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The majors with the most eagles since 2000

By Andy Wittry | PGA.com
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The majors with the most eagles since 2000

The 2018 Open Championship at Carnoustie Golf Club saw players record more eagles than any major in the last three years -- and it had one of the highest eagle totals at a major since the turn of the century.

However, Carnoustie only had roughly half the number of eagles as Royal Liverpool did in 2006.

Here are the major championships and courses that have had the most eagles since 2000.

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The 2009 Open Championship

Course: Turnberry

Eagles: 41

Most common holes to eagle: No. 17 (21), No. 7 (18)

Despite having one of the highest eagle totals at a major in the last 19 years, The 2009 Open Championship saw only four players finish under par. Stewart Cink beat Tom Watson in a playoff after both golfers finished at 2-under. Thirty-nine of the 41 eagles came on either the 7th or 17th holes.

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The 2018 Open Championship

Course: Carnoustie Golf Club

Eagles: 41

Most common holes to eagle: No. 14 (31), No. 6 (8)

The 14th hole at Carnoustie could've almost made this list by itself without the help of the other 17 holes, given that it was eagled 31 times – the most of any hole on this list.

Two of the runners-up, Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy, both eagled the hole on Sunday alone and six players who finished in the top 10 finished in three strokes on the par-5 14th at least once during the Championship.

The 2015 Masters

Course: Augusta National

Eagles: 47

Most common holes to eagle: No. 13 (20), No. 15 (9), No. 2 (8), No. 8 (7)

Interestingly, Jordan Spieth won the 2015 Masters Tournament, which had more eagles than any other Masters this century, by four strokes without needing a single eagle.

On the four holes listed above – the 2nd, 8th, 13th and 15th holes – that were most prone to being eagled, Spieth was nothing short of excellent with 14 birdies, one par and one bogey, but he didn't contribute to the 47 eagles recorded by the field at Augusta.

The 2014 Open Championship

Course: Royal Liverpool Golf Club

Eagles: 48

Most common holes to eagle: No. 10 (16), No. 5 (13), No. 18 (9)

Rory McIlroy won The 143rd Open Championship after lighting up Royal Liverpool with back-to-back 6-under 66s on Thursday and Friday. He had two eagles in the Championship, including one on the 18th hole to finish the third round.

The 2006 Open Championship

Course: Royal Liverpool Golf Club

Eagles: 81

Most common holes to eagle: No. 16 (27), No. 5 (23), No. 10 (16), No. 18 (10)

Let's put the number of eagles at The 135th Open Championship in perspective.

There have been a handful of majors since 2000 that have had single-digit eagles over the course of the entire tournament, such as the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill (5) and 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black (8).

Royal Liverpool had four different holes in 2006 that individually had more eagles at The Open than entire courses did at particularly challenging majors.

Six different holes on the back nine were eagled during The 2006 Open Championship, including aces on both the par-3 13th and par-3 15th.

Photographs courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.