​The Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship make up the four annual major championships in men’s professional golf. These tournaments are the most prestigious events on the golf calendar, and each one has produced historic performances, unforgettable final rounds and scoring records that define different eras of the sport. While The Masters is played every year at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, the PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship rotate among different courses, creating unique scoring challenges depending on venue, weather, course setup and conditions.
Across all four men’s golf majors, scoring records are usually measured in two key ways: the lowest 72-hole aggregate score and the lowest 72-hole score in relation to par. The aggregate record reflects the fewest total strokes over four rounds, while the score in relation to par accounts for how far under par a player finished. Single-round records are also a major part of golf history, highlighting the lowest 18-hole scores ever recorded in each championship. These records showcase the best scoring performances in major championship golf.
At The Masters Tournament, the lowest 72-hole aggregate score is 268, set by Dustin Johnson in 2020 at Augusta National. Johnson also owns the Masters record for the lowest score in relation to par, finishing at 20 under. His dominant victory came during the 2020 Masters, which was played in November instead of its traditional April date because of the COVID-19 pandemic. For Masters records played during the usual April schedule, Jordan Spieth in 2015 and Tiger Woods in 1997 both finished at 18-under 270, the lowest winning totals for a regularly scheduled spring Masters. The lowest 18-hole round in Masters history is 63, a score recorded by Nick Price in the third round in 1986 and matched by Greg Norman in the first round in 1996.
The PGA Championship scoring records were rewritten at Valhalla Golf Club in 2024. Xander Schauffele set the championship’s lowest 72-hole aggregate record with a total of 263. He also established the PGA Championship record for lowest score in relation to par, finishing at 21 under. Schauffele’s performance at Valhalla ranks among the greatest scoring displays in major championship history. The lowest 18-hole round in PGA Championship history is 62, recorded by Schauffele in the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla and matched by Shane Lowry in the third round of the same tournament.
The U.S. Open is traditionally known as the most difficult scoring test among the four men’s major championships, with demanding rough, firm greens and narrow fairways often placing a premium on accuracy and patience. Even so, several players have produced record-setting performances. The lowest 72-hole aggregate score in U.S. Open history is 268, set by Rory McIlroy at Congressional Country Club in 2011. McIlroy also shares the U.S. Open record for lowest score in relation to par at 16 under, a mark matched by Brooks Koepka at Erin Hills in 2017. The lowest 18-hole score in U.S. Open history is 62, achieved by Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler in the first round of the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
The Open Championship, golf’s oldest major, has its own celebrated scoring records shaped by links golf, coastal winds and historic venues across the United Kingdom. The lowest 72-hole aggregate score in Open Championship history is 264, set by Henrik Stenson at Royal Troon in 2016. Stenson also shares the record for lowest score in relation to par at 20 under, a mark equaled by Cameron Smith at St. Andrews in 2022. The lowest 18-hole round in The Open Championship is 62, a score achieved by Branden Grace in the third round at Royal Birkdale in 2017 and later matched by Lucas Herbert in the second round, Sam Burns in the second round and Ryan Fox in the third round at Royal Birkdale in 2026.
Together, these major championship scoring records highlight some of the finest performances in men’s golf history. From Dustin Johnson’s record-breaking Masters victory at Augusta National to Xander Schauffele’s remarkable PGA Championship at Valhalla, Rory McIlroy’s dominant U.S. Open at Congressional and Henrik Stenson’s brilliant Open Championship triumph at Royal Troon, each record represents a landmark moment in the sport. As golf equipment, course strategy and player athleticism continue to evolve, the scoring records at The Masters, PGA Championship, U.S. Open and The Open Championship will remain among the most closely watched benchmarks in professional golf.