Who Phil Mickelson is chasing to become oldest golfer to win a major

The 2021 PGA Championship has teed off its final round at Kiawah Island in South Carolina, and we have a chance to see some history on Sunday. Phil Mickelson enters the final round with a one-shot lead over Brooks Koepka in what has been a difficult course over the first 54 holes. Mickelson sits at -7, Koepka is -6, Louis Oosthuizen is at -5, and Kevin Streelman is at -4.

If the 50-year old Mickelson can hold on to his lead on Sunday, he will become the oldest golfer in history to win a golf major. Mickelson turns 51 on June 16 and would blow past the previous record-holder. In 1968, Julius Boros won the PGA Championship at the age of 48 years, 4 months, 18 days.

This would mark Mickelson’s sixth major victory. His first major was the 2004 Masters and his most recent was the 2013 British Open. He’s won three times at the Masters and once each at the British Open and PGA Championship.

Here’s a list of the ten oldest golfers to claim a major victory. It’s been a while since anybody entered the top ten, with Hale Irwin’s 1990 U.S. Open victory the most recent such victory.

1. Julius Boros, 1968 PGA Championship, 48 years, 4 months, 18 days
2. Tom Morris Sr., 1867 British Open, 46 years, 3 months, 10 days
3. Jack Nicklaus, 1986 Masters Tournament, 46 years, 2 months, 23 days
4. Jerry Barber, 1961 PGA Championship, 45 years, 3 months, 6 days
5. Hale Irwin, 1990 U.S. Open, 45 years, 14 days
6. Lee Trevino, 1984 PGA Championship, 44 years, 8 months, 18 days
7. Robert De Vincenzo, 1967 British Open, 44 years, 3 months, 1 day
8. Harry Vardon, 1914 British Open, 44 years, 1 month, 10 days
9. Raymond Floyd, 1986 U.S. Open, 43 years, 9 months, 11 days
10. Ted Ray, 1920 U.S. Open, 43 years, 4 months, 16 days