When Rory McIlroy slipped on his second Green Jacket at the Masters this past April, he joined Nick Faldo in the history books with six major championships. But there's still one European legend standing between him and the all-time record—and his name is Harry Vardon.

Vardon, born on the tiny island of Jersey, claimed seven major titles between 1896 and 1914, edging out McIlroy by one. If the Northern Irishman can capture this weekend's PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club, he'll finally draw level with Vardon's mark.

While Vardon's name may not echo through clubhouses like today's superstars, his fingerprints are all over the modern game. As part of the "great triumvirate" alongside Englishman John Henry "JH" Taylor and Scotsman James Braid, Vardon dominated professional golf for two decades. Together, they ruled the Open Championship from the mid-1890s through the mid-1910s.

Vardon's major victories include six Open Championships (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, and 1914) and one US Open win in 1900. That's a staggering haul for a man who learned his craft on a small island in the English Channel.

Andrew Keites, chairman of the Harry Vardon Trust—established in 1984 to nurture young golfers in Jersey—believes Vardon doesn't get the recognition he deserves. "It's easy to forget," Keites says. "There's a recency bias, and people take note of what they see on television."

Yet McIlroy himself has called it "an amazing honour" to be mentioned alongside Vardon. James Evans, head professional at Royal Jersey Golf Club, points to the island's "rich culture" of producing champions. "We've got Ted Ray who won two majors, Harry Vardon, who is one of the greatest ever golfers from Britain, and Tommy Horton too. We've had some unbelievable golfers come from Jersey."

For now, Vardon's record stands. But as McIlroy tees it up this weekend, every swing brings him one step closer to matching a legend who, despite the passage of time, still holds a place among golf's immortals.