The rarity of three-peat winners on the PGA TOUR

Viktor Hovland is looking to join the record books this week in Mexico as he tries to win the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba for an elusive third time in three years. The Norwegian is trying to become the 10th man to three-peat at an event since World War II.

Seven of the previous nine men to three-peat are World Golf Hall of Famers. Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Billy Casper, Tom Watson, Johnny Miller and Gene Littler are the Hall of Famers who have three-peated since World War II. Steve Stricker is the most recent to achieve back-to-back-to-back wins. He won the John Deere Classic in 2009-11.

Hovland won the 2020 edition of the World Wide Technology Championship with a score of 20-under winning by a shot over Aaron Wise. Last year he shot a tournament-record 23-under and won by four.

“It's a special place. I loved it even before winning it two times,” Hovland said when asked about El Camaleón Golf Course. “It was the first time I played a PGA TOUR event. To come back here as a two-time champion is very special. Yeah, let’s see if I can add another one this week.”

Hovland is the first of six players who will be looking to win the same event three years in a row. Sam Burns (Valspar Championship), K.H. Lee (AT&T Byron Nelson), Rory McIlroy (RBC Canadian Open and THE CJ CUP), Patrick Cantlay (BMW Championship) and Max Homa (Fortinet Championship) who will have to wait until next season.

On 26 occasions, a player has won an event in at least three consecutive seasons. Eighteen men have accomplished the feat.

Woods has achieved this feat six times, including two four-peats. This also includes two separate three-peats at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. Three other players – Palmer, Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen – have won multiple events in at least three consecutive seasons (and, yes, the Miami Open and Miami Beach Opens are separate events).

PLAYERS TO WIN AN EVENT IN 3+ CONSECUTIVE SEASONS

FOUR IN A ROW

Tom Morris, Jr., The Open Championship: 1868-70 (no event 1871), 1872

Walter Hagen, PGA Championship: 1924-1927

Gene Sarazen, Miami Open: 1927-1930

Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer Invitational: 2000-2003

Tiger Woods, Farmers Insurance Open: 2005-2008

THREE IN A ROW

Jamie Anderson, The Open Championship: 1877-1879

Robert Ferguson, The Open Championship: 1880-1882

Willie Anderson, U.S. Open: 1903-1905

Walter Hagen, Metropolitan Open: 1916, 1919-1920*

Gene Sarazen, Miami Beach Open: 1927-1929

Henry Picard, Tournament of the Gardens: 1935-37

Ralph Guldahl, Western Open: 1936-1938

Ben Hogan, Asheville Land of the Sky Open: 1940-1942

Gene Littler, Tournament of Champions: 1955-1957

Billy Casper, Portland Open: 1959-1961

Arnold Palmer, Texas Open: 1960-1962

Arnold Palmer, Phoenix Open: 1961-1963

Jack Nicklaus, Disney World Golf Classic: 1971-1973

Johnny Miller, Tucson Open: 1974-1976

Tom Watson, AT&T Byron Nelson: 1978-1980

Tiger Woods, Memorial Tournament: 1999-2001

Tiger Woods, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational: 1999-2001

Stuart Appleby, Sentry Tournament of Champions: 2004-06

Tiger Woods, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational: 2005-2007

Tiger Woods, WGC-Cadillac Championship: 2005-2007

Steve Stricker, John Deere Classic: 2009-2011