Every once in a while, a golf major championship turns into a rout. They can turn into a blowout that a sign of dominance for years to come.
Majors won with a big margin of victory may not be as compelling as majors that end with a one-shot margin or in a playoff, but they're still incredibly impressive. At each of the four men's major championships in golf -- the Masters, PGA Championship, US Open and British Open Championship -- there are winners who posted big margins of victory.
The biggest margin of victory in any golf major championship in history belongs to Tiger Woods, who won the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California by 15 shots. He was the only player to finish under par that week, and his 15-shot win remains the peak of dominance in the sport.
Woods also holds the record for the biggest margin of victory in the Masters Tournament, coming in his first of five wins in 1997 when he won by 12 shots on 18-under 270 to set the tournament's 72-hole scoring record at the time.
Rory McIlroy holds the record for the biggest margin of victory in the PGA Championship since it went to stroke play in 1958. He won by eight shots to win the 2012 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island's Ocean Course in South Carolina.
Old Tom Morris holds the all-time record for winning margin in the British Open Championship with a 13-shot win in the 36-hole version of the tournament in 1862 at Prestwick in Scotland. Woods holds the modern record with his 8-shot win at the 2000 Open at St. Andrews.
Biggest margin of victory in the men's golf major championships
Masters
- 12 strokes, Tiger Woods (270), 1997
- 9 strokes, Jack Nicklaus (271), 1965
- 8 strokes, Raymond Floyd (271), 1976
PGA Championship
The championship went to stroke play in 1958
- 8 strokes, Rory McIlroy (275), Kiawah Island Resort (Ocean), 2012
- 7 strokes, Jack Nicklaus (274), Oak Hill Country Club, 1980
- 6 strokes, Nick Price (269), Southern Hills Country Club, 1994
US Open
- 15 strokes, Tiger Woods (272), Pebble Beach Golf Links, 2000
- 11 strokes, Willie Smith (315), Baltimore Country Club, 1899
- 9 strokes, James Barnes (289), Columbia Country Club, 1921
British Open Championship
- 13 strokes, Old Tom Morris, Prestwick, 1862
- 8 strokes, Tiger Woods (272), St. Andrews (Old), 2000
- 7 strokes, J.H. Taylor, St. Andrews (Old), 1900
