The oldest golf major winners in history: Who Phil Mickelson is chasing
Who are the oldest golf major winners in history? Here's who Phil Mickelson is aiming to eclipse in the final round of the 2021 PGA Championship.
golf.comHere’s the latest on the oldest golf major winners.
- Phil Mickelson remains the oldest major winner in men’s golf history after his 2021 PGA Championship at age 50 years, 11 months, and 7 days. This record stands tied to the PGA Championship in 2021, surpassing previous marks held by Julius Boros and others.[1]
- Recent coverage through 2025 highlighted durable veteran majors, with lists noting Mickelson at the top and others (Boros, Tom Morris Sr., Jack Nicklaus, Jerry Barber) as the next oldest to win majors.[2][3][1]
- Additional sources discuss the broader landscape of the oldest major winners and who still competes at a high level, but as of 2025 there hasn’t been a younger major winner who eclipsed Mickelson’s 2021 mark.[5][6][7]
Illustration example: a quick reference table of the oldest men's major winners
- Phil Mickelson — 2021 PGA Championship — 50y 11m 7d
- Julius Boros — 1968 PGA Championship — 48y 4m 18d
- Tom Morris Sr. — 1867 Open Championship — 46y 3m 10d
- Jack Nicklaus — 1986 Masters — 46y 2m 23d
- Jerry Barber — 1961 PGA Championship — 45y 3m 6d
If you’d like, I can compile a fresh, up-to-date list with exact ages and event dates from the latest major results and present it as a downloadable CSV and chart. Would you prefer a focus on men’s majors only, or include women’s majors as well?
Citations:
- Mickelson oldest major winner (PGA Championship 2021).[1]
- Historical oldest majors list and context.[3][2]
- Broader discussion of oldest major winners.[6][7]