PGA Tour⛳ Men's Golf · 1997
Tiger wins by twelve
At 21, Woods wins his first major, the Masters, by a record 12 strokes.
Men's Golf
Men's professional golf, all eras. Minimum 7 major championships. Data as of September 2026.
The Machine
Achievement 35%Dominance 25%Peak 20%Longevity 20%
| # | Athlete | GOAT score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tiger Woods1996–present | 92.4 |
| 2 | Jack Nicklaus1961–2005 | 76.5 |
| 3 | Ben Hogan1930–1971 | 57.9 |
| 4 | Walter Hagen1912–1936 | 57.9 |
| 5 | Sam Snead1934–1987 | 52.1 |
| 6 | Tom Watson1971–2016 | 48.2 |
| 7 | Arnold Palmer1954–2006 | 43.0 |
| 8 | Gary Player1953–2009 | 39.6 |
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What the AIs say
| # | Athlete | Impact | Character | Machine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jack Nicklaus | 9.3 | 9.8 | #2 |
| 2 | Tiger Woods | 10.0 | 7.3 | #1 |
| 3 | Ben Hogan | 9.3 | 9.0 | #3 |
| 4 | Sam Snead | 7.3 | 7.8 | #5 |
| T5 | Walter Hagen | 9.0 | 7.0 | #4 |
| T5 | Gary Player | 8.5 | 9.0 | #8 |
| T7 | Arnold Palmer | 9.8 | 9.5 | #7 |
| T7 | Tom Watson | 7.5 | 9.0 | #6 |
Panel ballots are the AI models’ own views, published word for word. They aren’t goat’s opinions and can contain errors.
Moments
PGA Tour
The Masters⛳ Men's Golf · 1986
Yes, sir!
At 46, Nicklaus shoots 30 on the back nine to win a sixth green jacket.
The Masters⛳ Men's Golf · 2019
Tiger’s comeback green jacket
Eleven years after his last major, and after spinal fusion surgery, Woods wins a fifth Masters.
The Masters⛳ Men's Golf · 1960
Arnie’s charge
Birdies on the last two holes win Palmer the 1960 Masters and launch Arnie’s Army.
How this category is measured
| Indicator | Pillar | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Major championships | Achievement | — |
| PGA Tour wins | Achievement | — |
| PGA Player of the Year awards | Dominance | Award began in 1948. |
| Most majors in one season | Peak | — |
| Most Tour wins in one season | Peak | — |
| Seasons from first to last major | Longevity | — |