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The Four Best Golfers in UK Open History

Originally posted on Stadium Rant | By Matthew Adams | Last updated Dec 9, 2025 10:17 AM ET

The UK Open is one of the greatest golf championships. As a major, it ranks alongside the US Open, the Masters, and the PGA Championship. Many great golfers have played in and won the UK Open Championship. These are the greatest golfers in UK Open history.

Harry Vardon

Harry Vardon was one of the finest golfers to have played in the UK Open Championship. Overall, Vardon won a record six titles at the UK Open in the late 19th and early 20th century. In total, he won several major championships, including a US Open title, making him England’s most successful golfer. He also established the Vardon grip. The Vardon grip is one of the best-established grips in golf, as many golfers play with this overlapping grip.

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods is one of the finest golfers in history who’s still playing, albeit at a somewhat lower ranking than was once the case. With a total of 15 major wins, his form in the majors was only bettered by Jack Nicklaus. Overall, Woods has also played in and won the UK Open three times. That included back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006. In 2000, Woods also set new records in the UK Open with his fantastic 72-hole score of 269, the best score relating to par.

Jack Nicklaus

In the 1960s and 1970s, Nicklaus was the trailblazing golfer. With a total of 18 majors won overall, he set a new record for major wins. Of course, he also played at the UK Open, where he had considerable success, winning it three times during his playing career. He often finished in the top five of the UK Open, up to 16 times in fact, which is one of the best overall records in the UK Open. Likewise, having finished second in the UK Open several times, he was perhaps unlucky not to have won further titles. In 2005, Nicklaus retired from PGA golf in the UK Open.

Tom Watson

Watson was the most successful golfer in the UK Open of recent times. In the 1970s and 1980s, he made the championship his own, winning the UK Open five times. As such, Watson won a record number of UK Opens titles for an American golfer. His 1977 Duel in the Sun triumph against Nicklaus in 1977 was one of the UK Open’s most memorable moments. Watson was particularly dominant in the early 1980s, when he won three Open titles over four seasons. That included back-to-back titles in 1982 and 1983.

End of My Best Golfers in UK Open History Rant

So, those are the golfers of the UK Open. Golfers such as Vardon, Woods, Watson, and Nicklaus set records in the UK Open and won many titles. Few golfers have made such an impact in the UK Open as these.

This article first appeared on Stadium Rant and was syndicated with permission.

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