Many golfers have contributed immensely to the game. However, not all of them get recognized among the best alongside legends like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer. Gary Player is one such athlete who has an impressive track record. For more than seventy years, Player has stood as one of golf’s most decorated champions. He’s traveled more miles, won more titles, and broken more barriers than almost anyone in golf. But, as Gary Player looks back on his legacy, he wonders if the game he helped elevate has truly appreciated his impact.

When talking to Golfweek about whether golf has been fair in terms of his legacy, Player said, “No, it has not been fair.” He even used a reference to a 7-time major champ, Bobby Jones, to put things into perspective. “They put Bobby Jones in the top 5 ever. Nobody loves Bobby Jones more than me; nobody has more respect for him, but he’s definitely not in the top 10 that ever lived. No, sorry,” Player said.

The 9x major winner highlighted that he has also faced golf’s unfairness despite an impressive record. “I’ve won the most golf tournaments in the world. I’m the only one to win the Grand Slam on the regular and senior tours. I won more national titles, U.S., British, Australia, etc., than Arnold, Jack, and Tiger combined. I’ve lasted longer than anybody who has ever played golf. I’m never rated in the top 5. The only way you judge somebody is you look at the record book, and they don’t do that.”

Gary Player has indeed won many events, both on the PGA Tour and the senior circuit. He has 24 PGA Tour titles under his belt. This includes 9 major wins. He has won the British Open (The Open Championship) thrice, the Masters thrice, the PGA Championship twice, and the US Open once. Other notable PGA tour wins include the Kentucky Derby Open, Lucky International Open, Sunshine Open Invitational, San Diego Open, Pensacola Open, and many more spanning from 1958 through 1978. He even led the PGA Tour money list in 1961.

Besides an impressive PGA Tour career, Gary Player also enjoys playing on the senior circuit. He became eligible to play on the tour after turning 50 in 1985. He has 22 titles to his name on the over-50 circuit. This includes multiple senior major victories, including two US Senior Opens, three Senior Open Championships, a PGA Seniors’ Championship, and more. Apart from the PGA titles, he has around 118 international titles on the senior circuit.

Based on these titles, he went on to say that he is the third-best golfer the world has ever seen. He ranked Jack Nicklaus at the very top and Tiger Woods second. However, Player says that the world won’t recognize him, as the game of golf has been unjust to him.

Many might not agree with Player, as most of his success came on the senior circuit. Although he has won 9 major tournaments, a track record of 24 titles may not seem as impressive, considering other elite golfers of his time. For instance, Jack Nicklaus has had 73 PGA Tour wins, while Tiger Woods has had 82. Similarly, Arnold Palmer won 62 events on the PGA Tour. Even recent greats like Phil Mickelson (45) and Rory McIlroy (29) have won more PGA Tour titles. In fact, McIlroy achieved this feat despite being an Irishman, which means the PGA Tour isn’t his primary league.

Although Gary Player has achieved some important feats on the senior circuit, he is not the only one.

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Notable names on the PGA Tour Champions besides Gary Player

At 54, Steven Alker is a recent joiner on the senior circuit. Alker leads the 2025 PGA Tour Champions with two wins, two runner-ups, and 17 top-10 finishes. He recently won the Simmons Bank Championship with a record-tying five-stroke lead after the first round and set a new 36-hole scoring record. He is in strong contention for a second consecutive Charles Schwab Cup title and has the most top-10 finishes this season.

The 61-year-old Spaniard, Miguel Angel Jiménez, has secured four titles in 2025, including the Kaulig Companies Championship after a playoff win over Alker. He has 17 career PGA Tour Champions wins and is a consistent top contender, having pushed Alker tough throughout the season. Following Alker and Jimenez closely is another steady senior circuit competitor, Stewart Cink. He has impressed with solid performances, including a third-place finish at the Kaulig Companies Championship. Cink remains active, though he has missed the cut in several recent major events in 2025.

The excitement on the senior circuit can skyrocket, with chances of Tiger Woods joining the PGA Tour Champions next year. The 15x major champion turns 50 in December this year. Miller Brady, the PGA Tour Champions’ chief, has said that they are ready to welcome Woods if he decides to join. However, it all depends on Woods’ health and whether he wants to compete on the senior circuit.