Tom Watson at the 1977 British Open (Bob Thomas/Getty Images)

4. Tom Watson

PGA Tour victories in 1970s: 18 (of 39 total)

Major titles in 1970s: three (of eight total)

A student and friend of the legendary Byron Nelson, Watson overcame his initial disdain for links golf to become a five-time British Open winner, with two of those titles coming in the 1970s. He was known as a great ballstriker with an aggressive game, charging putts at the hole and possessing a short-game that could erase almost any miscue from the fairway.

After joining the Tour in 1971 and several frustrating missed chances at victory (including the 1974 U.S. Open), Watson broke through at the 1974 Western Open.

His first major victory was the 1975 British Open at Carnoustie, where he beat Jack Newton by a shot in a playoff. He won the 1977 Masters by two shots over Jack Nicklaus (who became a somewhat frequent Watson spoil), then outlasted Nicklaus by a shot in the 1977 British Open at Turnberry, which became known as the Duel in the Sun for his third major of the decade.

Watson was the PGA Tour’s leading money winner, the Player of the Year and the Vardon Trophy winner (for lowest scoring average) in 1977, ’78 and ’79 – he also was leading money winner and Player of the Year multiple times in the 1980s. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988.