradley (1995, first); Brad Faxon (1995, fourth); Jose Maria Olazabal (2000, third); Mark O’Meara (2001, second); Thomas Bjorn (2005, third); Tiger Woods (2007, second); Steve Stricker (2011, first); Jason Dufner (2013, second).
MORE VICTORIES
MOST VICTORIES
MASTERS TOURNAMENT
6, Jack Nicklaus (1963, 1965, 1966, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986)
U.S. OPEN
4, Willie Anderson (1901, 1903, 1904, 1905); a-Robert T. Jones Jr. (1923, 1926, 1929, 1930); Ben Hogan (1948, 1950, 1951, 1953); Jack Nicklaus (1962, 1967, 1972, 1980).
OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
6, Harry Vardon (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914)
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
5, Walter Hagen (1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927); Jack Nicklaus (1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980)
YOUNGEST WINNERS
YOUNGEST CHAMPIONS
MASTERS TOURNAMENT
Tiger Woods, 1997 (21 years, 3 months, 14 days)
U.S. OPEN
Johnny McDermott, 1911 (19 years, 10 months, 14 days)
The OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Seve Ballesteros, 1979 (modern era, 22 years, 3 months, 12 days); Tom Morris Jr., 1868 (pre-modern era, 17 years, 5 months, 8 days)
PGA Championship
Gene Sarazen, 1922 (20 years, 5 months, 22 days)
OLDER WINNERS
OLDEST CHAMPIONS
MASTERS TOURNAMENT
Jack Nicklaus, 1986 (46 years, 2 months, 23 days)
U.S. OPEN
Hale Irwin, 1990 (45 years, 15 days)
The OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Roberto De Vicenzo, 1967 (modern era, 44 years, 3 months, 3 days); Old Tom Morris, 1867 (pre-modern era, 46 years, 3 months, 10 days)
PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
Julius Boros, 1968 (48 years, 4 months, 18 days)
THE GREATEST TO WIN A MAJOR
OLDEST PLAYERS TO WIN A MAJOR
Julius Boros, 1968 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP, 48 years, 4 months, 18 days
Tom Morris, Sr., 1867 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, 46 years, 3 months, 10 days
Jack Nicklaus, 1986 MASTERS TOURNAMENT, 46 years, 2 months, 23 days
Jerry Barber, 1961 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP, 45 Years, 3 months, 6 days
Hale Irwin, 1990 U.S. OPEN, 45 years, 15 days
Lee Trevino, 1984 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP, 44 years, 8 months, 18 days
Roberto De Vicenzo, 1967 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, 44 years, 3 months, 1 days
Harry Vardon, 1914 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, 44 years, 1 month, 10 days
Raymond Floyd, 1986 U.S. OPEN, 43 years, 9 months, 11 days
Ted Ray, 1920 U.S. OPEN, 43 years, 4 months, 16 days
THE OLDEST TO WIN A MAJOR FOR THE FIRST TIME
OLDEST FIRST-TIME MAJOR WINNERS
Jerry Barber (45 years, 3 months, 6 days, 1961 PGA CHAMPIONSHIP)
Roberto De Vicenzo (44 years, 3 months, 1 day, 1967 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP)
THE LONGEST TIME BETWEEN VICTORIES OF THE FIRST AND SECOND MAJOR
LONGEST TIME BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND MAJORS
11 years, Julius Boros (1952 U.S. OPEN-1963 U.S. OPEN)
11 years, Ben Crenshaw (1984 Masters-1995 Masters)
PLAYERS WHO WON THE WEEK BEFORE THE BIG ONE
PLAYERS WINNING THE WEEK BEFORE A MAJOR (since 1934)
2014, Rory McIlroy (WGC-Bridgestone Invitational-PGA CHAMPIONSHIP)
2007, Tiger Woods (WGC-Bridgestone Invitational-PGA CHAMPIONSHIP)
2006, Phil Mickelson (BellSouth Classic-MASTERS TOURNAMENT)
1988, Sandy Lyle (Greater Greensboro Open-MASTERS TOURNAMENT)
1971, Lee Trevino (Canadian Open-OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP)
1959, Art Wall (Azalea Open-MASTERS TOURNAMENT)
1949, Sam Snead (Greater Greensboro Open-MASTERS TOURNAMENT)
1946, Ben Hogan (Winnipeg Open-PGA CHAMPIONSHIP)
1945, Byron Nelson (Chicago Victory Open-PGA CHAMPIONSHIP)
1939, Ralph Guldahl (Greater Greensboro Open-MASTERS TOURNAMENT)
1939, Henry Picard (Scranton Open-PGA CHAMPIONSHIP)
PLAYERS WHO WON A MAJOR AND THE FOLLOWING TOURNAMENT
PLAYERS TO WIN A MAJOR AND THEN THE FOLLOWING WEEK (since 1934)
2006, Tiger Woods (PGA CHAMPIONSHIP-WGC-Bridgestone Invitational)
2000, Tiger Woods (PGA CHAMPIONSHIP-WGC-Bridgestone Invitational)
1998, Vijay Singh (PGA CHAMPIONSHIP-The International)
1990, Hale Irwin (U.S. OPEN-Buick Classic)
1985, Bernhard Langer (MASTERS TOURNAMENT-MCI Heritage)
1978, John Mahaffey (PGA CHAMPIONSHIP-American Optical Classic)
1978, Gary Player (MASTERS TOURNAMENT-Tournament of Champions)
1966, Billy Casper (U.S. OPEN-Western Open)
1950, Jimmy Demaret (MASTERS TOURNAMENT-North Fulton Open)
1938, Ralph Guldahl (U.S. OPEN-Western Open)
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