Twelve straight majors with a different winner isn’t unusual
Alright, already. Can we stop with the breathless reporting of the count of “consecutive majors with a different winner,” as if it some amazing stat. We’re at 12 now, which, yes, is high, but hardly unusual in golf’s history.
In fact, it happened smack in the middle of the Tiger Woods Era, from 2002-05, when 12 different players won consecutively — Ernie Els (British), Rich Beam, Mike Weir, Jim Furyk, Ben Curtis, Shaun Micheel, Phil Mickelson, Retief Goosen, Todd Hamilton, Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods, and Michael Campbell (U.S. Open). Woods broke that streak with his win in the 2005 British Open.
Here are other longer streaks of unique major winners:
18 (1983-88) — Larry Nelson (Open), Tom Watson, Hal Sutton, Ben Crenshaw, Fuzzy Zoeller, Seve Ballesteros, Lee Trevino, Bernhard Langer, Andy North, Sandy Lyle, Hubert Green, Jack Nicklaus, Ray Floyd, Greg Norman, Bob Tway, Larry Mize, Scott Simpson, and Nick Faldo (British). Nelson broke the streak in the 1988 PGA.
15 (1994-98) — Nick Price (PGA), Ben Crenshaw, Corey Pavin, John Daly, Steve Elkington, Nick Faldo, Steve Jones, Tom Lehman, Mark Brooks, Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Justin Leonard, Davis Love III, Mark O.Meara, and Lee Janzen (Open). O’Meara broke that streak in the 1998 British Open.
14 (1956-60) — Jack Burke, Jr. (PGA), Doug Ford, Dick Mayer, Bobby Locke, Lionel Hebert, Arnold Palmer, Tommy Bolt, Peter Thomson, Dow Finsterwald, Art Wall, Billy Casper, Gary Player, Bob Rosburg, and Arnold Palmer (Masters). Palmer broke the streak in the 1960 Open.
14 (1966-70) — Al Geiberger (PGA), Gay Brewer, Jack Nicklaus, Roberto DeVicenzo, Don January, Bob Goalby, Lee Trevino, Gary Player, Julius Boros, George Archer, Orville Moody, Tony Jacklin, Ray Floyd, and Billy Casper (Masters). Jacklin broke the streak in the 1970 Open.
13 (1934-37) – Olin Dutra (Open), Henry Cotton, Paul Runyan, Gene Sarazen, Sam Parks, Jr., Alf Perry, Johnny Revolta, Horton Smith, Tony Manero, Alf Padgham, Denny Shute, Byron Nelson, and Ralph Guldahl. Cotton broke the streak in the 1937 British Open.
