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Walter Hagen

United States · born , Rochester, New York, USA · died

11major championships

Summary

  • First major 1914 U.S. Open
  • Last major 1929 The Open
  • Ryder Cup 5 Cups · 7-1-1 · 7.5 points (83.3%)
  • Ryder Cup captain 1927, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1935, 1937
  • Runner-up in majors 3 times

Wins

  1. 1914 U.S. Open Midlothian C.C. · 290 (+2) · by 1 stroke from Chick Evans
  2. 1919 U.S. Open Brae Burn C.C. · 301 (+17) · won a playoff against Mike Brady
  3. 1921 PGA Championship Inwood Country Club · won the final 3 & 2 against Jim Barnes
  4. 1922 The Open Royal St George's Golf Club · 300 · by 1 stroke from Jim Barnes and George Duncan
  5. 1924 PGA Championship French Lick Springs Golf Club · won the final 2 up against Jim Barnes
  6. 1924 The Open Royal Liverpool Golf Club · 301 · by 1 stroke from Ernest Whitcombe
  7. 1925 PGA Championship Olympia Fields Country Club · won the final 6 & 5 against Bill Mehlhorn
  8. 1926 PGA Championship Salisbury Country Club · won the final 5 & 3 against Leo Diegel
  9. 1927 PGA Championship Cedar Crest Country Club · won the final 1 up against Joe Turnesa
  10. 1928 The Open Royal St George's Golf Club · 292 · by 2 strokes from Gene Sarazen
  11. 1929 The Open Muirfield · 292 · by 6 strokes from Johnny Farrell

Near misses

  1. 1921 U.S. Open Columbia C.C. · runner-up to Jim Barnes
  2. 1921 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished T6 · 302
  3. 1923 PGA Championship Pelham Country Club · runner-up to Gene Sarazen · lost the final won on 38th hole
  4. 1923 The Open Troon Golf Club (Old Course) · runner-up to Arthur Havers · 296
  5. 1926 The Open Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club · finished T3 · 295

Ryder Cup

5 Cups, 9 matches: 7 won, 1 lost, 1 halved, 7.5 points. Foursomes 4-0-1, four-ball 0-0-0, singles 3-1-0.

  1. 1927 Worcester Country Club USA · USA won 9.5–2.5 · 2-0-0, 2 points
  2. 1929 Moortown Golf Club USA · GB won 7–5 · 1-1-0, 1 point
  3. 1931 Scioto Country Club USA · USA won 9–3 · 2-0-0, 2 points
  4. 1933 Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club USA · GB won 6.5–5.5 · 1-0-1, 1.5 points
  5. 1935 Ridgewood Country Club USA · USA won 9–3 · 1-0-0, 1 point
  6. 1927 Captain USA · won 9.5–2.5
  7. 1929 Captain USA · lost 5–7
  8. 1931 Captain USA · won 9–3
  9. 1933 Captain USA · lost 5.5–6.5
  10. 1935 Captain USA · won 9–3
  11. 1937 Captain USA · won 8–4

Rivals

Beat him

Beaten in finals and playoffs

Ryder Cup partners

Ryder Cup opponents

Next in the chain: Gene Sarazen's rivals →

Moments

  1. 1921 PGA Championship Hagen beat reigning U.S. Open champion Jim Barnes 3 & 2 in the final for the first of his five PGA titles.
  2. 1921 PGA Championship 19-year-old Gene Sarazen beat 1920 champion Jock Hutchison 8 & 7 in the round of 16.
  3. 1922 Open Hagen became the first US-born champion.
  4. 1922 Open Duncan's approach to the 18th ran into a dip left of the green, now called Duncan's Hollow; he took 5 and lost by one.
  5. 1924 PGA Championship Hagen led the final 4 up after the morning 18 and was 2 up with two holes left, but Barnes won the 35th.
  6. 1924 PGA Championship Barnes shanked on the 36th hole, and Hagen won the hole and the match 2 up.
  7. 1924 Open Told Whitcombe's total on the 12th tee, Hagen played in at level fours and holed a downhill six-footer at the last to win by one.
  8. 1924 Open J.H. Taylor finished fifth at age 53, thirty years after his first title.
  9. 1925 PGA Championship Hagen was 5 down to Leo Diegel after the morning 18 of their quarterfinal and won on the 40th hole.
  10. 1925 PGA Championship Hagen had already needed 39 holes to get past Al Watrous in the first round.
  11. 1926 PGA Championship In the final, Diegel's ball came to rest in a rut under a car on a road at the 19th hole; he lost the hole and fell 3 down.
  12. 1926 PGA Championship Hagen closed out the final on the 33rd hole after a Diegel double bogey, becoming the first three-straight PGA winner.
  13. 1927 PGA Championship Turnesa was 3 up after 19 holes, Hagen squared the final by the 29th, went 1 up at the 31st and held on.
  14. 1927 PGA Championship Hagen beat Tony Manero 11 & 10 in the round of 16 on his way to a fourth straight title.
  15. 1928 Open Hagen holed from seven feet after a bunker shot at the 15th to protect his lead.
  16. 1928 Open The Prince of Wales, the future Edward VIII, presented the Claret Jug as club captain.
  17. 1929 Open Hagen's second-round 67 was the first 67 in Open history.
  18. 1929 Open The top three (Hagen, Farrell, Diegel) were the reigning holders of the other majors, an unprecedented 1-2-3.
  19. 1929 Ryder Cup George Duncan beat opposing captain Walter Hagen 10 & 8 in the singles, the largest margin in Ryder Cup history.
  20. 1931 Ryder Cup Walter Hagen and Denny Shute beat George Duncan and Arthur Havers 10 & 9 in foursomes, a record foursomes margin.

Records and firsts

  1. — Open 4 titles · 4 each (Old Tom Morris; Young Tom Morris; Willie Park Sr; Walter Hagen; Bobby Locke)
  2. 1922 Open First Open champion from: United States (born)
  3. — PGA Championship most titles, match play · 5 (Walter Hagen (1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927))
  4. — PGA Championship most consecutive titles · 4 (Walter Hagen, 1924–1927)
  5. — PGA Championship most consecutive match wins · 22 (Walter Hagen, ended 2 & 1 by Leo Diegel in the 1928 quarterfinal)
  6. — PGA Championship most finals · 6 (Walter Hagen (won 5, lost 1923 on the 38th hole))
  7. — PGA Championship most qualifying medals · 3 (Walter Hagen (1926, 1927, 1935))
  8. — PGA Championship medalists who went on to win · 4 players (Walter Hagen (1926, 1927), Olin Dutra (1932), Byron Nelson (1945, shared medal) and Doug Ford (1955); Golf Compendium calls Ford "one of four medalists" to win)
  9. 1921 PGA Championship PGA Championship match-play finals (finals, won, lost): 6 · 5 · 1 (1921; 1923; 1924; 1925; 1926; 1927)
  10. — PGA Championship most titles · 5 (Walter Hagen; Jack Nicklaus)
  11. 1921 PGA Championship First PGA champion from: United States
  12. 1929 Ryder Cup Biggest Ryder Cup winning margin: Singles (36-hole) · George Duncan beat Walter Hagen 10&8 (George Duncan beat Walter Hagen 10&8)

Results by championship

    Best day

    1922 The Open

    Royal St George's Golf Club · 300 · by 1 stroke from Jim Barnes and George Duncan

    Hagen became the first US-born champion.

    Duncan's approach to the 18th ran into a dip left of the green, now called Duncan's Hollow; he took 5 and lost by one.

    Record: United States (born)

    Chosen by rule: the major win our record tables single out. Year page: 1922.

    Career line, 1914–1935

    PGA Championship
    1921 PGA Championship: won1923 PGA Championship: runner-up to Gene Sarazen1924 PGA Championship: won1925 PGA Championship: won1926 PGA Championship: won1927 PGA Championship: won
    U.S. Open
    1914 U.S. Open: won1919 U.S. Open: won1921 U.S. Open: runner-up to Jim Barnes
    The Open
    1921 The Open: finished T61922 The Open: won1923 The Open: runner-up to Arthur Havers1924 The Open: won1926 The Open: finished T31928 The Open: won1929 The Open: won
    Ryder Cup
    1927 Ryder Cup (USA): 2-0-01929 Ryder Cup (USA): 1-1-01931 Ryder Cup (USA): 2-0-01933 Ryder Cup (USA): 1-0-11935 Ryder Cup (USA): 1-0-0
    19151920192519301935

    21 results. Hover or tap a mark; click it for the year.

    • Major win
    • Runner-up
    • Top 10
    • Ryder Cup, USA

    Walter Hagen was born on December 21, 1892, in Rochester, New York, USA. Hagen won 11 major championships: 5 PGA Championships (1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927), 2 U.S. Opens (1914, 1919) and 4 Open Championships (1922, 1924, 1928, 1929). Hagen played in 5 Ryder Cups for USA (1927, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1935), winning 7, losing 1 and halving 1 of 9 matches for 7.5 points, and captained the side in 1927, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1935 and 1937.

    See Walter Hagen in our rooms: U.S. Open, The Open, Greatest Golfer by State and Every Ground.

    Cards you pull this visit stack here. Tap one to go back to it.

    The record

    Wins in the majors (11)

    1. 1914 U.S. Open Midlothian C.C., Blue Island, IL · 290 (+2) · by 1 stroke from Chick Evans
    2. 1919 U.S. Open Brae Burn C.C., West Newton, MA · 301 (+17) · won a playoff against Mike Brady (18 holes, 77–78)
    3. 1921 PGA Championship Inwood Country Club, Inwood, New York · won the final 3 & 2 against Jim Barnes
    4. 1922 The Open Royal St George's Golf Club · 300 · by 1 stroke from Jim Barnes and George Duncan
    5. 1924 PGA Championship French Lick Springs Golf Club, French Lick, Indiana · won the final 2 up against Jim Barnes
    6. 1924 The Open Royal Liverpool Golf Club · 301 · by 1 stroke from Ernest Whitcombe
    7. 1925 PGA Championship Olympia Fields Country Club, Olympia Fields, Illinois · won the final 6 & 5 against Bill Mehlhorn
    8. 1926 PGA Championship Salisbury Country Club, East Meadow, New York · won the final 5 & 3 against Leo Diegel
    9. 1927 PGA Championship Cedar Crest Country Club, Dallas, Texas · won the final 1 up against Joe Turnesa
    10. 1928 The Open Royal St George's Golf Club · 292 · by 2 strokes from Gene Sarazen
    11. 1929 The Open Muirfield · 292 · by 6 strokes from Johnny Farrell

    Near misses

    Top-10 finishes are listed for The Open, the one championship with a full top 10 every year.

    1. 1921 U.S. Open Columbia C.C. · runner-up to Jim Barnes
    2. 1921 The Open Old Course, St Andrews · finished T6 · 302
    3. 1923 PGA Championship Pelham Country Club · runner-up to Gene Sarazen · lost the final won on 38th hole
    4. 1923 The Open Troon Golf Club (Old Course) · runner-up to Arthur Havers · 296
    5. 1926 The Open Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club · finished T3 · 295

    U.S. Open top-10 finishes in his career: 16 (GNN U.S. Open room data).

    Ryder Cup

    Hagen played 5 Ryder Cups for USA: 9 matches, 7 won, 1 lost, 1 halved, 7.5 points (83.3% of those available). By format: foursomes 4-0-1, four-ball 0-0-0, singles 3-1-0 (won-lost-halved).

    1. 1927 Worcester Country Club USA · USA won 9.5–2.5 · 2-0-0, 2 points
    2. 1929 Moortown Golf Club USA · GB won 7–5 · 1-1-0, 1 point
    3. 1931 Scioto Country Club USA · USA won 9–3 · 2-0-0, 2 points
    4. 1933 Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club USA · GB won 6.5–5.5 · 1-0-1, 1.5 points
    5. 1935 Ridgewood Country Club USA · USA won 9–3 · 1-0-0, 1 point
    6. 1927 Captain USA · won 9.5–2.5
    7. 1929 Captain USA · lost 5–7
    8. 1931 Captain USA · won 9–3
    9. 1933 Captain USA · lost 5.5–6.5
    10. 1935 Captain USA · won 9–3
    11. 1937 Captain USA · won 8–4

    Partners, with matches played together: Johnny Golden (2), Gene Sarazen (2), Denny Shute (1).

    PGA Championship match play

    Every recorded match in our bracket file, 1916–1957: 40 won, 10 lost, including 5 of 6 finals.

    1. 1916 Round of 32 beat J.R. Thomson 7 & 6
    2. 1916 Round of 16 beat Bob MacDonald 3 & 2
    3. 1916 Quarterfinal beat J. J. O'Brien 10 & 9
    4. 1916 Semifinal lost to Jock Hutchison 2 up
    5. 1921 Round of 32 beat Jack Forrester 6 & 4
    6. 1921 Round of 16 beat Tom Boyd 6 & 5
    7. 1921 Quarterfinal beat Johnny Golden 8 & 7
    8. 1921 Semifinal beat Cyril Walker 5 & 4
    9. 1921 Final beat Jim Barnes 3 & 2
    10. 1923 Round of 64 beat George Griffin 4 & 3
    11. 1923 Round of 32 beat Jack Elplick 10 & 9
    12. 1923 Round of 16 beat Johnny Golden 4 & 3
    13. 1923 Quarterfinal beat Fred McLeod 5 & 4
    14. 1923 Semifinal beat George McLean 12 & 11
    15. 1923 Final lost to Gene Sarazen won on 38th hole
    16. 1924 Round of 32 beat Tom Harmon Jr. 6 & 5
    17. 1924 Round of 16 beat Al Watrous 4 & 3
    18. 1924 Quarterfinal beat Johnny Farrell 3 & 2
    19. 1924 Semifinal beat Ray Derr 8 & 7
    20. 1924 Final beat Jim Barnes 2 up
    21. 1925 Round of 32 beat Al Watrous won on 39th hole
    22. 1925 Round of 16 beat Mike Brady 7 & 6
    23. 1925 Quarterfinal beat Leo Diegel won on 40th hole
    24. 1925 Semifinal beat Harry Cooper 3 & 1
    25. 1925 Final beat Bill Mehlhorn 6 & 5
    26. 1926 Round of 32 beat Joe Turnesa 3 & 2
    27. 1926 Round of 16 beat Dick Grout 7 & 6
    28. 1926 Quarterfinal beat Pat Doyle 6 & 5
    29. 1926 Semifinal beat Johnny Farrell 6 & 5
    30. 1926 Final beat Leo Diegel 5 & 3
    31. 1927 Round of 32 beat Jack Farrell 3 & 2
    32. 1927 Round of 16 beat Tony Manero 11 & 10
    33. 1927 Quarterfinal beat Tommy Armour 4 & 3
    34. 1927 Semifinal beat Al Espinosa 1 up
    35. 1927 Final beat Joe Turnesa 1 up
    36. 1928 Round of 32 beat Willie Ogg 4 & 3
    37. 1928 Round of 16 beat Julian Blanton 2 up
    38. 1928 Quarterfinal lost to Leo Diegel 2 & 1
    39. 1929 Round of 32 beat Bob Shave 9 & 8
    40. 1929 Round of 16 beat Charles Guest 1 up
    41. 1929 Quarterfinal beat Tony Manero 6 & 5
    42. 1929 Semifinal lost to Leo Diegel 3 & 2
    43. 1931 Round of 32 lost to Peter O’Hara 4 & 3
    44. 1932 Round of 32 lost to John Golden won on 43rd hole
    45. 1934 Round of 32 lost to Denny Shute 4 & 3
    46. 1935 Round of 64 lost to Johnny Revolta 1 up
    47. 1939 Round of 64 lost to Tony Manero 1 up
    48. 1940 Round of 64 beat Gil Sellers 1 up
    49. 1940 Round of 32 beat Vic Ghezzi 2 & 1
    50. 1940 Round of 16 lost to Jug McSpaden 1 up

    Records and firsts

    Rows from our record tables that name this player, worded as the tables word them.

    1. — Open 4 titles · 4 each (Old Tom Morris; Young Tom Morris; Willie Park Sr; Walter Hagen; Bobby Locke)
    2. 1922 Open First Open champion from: United States (born)
    3. — PGA Championship most titles, match play · 5 (Walter Hagen (1921, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927))
    4. — PGA Championship most consecutive titles · 4 (Walter Hagen, 1924–1927)
    5. — PGA Championship most consecutive match wins · 22 (Walter Hagen, ended 2 & 1 by Leo Diegel in the 1928 quarterfinal)
    6. — PGA Championship most finals · 6 (Walter Hagen (won 5, lost 1923 on the 38th hole))
    7. — PGA Championship most qualifying medals · 3 (Walter Hagen (1926, 1927, 1935))
    8. — PGA Championship medalists who went on to win · 4 players (Walter Hagen (1926, 1927), Olin Dutra (1932), Byron Nelson (1945, shared medal) and Doug Ford (1955); Golf Compendium calls Ford "one of four medalists" to win)
    9. 1921 PGA Championship PGA Championship match-play finals (finals, won, lost): 6 · 5 · 1 (1921; 1923; 1924; 1925; 1926; 1927)
    10. — PGA Championship most titles · 5 (Walter Hagen; Jack Nicklaus)
    11. 1921 PGA Championship First PGA champion from: United States
    12. 1929 Ryder Cup Biggest Ryder Cup winning margin: Singles (36-hole) · George Duncan beat Walter Hagen 10&8 (George Duncan beat Walter Hagen 10&8)

    Sources

    Elsewhere: Wikipedia.

    Every fact on this page comes from Golf Network News data sets compiled in October 2026 (Masters, PGA Championship, The Open, U.S. Women's Open, Ryder Cup, PGA Tour 2024–2026, major host sites, Champions Dinner menus, and the U.S. Open and state rooms). These are the sources those rows cite.

    1. Britannica
    2. Golf Compendium PGA Tour wins
    3. Michigan Sports HOF
    4. where2golf
    5. PGA Tour
    6. Golf Compendium PGA Tour career wins
    7. Golf Compendium winners list
    8. WP: List of American Ryder Cup golfers
    9. rydercup.com — link no longer works (checked October 17, 2026): https://rydercup.com/news-media/usa/ryder-cup-team-usa-past-captains
    10. Golf Compendium
    11. Wikipedia: Walter Hagen
    12. GNN U.S. Open room (champions data)
    13. PGA of America winners & venues
    14. Golf Compendium 1921
    15. The Golf News Net history table (2026)
    16. Today's Golfer purse history
    17. Golf Today past winners
    18. PGA of America 2013 media guide, p. 110
    19. R&A 1922
    20. GC 1922
    21. Golf Compendium 1924
    22. Trenham, Philadelphia PGA history 1921–1929
    23. French Lick Resort, 1924 PGA
    24. Golf Compendium tournament records
    25. R&A 1924
    26. GC 1924
    27. Golf Compendium 1925
    28. Golf Monthly, Wanamaker Trophy history
    29. CNN via KVIA, missing Wanamaker
    30. Golf Compendium 1926
    31. PGA of America, Hagen and the lost Wanamaker
    32. Golf Compendium 1927
    33. BetMGM winner payouts
    34. R&A 1928
    35. GC 1928
    36. R&A 1929
    37. GC 1929
    38. R&A 1921
    39. R&A 1926
    40. Golf Compendium 1916
    41. Golf Compendium 1923
    42. Golf Compendium 1928
    43. Golf Compendium 1929
    44. Golf Compendium 1935
    45. Golf Compendium 1940
    46. GC: 1927 ryder cup
    47. Wikipedia: 1927 Ryder Cup
    48. GC: 1929 ryder cup
    49. Wikipedia: 1929 Ryder Cup
    50. GC: 1931 ryder cup
    51. Wikipedia: 1931 Ryder Cup
    52. GC: 1933 ryder cup
    53. Wikipedia: 1933 Ryder Cup
    54. GC: 1935 ryder cup
    55. Wikipedia: 1935 Ryder Cup
    56. Today's Golfer
    57. R&A notable firsts
    58. Golf Today tournament records
    59. Golf Monthly, Hagen at the PGA
    60. Golf Compendium 1955
    61. Golf Compendium 1932
    62. PGA of America, Nelson 1945
    63. Wikipedia: List of Ryder Cup records