Woods, Mickelson move up on all-time wins list

Billy Casper won 51 PGA Tour events from 1956-75, including the 1970 Masters and U.S. Open in 1959 and 1966. Although he received less notoriety than golf's Big 3, Casper holds the U.S. record of 23½ points in Ryder Cup appearances, won more times in the late 1960s than any other golfer and won at least one Tour event for 16 straight seasons - the third longest streak behind Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, who won at least once for 17 straight years.Photo: Billy Casper of the United States lines up a putt during the four ball competition of the 20th Ryder Cup matches in 1973 at The Muirfield Golf Club in Gullane, Scotland.One of the great early golfers, Walter Hagen won 45 PGA Tour events, including 11 Majors during a long pro career that started in 1912. He was the first U.S.-born American to win the Open Championship, and he shares the record for most PGA Championship titles at five with Jack Nicklaus. The flamboyant and colorful Hagen also was a six-time Ryder Cup captain.Photo: Walter Hagen in action during a 1920 golf match between England and the U.S.Phil Mickelson moved into the ninth spot on the all-time PGA Tour victories list with his win last week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Lefty has 41 wins over a pro career that started in 1992, including the 2005 PGA Championship and victories at the Masters in 2004, 2006 and 2010.Photo: Phil Mickelson watches his tee shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines North Course on Jan. 24 in La Jolla, Calif. View the list »
Dr. Cary Middlecoff won 40 times during his 17 years on the PGA Tour, including the 19551955 Masters and U.S. Open titles in 1949 and 19561955 Masters and U.S. Open titles in 1949 and 19561955 Masters and U.S. Open titles in 1949 and 1956 Masters and the U.S. Open in 1949 and 1956. Middlecoff graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in dentistry and served in the Army Dental CorpsArmy Dental Corps during World War II before turning pro in 1947. Photo: A statute of Middlecoff stands near the clubhouse at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tenn.

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The talk over the past few years in the world of golf has focused on the game’s young guns - Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Jason Day, Webb Simpson, Dustin Johnson.

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But in the past two weeks, the old guys – Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson – showed the next generation that the old guard isn’t quite ready to give up the mantle of leadership.

Woods claimed a four-shot victory over Brandt Snedeker at the Farmers Insurance Open. Mickelson followed that up with a four-shot win of his own at the Waste Management Phoenix Open – also over Snedeker.

Woods’ win gives him 75 PGA Tour victories, moving him a step closer to Sam Snead’s top mark of 82. And Mickelson’s win – No. 41 - puts him in sole possession of ninth place on the list of all-time PGA Tour victories.

See the slideshow for the players on the Top 10 all-time wins list.

J. Eric Eckard writes about all things golf on his second golfer blog. You also can follow him on Twitter.

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  • Dr. Cary Middlecoff won 40 times during his 17 years on the PGA Tour, including the 19551955 Masters and U.S. Open titles in 1949 and 19561955 Masters and U.S. Open titles in 1949 and 19561955 Masters and U.S. Open titles in 1949 and 1956 Masters and the U.S. Open in 1949 and 1956. Middlecoff graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in dentistry and served in the Army Dental CorpsArmy Dental Corps during World War II before turning pro in 1947. Photo: A statute of Middlecoff stands near the clubhouse at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tenn.
  • Phil Mickelson moved into the ninth spot on the all-time PGA Tour victories list with his win last week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Lefty has 41 wins over a pro career that started in 1992, including the 2005 PGA Championship and victories at the Masters in 2004, 2006 and 2010.Photo: Phil Mickelson watches his tee shot on the 12th hole during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines North Course on Jan. 24 in La Jolla, Calif.
  • One of the great early golfers, Walter Hagen won 45 PGA Tour events, including 11 Majors during a long pro career that started in 1912. He was the first U.S.-born American to win the Open Championship, and he shares the record for most PGA Championship titles at five with Jack Nicklaus. The flamboyant and colorful Hagen also was a six-time Ryder Cup captain.Photo: Walter Hagen in action during a 1920 golf match between England and the U.S.
  • Billy Casper won 51 PGA Tour events from 1956-75, including the 1970 Masters and U.S. Open in 1959 and 1966. Although he received less notoriety than golf's Big 3, Casper holds the U.S. record of 23½ points in Ryder Cup appearances, won more times in the late 1960s than any other golfer and won at least one Tour event for 16 straight seasons - the third longest streak behind Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, who won at least once for 17 straight years.Photo: Billy Casper of the United States lines up a putt during the four ball competition of the 20th Ryder Cup matches in 1973 at The Muirfield Golf Club in Gullane, Scotland.
  • Byron Nelson's 52 PGA Tour wins puts him at No. 6 on the all-time list. He played just 14 seasons on the Tour before he retired at age 34 in 1946. In 1945, he won 18 tournaments, including 11 straight events - records that still stand today.Photo: Byron Nelson plays his tee shot on the first hole during the 1994 Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club.
  • Arnold Palmer won 62 events during his stories PGA Tour career, including seven Majors. Palmer is regarded as the first golf superstar of the television age. His charismatic personality endeared him to his widespread fanbase, known as Arnie's Army. The King still holds court at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club and Lodge, where he pauses from hitting balls on the range to take pictures and sign autographs for his fans.Photo: Arnold Palmer lines up a putt during the 1973 Ryder Cup between Europe and the USA at Murifield in Scotland.
  • Arguably, the greatest ball striker ever, Ben Hogan won 64 PGA Tour events, including nine Majors. His best year came in 1953 when he won five of the six tournaments he entered and achieved the "Hogan Slam," winning three Majors. He couldn't play the fourth - the Open Championship - because it overlapped with the PGA Championship.Photo: Ben Hogan holds the Claret Jug after winning the Open Championship in 1953 at Carnoustie, Scotland.
  • With 73 wins, Jack Nicklaus sits at No. 3 on the all-time victories list. His 18 Majors still remains a benchmark for golfers today. His first professional win came at the 1962 U.S. Open, and he won his final Major Championship - the 1986 Masters - at age 46. In addition to 18 wins, the Golden Bear also tallied 19 second-place finishes and nine third-place finishes at the Majors.Photo: Jack Nicklaus holds his putter high after sinking a putt.
  • Tiger Woods has 75 PGA Tour victories, marking him at No. 2 on the all-time list. Although Woods' dominance on the golf course has waned in recent years, he still has four wins in the past two years, including one at the Farmers Insurance Open this year. Woods' 14 Major Championship wins also puts him second on that list behind Jack Nicklaus' 18 wins.Photo: Tiger Woods holds the winner's trophy after his 14-under victory in January at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, Calif.
  • No. 1 on the all-time list is Sam Snead with 82 wins. Slammin' Sammy had what many called the perfect golf swing. He won seven Majors, although he never won the U.S. Open, coming in second four times. At age 52, he became the oldest PGA Tour winner when he claimed the 1965 Greater Greensboro Open title. At age 60, he finished fourth at the 1972 PGA Championship and third at the 1974 PGA Championship at age 62.Photo: Sam Snead drives off on the first tee to start the first day of the 2002 Masters at the Augusta National Golf Club.
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, Raleigh Golf Examiner

J. Eric Eckard is an award-winning journalist with 20 years of experience in the field. For the past six years, he's been writing about golf, travel and the outdoors. Eckard has golfed in Canada, Europe and the U.S., and his favorite "unknown" course is the Woods course at the Kingsmill Resort in...

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