10 of the unlikeliest major winners of all time

It is fair to say that not many people would have had money on Aaron Rai to win the PGA Championship last month. Yes, he is one of the PGA Tour’s more consistent players but there was nothing in his make-up to suggest he would ever land one of our sport’s biggest prizes.

And he is not alone. We expect the majors to be won by household names and while that is largely true there have been plenty of surprise winners. Who would have predicted that JJ Spaun would have won the 2025 US Open?

Might we see another outsider triumph in America's national championship at Shinnecock Hills?

But first, here are 10 of the most unlikely winners of golf’s four majors.

Paul Lawrie, 1999 Open

The Scot was a competent European Tour player who had enjoyed some success. Sadly, his victory at the 1999 Open at Carnoustie is largely remembered because of Jean van de Velde’s final-hole meltdown when, ending a six to win, he took seven, but the Scot produced a flawless final round of 67 to make up 10 shots on the Frenchman and then maintained that fabulous form in the playoff to produce a hugely surprising victory.

Todd Hamilton, 2004 Open

Hamilton had won 11 times in Japan but that is very different from winning The Open. However, that is precisely what the 38-year-old American did at Royal Troon, holding off the formidable challenges of Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson in the process. Hamilton and Els finished on 275, one ahead of Mickelson, and headed for a four-hole playoff. Hamilton held his nerve, parred all four holes and beat the South African by a shot.

Danny Willett, 2016 Masters

The script had been written. Jordan Spieth was destined to successfully defend the Masters title he had won the previous year. The American had also finished second in his debut in 2014. And he was in complete control until he came to the 12th hole in the final round. He put his tee shot in the water, then his third followed. He walked off with a quadruple-bogey seven. At the end of it all, the last man standing was England’s Danny Willett. It is fair to say that even he was astonished by his victory.

Y.E. Yang, 2009 PGA Championship

Tiger Woods held a two-shot lead going into the final round and had never lost a major from that position. Yang, playing with Woods, was expected to collapse. Ranked 110th in the world, the South Korean boasted a career-best finish of a tie for 30th in majors. But it was Woods who faltered. A closing birdie secured a three-shot victory for Yang and etched his name in PGA Championship history.

Rich Beem, 2002 PGA Championship

In 1995 Beem was selling stereo equipment for $7 an hour but in 2002 he took on world number one Tiger Woods, who birdied his last four holes to set the clubhouse lead at nine-under. Beem showed nerves of steel with an eagle at the 11th before sinking a 40-foot birdie putt on the 16th to win the PGA, his first and only major victory.

Francis Ouimet, 1913 US Open

Surely the most unlikely major winner of all time. Ouimet was a 20-year-old amateur from a poor family with 10-year-old Eddie Lowery carrying his clubs at Brookline. And he took on and beat five-time Open champion Harry Vardon and 1912 Open champion Ted Ray and came out on top in what surely remains as the most improbable major championship victory the world has ever seen.

Shaun Micheel, 2003 PGA Championship

The American had never won in his previous 163 starts on tour and never won again. However, Micheel did not buckle under pressure and started the final hole with a one-stroke lead. He kept his nerves under control throughout the final 18 holes and finished it all off with a stunning seven iron at the 18th to complete a two-shot win.

Michael Campbell, 2005 US Open

Michael Campbell first came to our attention at the 1995 Open at St Andrews, where he held the 54-hole lead before a final round of 76. He had to qualify for the US Open at sectional qualifying at Walton Heath in Surrey. He was four shots behind Retief Goosen going into the final round. However, Goosen and everybody else imploded and Campbell shot a 69 to beat Tiger Woods by two strokes.

Ben Curtis, 2003 Open

When Royal St George's hosted the Open in 2003, Thomas Bjorn appeared sure to prevail as he opened up a three-shot lead with four holes to play. However, the Dane came to grief at Royal St George’s short 16th hole and had to settle for a share of second as Ben Curtis, who began the week ranked 396th in the world, provided a sensational upset. In ending the week as the only player under par, Curtis became the first player to win in his first major appearance since the aforementioned Francis Ouimet.

John Daly, 1991 PGA Championship

Daly only got into the field at Crooked Stick as a ninth alternate and began the week as an unknown. Despite not being able to have a practice round, he opened with a 69 and spent four days thrilling the crowds with a display of huge driving. He also holed almost everything he looked at. He averaged 303 yards from the tee - a huge distance back then - and said: "I didn’t think, I just hit it."