Top 10 Champions Tour players from past 30 years

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World Golf Hall of Fame member Hale Irwin has won more Champions Tour titles than any other player.
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Jun. 22, 2010
By Vartan Kupelian, PGATOUR.COM Contributor

The 10 greatest players in the 30-year history of the Champions Tour as selected by Insider Vartan Kupelian.

1. Hale Irwin. He dominated for a decade-plus, or more than one-third the history of the Champions Tour. He has 45 victories, 16 more than his closest rival, and for 11 years he won multiple events. His list of accomplishments goes on and on, including 19 straight top five finishes from 1997 to 1998. Incredible.

2. Lee Trevino. No. 2 on the win list with 29 and holds the record for most top 10 finishes in a season, 26, in 1990. Four Champions Tour majors include the Senior PGA twice, the U.S. Senior Open and the JELD-WEN Tradition.

3. Chi Chi Rodriguez. Four straight victories (1987) is still the record and he is No. 6 in total victories with 22, with eight straight years (1986-1993) with at least one victory.

4. Jack Nicklaus. His Champions Tour career wasn't as lengthy as some but his triumphs are significant, including the Senior Players Championship in 1980 with a 261 score, 27-under, and still the 72-hole scoring record. Eight of his 10 victories on the Champions Tour were in majors in a 7-year span.

5. Bob Charles. The left-hander has the most top-10 finishes in a career, 203, and led the money list in 1988 and 1989. Ranks 5th with 23 Champions Tour victories.

6. Gil Morgan. An outstanding record in the Irwin era, which is saying a lot. His 68.83 scoring average in 2000 is the third lowest ever (Irwin's 68.59 in '98 is best). In 2000, Morgan had 31 subpar rounds, the most ever. In 1997, he had 26 subpar rounds, the second most ever. He's No. 3 on the all-time win list with 25.

7. Miller Barber. No. 4 on the all-time win list (24), he won at least once in nine straight years (1981-1989). Barber won the U.S. Senior Open three straight years, 1982-1985, and led the money list twice, 1981-82.

8. Don January. He won the first event ever, in 1980, and the money title three times. January won 22 times and claimed multiple events six straight years. Also won the Byron Nelson Award five times.

9. Jim Colbert. Winner of 20 events, he was Champions Tour Player of the Year in 1995 and 1996 as well as Rookie of the Year in 1991 and Comeback Player of the Year in 1998.

10. Tom Watson. He's won 12 times with five of those senior major titles. And, posting the best finish ever by a senior in a major championship last year at Turnberry ranks very high in Champions Tour history, doesn't it? Besides, he's not done yet.

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