The young golf players, including Nicolai Hojgaard, Rory Mcllroy, Rasmus Hojgaard and many others, have undoubtedly reigned supreme and dominated the sport on a global level. With bold strategies and extremely advanced training techniques, the young golfers have established themselves as the ultimate flag bearers for their respective countries over the years.
Well, young golfers today are far more refined and successful than what the past legendary golfers were at the same age. Have you ever wondered about the youngest golfers who have defied the odds and clinched major titles in the initial years of their career? Well, let’s find out.
In this article we will take a look at the top four youngest golfers who have captured major titles at a young age.
Top 4 Youngest Major Winners In Golf
| S.No | Player | Age |
| 1 | Tom Morris Jr. | 17 years, 5 months |
| 2 | John McDermott | 19 years, 9 months, 14 days |
| 3 | Francis Ouimet | 20 years, 4 months, 12 days |
| 4 | Tiger Woods | 21 years, 3 months, 14 days |
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Tom Morris Jr. – 17Years, 5 Months
At the first spot in our list of the top four youngest professional golfers to clinch a major title, we have the legendary Scottish professional golfer Thomas Morris, often referred to as “Tom Morris Jr.” and “Tommy Morris”. Often hailed as one of the greatest golfers of all-time, Tom Morris clinched a total of four consecutive titles in the Open Championship throughout his glorious golfing career.
At the age of 17 years and 5 months, the Scottish golfing legend, Tom Morris Jr. clinched the 1868 Open Championship and established himself as the youngest-ever professional golfer to clinch a major title, which is a record that still stands undefeated. Additionally, as of April 2025, Tom Morris Jr. is the only golfer in the history of the game to clinch four consecutive Open Championship titles in 1868, 1869, 1870 and 1872 (since there was no event scheduled for 1871 due to a trophy dispute).
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John McDermott – 19 Years, 9 Months, 14 Days
The legendary American golfer who rose to fame after clinching the U.S. Open twice, in 1911 and 1912, John McDermott is at the second spot in our list of the top four youngest golfers who clinched major titles. John McDermott clinched the 1911 U.S. Open at the Chicago Golf Club and established himself as the youngest ever golfer to clinch a major title at the age of 19 years, 9 months and 14 days.
Additionally, John McDermott successfully defended his major title at the 1912 U.S. Open Country Club of Buffalo by a commanding two strokes at the age of twenty years. Moreover, John McDermott also established a spine-chilling record of breaking par over 72 holes at the 1912 U.S. Open.
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Francis Ouimet – 20 Years, 4 Months, 12 Days
The iconic American amateur golfer who is frequently referred to as the “father of amateur golf” in the United States, Francis Ouimet, is at the third spot in our list of the top four youngest-ever golfers to capture a major title. Despite his amateur stature, Francis Ouimet left no stone unturned in dominating the 1913 U.S. Open and established himself as the third-youngest golfer and the first ever amateur golfer to clinch the major title at the end of the season, held at the Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts after brutally defeating two of the finest and most seasoned British golfers; Harry Vardon and Ted Ray—in an 18-hole playoff. Owing to his ground-breaking achievements, Francis Ouimet was also inducted into the prestigious World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.
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Tiger Woods – 21 Years, 3 Months, 14 Days
Finally, at the fourth spot in our list of the top four youngest golfers to clinch a major title, we have the legendary American professional golfer Eldrick Tont Tiger Woods, often popularly referred to as “Tiger Woods”, who was inducted into the coveted World Golf Hall of Fame in 2021. Tiger Woods created history at the 1997 Masters Tournament and established himself as the fourth-youngest golfer to clinch a major title at the age of 21 years, 3 months and 14 days and also as the first African-American golfer to capture a major title with a huge margin of twelve strokes.
Throughout his star-studded professional golfing career, Tiger Woods has clinched a total of 15 major championships and a record total of 82 PGA-Tour titles. Moreover, as of April 2025, Tiger Woods continues to be the only golfer to hold all four major titles simultaneously, which is also often referred to as the “Tiger Slam”.
