Biggest margin of victory at the PGA Championship

When it comes to margin of victory in the PGA Championship, one former title-winner stands head and shoulders above the rest.

The 2023 PGA Championship will take place at the East Course of Oak Hill Country Club. A field of 156 players will descend upon Pittsford, New York looking to become the 105th PGA Champion.

Last year’s PGA Championship was held at Southern Hills in Oklahoma and was won by Justin Thomas. After trailing the leader by seven shots, he and Will Zalatoris were tied after 72 holes. The two met in a three-hole playoff which Thomas won by two strokes.

But what about the opposite direction? What about an all-time blowout in a major?

Biggest margin of victory at the PGA Championship

While it’s oftentimes much more entertaining to watch the PGA Championship come down to the final putt on No. 18 or even a playoff, like we saw in 2022, there’s something impressive about a purely dominant performance in one of the biggest tournaments of the year.

So who holds the record for the largest margin of victory in the PGA Championship? It’s none other than Rory McIlroy. The Irish-born golfer won his second of five major championships with an eight-stroke win in 2012 at the Ocean Course of the Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina.

McIlroy was one stroke back of Swedish golfer Carl Pettersson after 18 holes, and was in a tie for fifth-day place after Day 2. Pettersson, Tiger Woods, and Vijay Singh were all two strokes ahead after 36 holes.

A weather delay halted play on Saturday afternoon, but McIlroy had clawed his way into a tie for first place with Singh. Play resumed on Sunday morning, but before the golfers went out for the final 18 holes, McIlroy had taken the lead by three strokes over the aforementioned Carl Pettersson.

That three-shot lead grew over the course of the final day with Rory McIlroy posting a 66. McIlroy’s 13-under par 275 was eight shots clear of the runner-up, England’s David Lynn,

Prior to McIlroy’s eight-stroke margin of victory, gold legend Jack Nicklaus was the record holder after winning the 1980 PGA Championship by seven strokes. That was Nicklaus’ fifth PGA Championship.

For more from The PGA Tour, LIV Golf, PGA Championship and more, make sure to follow FanSided and stay tuned to our golf hub for all the latest news and results.