Best Player to Win "Only" One Major?

[jwhite86]

Justin Rose comes to mind of those who haven't been mentioned yet.  Gold medal... always seems to be close on Sunday in majors

[Dave230]

Some of the main contenders by performances in majors (all 1 win):

 

Most top 10s:

 

1. Kite - 28

2. Couples - 26

3. Mangrum - 24

=3. Furyk - 22

=3. Garcia - 22

 

Most second places:

 

1. Oosthuizen - 6

2. Day - 5

=3. Garcia - 4

=3. Furyk - 4

=3. Kite - 4

=3. Weiskopf - 4

 

Most top 5s:

 

1. Kite - 16

=2. Furyk - 15

=2. Mangrum - 14

4. Garcia - 13

=5. Couples - 12

=5. Weiskopf - 12

[cdnglf]

32 minutes ago, jwhite86 said:

Justin Rose comes to mind of those who haven't been mentioned yet.  Gold medal... always seems to be close on Sunday in majors

Rose, Scott, and Garcia were all born the same year and have ended up with very comparable HoF-ish careers

Edited May 20, 2024 by cdnglf

[Maine Golfer]

Corey Pavin 

[PedronNiall]

1 hour ago, ColinKelvin said:

Was he popular in America?  I could never work out if US fans liked him much, or thought he was a bit of a dork. I always thought his demeanour was a bit odd. Great swing though.

 

I can't recall him ever being mentioned for anything other than his game. No one I know who's met him, myself included, had anything positive to say about his personality. 

[Tpfol]

Jerry Pate was on his way to super stardom until he got injured

[Tpfol]

14 hours ago, JD3 said:

Anyone nominated assumes they won't win a second major.

 

I'll start with Sergio Garcia. 36 wins worldwide, including runner up twice in  PGA and British Open, and a 3rd US Open. Had his breakthru at Augusta, but clearly he could have made more.

Not sure if this was posted to debate whether Sergio could still win a major, which I think he can, or truly to talk about 1 time winners?

Sergio at 44 could still compete at Majors, provided he can qualify to play, we'll see if he's in the US Open shortly

[JD3]

1 hour ago, Dave230 said:

Some of the main contenders by performances in majors (all 1 win):

 

Most top 10s:

 

1. Kite - 28

2. Couples - 26

3. Mangrum - 24

=3. Furyk - 22

=3. Garcia - 22

 

Most second places:

 

1. Oosthuizen - 6

2. Day - 5

=3. Garcia - 4

=3. Furyk - 4

=3. Kite - 4

=3. Weiskopf - 4

 

Most top 5s:

 

1. Kite - 16

=2. Furyk - 15

=2. Mangrum - 14

4. Garcia - 13

=5. Couples - 12

=5. Weiskopf - 12

Was thinking yesterday watching PGA that LIV will hurt Shrek's chances at winning more majors than anyone else. He's still very much in his prime and was consistently contending in majors.

Edited May 20, 2024 by JD3

[Brooks_Cupcake]

Bryson.

[Glock917]

Sergio is the best player by far looking at his career resume and how many close chances he has had only to have one.

 

Honorable mention is Oosthuizen because he has the 2nd place career grand slam lol 😅

[Ty_Webb]

1 hour ago, PedronNiall said:

 

I can't recall him ever being mentioned for anything other than his game. No one I know who's met him, myself included, had anything positive to say about his personality. 

 

I carried a scoreboard round as a kid at the Open for about four years. Four rounds per year, 12 players per year, roughly 48 players total. During that period, one player introduced himself to me and shook my hand. That was Tom Kite. That was in 1993 at Royal St George's. He said "Hi I'm Tom Kite". I said "I know". Meant a lot to me that he did that. FWIW

[PedronNiall]

41 minutes ago, Ty_Webb said:

 

I carried a scoreboard round as a kid at the Open for about four years. Four rounds per year, 12 players per year, roughly 48 players total. During that period, one player introduced himself to me and shook my hand. That was Tom Kite. That was in 1993 at Royal St George's. He said "Hi I'm Tom Kite". I said "I know". Meant a lot to me that he did that. FWIW

 

Fair enough. Was a kid when I met him as well and he was a whole nozzle. 

[baitdragger]

No one mentions Daly?

 

surely he had the chops to be up there.  Just lacked the desire to do what it takes to be great all the time

 

i have no doubt he would killed plenty of tournaments had he laid off beer and taco bell

[Ty_Webb]

19 minutes ago, baitdragger said:

No one mentions Daly?

 

surely he had the chops to be up there.  Just lacked the desire to do what it takes to be great all the time

 

i have no doubt he would killed plenty of tournaments had he laid off beer and taco bell

 

He won two...

[NormanFan]

26 minutes ago, Ty_Webb said:

 

He won two...

 

I often think Daly's second major at St. Andrew's is not given enough credit.  He ended up close to where Rocca did in the bunker at the Road Hole and had the sheer power to blast it out of there for a bogey.  One of the more impressive shots I've ever seen.

[Dutch1008]

15 hours ago, fowlerscousin said:

Henrik stenson. He was the Ludwig oberg of the 2000s

 

Not really. Ludvig's best trait is his driver. He's longer than Scottie but not quite as accurate. He's more accurate than Rory, but not quite as long. Henrik struggled w/ driver and survived w/ a nuclear 3w. 

 

Take a look at Henrik's skill profile around 2016 (his best year), its very different from Ludvig. Really, their only similarity is being tall Scandinavians. 

 

 

[Dutch1008]

I can really only speak to my era, but I'd tag Sergio, Adam Scott, and Jason Day equally. 

 

Sergio was just an unbelievable iron player. Never really liked the dude but could watch him hit long irons all day. 

 

Adam Scott's swing is perfect, was always long off the tee and generally great ball striking numbers. Had stretches as a good putter when he was young and again when anchoring was still legal. When the putting was on, he was a true 5 tool player. Probably a good comp for DL3 although DL3 was a little before my time so I really didn't see him much. 

 

Jason Day was absolutely dominant for a short spell. Long off the tee, great putter, filthy short game. Seems like he should have got more out of that 2014 to 2016 window.  

[Golfnutgalen]

11 minutes ago, Dutch1008 said:

I can really only speak to my era, but I'd tag Sergio, Adam Scott, and Jason Day equally. 

 

Sergio was just an unbelievable iron player. Never really liked the dude but could watch him hit long irons all day. 

 

Adam Scott's swing is perfect, was always long off the tee and generally great ball striking numbers. Had stretches as a good putter when he was young and again when anchoring was still legal. When the putting was on, he was a true 5 tool player. Probably a good comp for DL3 although DL3 was a little before my time so I really didn't see him much. 

 

Jason Day was absolutely dominant for a short spell. Long off the tee, great putter, filthy short game. Seems like he should have got more out of that 2014 to 2016 window.  

 

Jason Day seemingly had it all, until his back blew out. Not very accurate off the tee I guess but neither was Tiger. 

 

I'd say Sergio was the best ballstriker among the bunch followed closely by Adam Scott. If either one could putt they would have won a lot more.

[JD3]

4 hours ago, Tpfol said:

Jerry Pate was on his way to super stardom until he got injured

Years ago I was at a clinic he put on, this was still the great big Bertha pre-prov1 era. The range was 300 yards and  people could hit from both ends. They had to clear the other end because he was hitting into them. He also said the hardest shot to hit was a full drive that was thinned so much it only went a foot ...which then proceeded to do on purpose.

 

Edited May 20, 2024 by JD3

[jonsnow]

12 hours ago, ColinKelvin said:

A quick wiki trawl showed the following up - bold would be my suggestions as the strongest contenders but I admit i didn't look back so much into really old-school players.

 

Sergio (12 Top 5s over and above his win, lost a PO after bogeying the last at Carnoustie in 07)

Stenson (10 Top 5s)

Rose (9 Top 5s)

Scott (8 Top 5s and should've won the 12 Open)

Day (10 Top 5s; 5 of which were 2/T2s)

Couples (11 Top 5s)

Azinger (5 Top 5s and should've won the 87 Open)

Leonard (5 Top 5s - lost two playoffs)

Kite (15 Top 5s)

DLIII (7 Top 5s)

Oosthuizen (8 Top 5s, 6 of which were 2 or T2; lost two playoffs)

Elkington (7 Top 5s, lost a PO at the 02 Open)

Lehman (7 Top 5s)

Weiskopf (11 Top 5s)

De Vincenzo (9 top 5s at the Open and the Masters stupid, which he won but then lost)

Nagle (6 Top 5s in the Open in 7 years...)

Woosnam (5 Top 5s)

 

very tough to narrow this one down!

Roberto De Vicenzo didn't win, then lose the Masters. He actually tied Bob Goalby but signed a card with a par on #17 when he actually birdied the hole & had to accept the higher score, thus not getting to playoff for the title. Who knows if he would have won or not?

 

Phenomenal player & handled it with way more class than I would, but saying he won belittles Bob Goalby who did nothing wrong...

[Tpfol]

8 minutes ago, JD3 said:

Years ago I was at a clinic he put on, this was still the great big Bertha pre-prov1 era. The range was 300 yards and  people could hit from both ends. They had to clear the other end because he was hitting into them. He also said the hardest shot to hit was a full drive that was thinned so much it only went a foot ...which then proceeded to do on purpose.

 

The guy won the TPC with a Pro Staff golf ball, (orange no less) that would like having someone win today using a persimmon driver. Haha

 

[Ty_Webb]

11 minutes ago, JD3 said:

Years ago I was at a clinic he put on, this was still the great big Bertha pre-prov1 era. The range was 300 yards and  people could hit from both ends. They had to clear the other end because he was hitting into them. He also said the hardest shot to hit was a full drive that was thinned so much it only went a foot ...which then proceeded to do on purpose.

 

 

I watched John Daly on the range at the Open one time back in 1993. He was working his way up through his bag. He pulled his driver out - everyone cheered, so he stuffed it back in the bag and hit some wedges. Pulled his driver out again - total silence. Then he hit 5 shots in a row that went about a combined 10 yards. Flat out with his driver. Just about the most impressive thing I've ever seen. Then he finally hit some properly. That was pretty impressive too!

[Birdman62]

5 hours ago, Tpfol said:

Sergio at 44 could still compete at Majors, provided he can qualify to play, we'll see if he's in the US Open shortly

He hasn't had a top 10 in 6 years, since the season of his Masters win, 14 missed cuts in 22 tournaments.  He's cooked.

 

Tiger and Phil and Jack winning long after their primes makes people think that more normal mortals over 40 still have viable chances, but the aging curve post age-35 is steeper than you would think-yeah, shallower than pretty much any other sport, which disguises things a bit, but definitely significant.

[9thGreenAt9]

if Sergio wasn't such a mental midget he wouldn't be on this list but since he's such a mental midget and we all know golf is played on a 6 inch course between the ears I can't vote for him....so I'd go with Couples or Furyk for longevity and Duval for highest peak.

[KennyP]

 

The answer is obviously Danny Willett.

 

 

[BobMorris]

I'll stick with my stock answer for this topic: Lloyd Mangrum

[ColinKelvin]

7 hours ago, BobMorris said:

I'll stick with my stock answer for this topic: Lloyd Mangrum

Based purely on his stats ( 2nd twice, 14 Top 5s). that is a very good shout indeed.

 

Poor record in the Open though 😉

[Chopper1986]

11 hours ago, KennyP said:

 

The answer is obviously Danny Willett.

 

 

Danny was great, but let's face it he's no Shaun Micheel

[3whacker]

 Lanston Wadkins...won the PGA and I think 21 Tour wins and in the WGHOF

[WorkItBothWays]

Tony Lema comes up in similar debates.