How long Adam Scott needs to keep qualifying for golf’s majors to equal Jack Nicklaus’ amazing record

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Playing in the majors is the dream for every golfer who makes it in the professional ranks.

Whether it be a single appearance or consistently getting in there, qualifying for and then competing in the four major championships is the goal for most.

Of course, some do better than others and over time, we’ve seen certain players appear countless times.

The master of appearances is a certain Jack Nicklaus, who on top of winning a record 18 majors and finishing runner-up in them 19 times, also holds the record for the most consecutive major appearances at 146 in a row.

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That came between 1962 and 1998, where Nicklaus finally brought the curtain down at the US Open.

In the modern game, it is down to Adam Scott to try and match Nicklaus but while the Australian is on quite the streak, he is some way off catching Nicklaus.

How many majors Adam Scott needs to play in to match Jack Nicklaus

Adam Scott’s streak itself is very impressive when it comes to qualifying for the major championships.

Stretching all the way back to 2001 Open Championship, Scott has now appeared in 97 straight majors and he will be looking to hit the 100 mark in 2026.

However, while that is impressive in itself, it’s going to take a mammoth effort for him to catch Nicklaus.

For Scott to get level with the Golden Bear, he would need to qualify for and play in every major up until the 2038 PGA Championship. Put simply, that means 13 more years of contending, meaning Scott would be pushing 60 by the time it came around.

In a nutshell, it’s just not going to happen and if it does, then we’ll be left tipping our hats to the Aussie for what would be a remarkable achievement.

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The most major appearances in golf history

Along with the other records he holds here, Jack Nicklaus is also the man at the top of the most major appearances, with 164. He bowed out in the 2005 Open, capping a stunning career.

Behind Nicklaus is nine-time major winner Gary Player with 150 appearances, while Tom Watson brings up the top three with 145.

Arnold Palmer and Raymond Floyd complete the top five.

Of the current active players, Bernhard Langer made his 112th appearance at this year’s Masters, while Fred Couples is on 106. LIV Golf’s Phil Mickelson is also over the 100 mark.

As for the great Tiger Woods, he remains shy of the 100 mark but is over 90. How his latest injury recovery goes and if he can play anymore, remains to be seen.