Twenty victories on the PGA Tour is a career milestone most professional golfers never reach. Yet several players who did achieve that number or more, have slipped from the spotlight. Their names appear in record books, but rarely in modern discussions of golf’s top players.
While figures like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer remain central to the game’s history, others with strong résumés have become footnotes. Some played before the TV era. Others never won a major. A few simply stayed out of the public eye after retiring.
Billy Casper won 51 PGA Tour events, placing him fourth all-time behind Sam Snead, Woods, and Nicklaus. His wins included the U.S. Open in 1959 and 1966 and the Masters in 1970. He was one of the most consistent players of his generation.
Casper’s approach was low-profile, and he rarely pursued endorsements or media attention. That may be why, despite his success, his name doesn’t come up as often as those of his contemporaries.
Greg Norman’s 20 PGA Tour victories include two Open Championships. During the 1980s and 1990s, he spent more time ranked world number one than any other golfer until Woods. He was known for power, flair, and several near misses in majors.
Norman’s popularity extended internationally, and he was a regular fixture on worldwide betting sites. Still, the number of majors he didn’t win, often in dramatic fashion, became a lasting part of his story. In later years, Norman turned to business, including golf course design and commercial projects.
Hale Irwin reached 20 wins on the PGA Tour and won three U.S. Opens: in 1974, 1979, and 1990. He later became the winningest player in PGA Tour Champions history. His career spanned several decades, marked by consistency and control.
Irwin didn’t pursue a media career after retiring and avoided the spotlight. Although he holds one of the best long-term records in golf, he is rarely mentioned among the sport’s most familiar names.
Johnny Revolta won 20 PGA Tour events, including the 1935 PGA Championship. He was known for his short game and was a respected figure in golf instruction for many years.
Revolta’s prime came before televised golf. As a result, he isn’t part of the highlight reels or digital archives that keep some players’ names in circulation. His contributions remain part of golf history, though largely off the radar of newer fans.
Doug Sanders earned 20 PGA Tour wins between the late 1950s and early 1970s. Known for his colorful wardrobe and personality, he came closest to a major win at the 1970 Open Championship, where he missed a short putt and lost to Nicklaus in a playoff.
Although Sanders had a long and successful career, the absence of a major title affected how he’s remembered. Mentions of Sanders today tend to appear in historical coverage or occasionally on newest online bookmakers when referencing well-known players who never claimed a major.
In most cases, a few common factors stand out:
Modern professionals like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler benefit from 24-hour coverage, social media, and global sponsorships. Even a short run of success today can lead to long-term visibility. But long careers without majors, or low-key retirements, could still lead to similar outcomes in the future.
Players like Casper, Norman, Irwin, Revolta, and Sanders left behind records that place them among the PGA Tour`s most successful. That they aren’t household names doesn’t change the facts: they won, often, and in highly competitive eras.
Their stories also show how much visibility in golf depends not just on winning, but on timing, personality, and media reach. While not often included in highlight reels or Hall of Fame debates, their names remain etched in the tour’s official statistics.
