Ranking The Best PGA Championship Competitors Of All-Time
By Bill Felber
PGA Championship Era: 1970 to 1979
Only one person has been the dominant PGA performer across two distinct decades. But you probably guessed that.
In the 1970s, Nicklaus added 1971, 1973, and 1975 PGA victories to his growing roster of major titles. He was runner-up in 1974, fourth in 1976, and third in 1977. Between 1970 and 1977, he only once finished lower than sixth.
Here’s the full decade’s top 10:
1. Jack Nicklaus, -1.53
2. Tom Watson, -1.19
3. Don January, -1.04
4. Gil Morgan, -0.96
5. Ben Crenshaw, -0.83
6. Charles Coody, -0.72
7. John Mahaffey, -0.72
8. Tom Weiskopf, -0.72
9. Bruce Crampton, -0.70
10. Gary Player, -0.70
You are wondering about Arnold Palmer. He completed all four rounds of the PGA Championship seven times during the 1970s, his best finish being a tie for second, two strokes behind Dave Stockton, in 1970. Palmer’s average dominance rating for the decade of -0.69 left him a literal fraction outside the 1970s top 10.
As the decade advanced, Tom Watson more and more strongly emerged as a legitimate threat to Nicklaus’ dominance in this event and others. When Nicklaus won in 1975, Watson finished a credible ninth, although nine strokes behind. Watson tied for sixth behind Lanny Wadkins in 1977, and in 1978 lost a five-stroke lead entering the final round and then lost a three-way playoff to John Mahaffey.
That was as close as Watson would ever come to winning the PGA Championship.
Narrow finishes were a thing in the PGA Championship’s mid-70s era. Lee Trevino beat Jack Nicklaus by one in 1974, Dave Stockton beat Ray Floyd and Don January by one in 1976, then from 1977 through 1979 there were annual sudden-death playoffs, won respectively by Lanny Wadkins (over Gene Littler), Mahaffey (over Watson and Jerry Pate) and David Graham (over Ben Crenshaw).