Who's the best player without a Major Win now?

[Hankshank]

Xander no more, Cantlay? The Oil Scandinavian?

[Ferguson]

Jay Don Blake 

 

 

@iBanesto

 

Edited August 22, 2024 by Ferguson

[iBanesto]

16 minutes ago, Ferguson said:

Jay Don Blake 

 

 

@iBanesto

 

 

[Cincy_Ken]

When I think traditionally of best player to haven't won a major I think of really accomplished players who've done so much it's hard to believe they don't have a major.  Cantlay I suppose is that guy but he's not at the level of guys like Phil or Sergio who clearly were only missing the major to be great.  Hurting Cantlay is also the fact he's rarely been in the mix at majors; I think he was in the mix at the 19 Masters and Pinehurst this year but it's not like he's been a good major player relative to his other accomplishments. Xander had been a regular contender.

 

Personally I consider this title currently vacant. If Cantlay starts to contend more often he may be on deck.  Viktor is such a talent and already has some good major finishes so he's got a chance to be that guy.

Edited August 22, 2024 by Cincy_Ken

[Hawkeye77]

Harry Cooper.

[isaacbm]

11 minutes ago, Hawkeye77 said:

Harry Cooper.

This

[bcjim]

Monty or among active players,  (don't laugh) Rickie.

[Putter Addict]

Obviously Talor Gooch is the correct answer. 

 

But seriously probably Aberg based on talent. 

[Cincy_Ken]

20 minutes ago, bcjim said:

Monty or among active players,  (don't laugh) Rickie.

 

If you're going that route it's pretty hard to differentiate between Rickie and Kuch's resumes.  Both have a Players: Rickie has more high finishes but Kuch had the one taken away from him by Spieth going unconscious.

[dropkicked]

Fairway Jesus...

[WorkItBothWays]

Despite the fact he's not quite back to his best I'd say Hovland. He seems to get overlooked a little.

Aberg and Bob MacIntyre too would be guys I also think could be considered here.

 

[bcjim]

53 minutes ago, Cincy_Ken said:

 

If you're going that route it's pretty hard to differentiate between Rickie and Kuch's resumes.  Both have a Players: Rickie has more high finishes but Kuch had the one taken away from him by Spieth going unconscious.

But,  of those 2, Rickie has the better chance to still win one. 

[mocokid]

1 hour ago, Hawkeye77 said:

Harry Cooper.

No, Macdonald 'Mac' Smith. Look it up.

[bscinstnct]

Its been 10 years since Rory has won a major 

 

Since then hes won 17 times pga tour events, 8 Euro events and basically been ranked top-10-5 owgr and #1 a lot of times 

 

Thats by far the longest, best, track record with no major in history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[StoutKing]

JT.  It's kind of a joke ha ha

[mat562]

6 minutes ago, bscinstnct said:

Its been 10 years since Rory has won a major 

 

Since then hes won 17 times pga tour events, 8 Euro events and basically been ranked top-10-5 owgr and #1 a lot of times 

 

Thats by far the longest, best, track record with no major in history.

 

I agree. Greg Norman's 7 year stint between Open victories is probably the only one that comes close in the last 40 years or so.

 

As for best player in the world without a Major? Taking Monty and Westwood out of the mix, my vote would be for Hovland.

[DE-ILLINI]

Hovland based on his performance to date.  Aberg could take this spot very soon.

[straightshot7]

32 minutes ago, bscinstnct said:

Its been 10 years since Rory has won a major 

 

Since then hes won 17 times pga tour events, 8 Euro events and basically been ranked top-10-5 owgr and #1 a lot of times 

 

Thats by far the longest, best, track record with no major in history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Phil had 22 pga tour wins before his first major … May take the cake. 
 

but that is quite a “dry” spell for Rory 
 

 

Edited August 22, 2024 by straightshot7

[Duct Tape]

Title current vacant. 
 

 

Whoops, I see looking back that Cincy Ken is as witty as me, or at least I think I am.   Well done CK. 
 

🤓😀

Edited August 22, 2024 by Duct Tape

[Hawkeye77]

52 minutes ago, mocokid said:

No, Macdonald 'Mac' Smith. Look it up.

Cooper had more wins, and in the HOF, those are my criteria. Happy to read yours!

Edited August 22, 2024 by Hawkeye77

[Titleist99]

Of the current active players ........ the best to not have won a major tournament yet would clearly be:              Tony Finau tied with Victor Hovland.

[MattyO1984]

Definitely an interesting one. If you remove the guys with stellar careers that now have no hope of winning one - Westwood, Monty - then you are left with a bunch of guys that done, as yet, come close to matching the bridesmaids of years gone by.

 

I am not here for a PGA Tour vs European Tour argument but in terms of achievements or bodies of work the names that are likely to populate a list of best current players not to have won one come nowhere near their predecessors. In 100 years time, someone may look at Monty's record and think, how did this guy not win one?! At things stand based on their careers to date, is anyone going to look at Cantlay, Hovland or whomever else it might be and think the same. 

 

Given that, I am minded to agree that as things stand there is no one in particular that deserves the title of best not to have done it. 

[GrAvEL_eXpReSs]

Max Homa!

[bscinstnct]

1 hour ago, DE-ILLINI said:

Hovland based on his performance to date.  Aberg could take this spot very soon.

 

LA just graduated college and turned pro in June of 2023!

 

 

.

Edited August 22, 2024 by bscinstnct

[Titleist99]

2 minutes ago, MattyO1984 said:

Definitely an interesting one. If you remove the guys with stellar careers that now have no hope of winning one - Westwood, Monty - then you are left with a bunch of guys that done, as yet, come close to matching the bridesmaids of years gone by.

 

I am not here for a PGA Tour vs European Tour argument but in terms of achievements or bodies of work the names that are likely to populate a list of best current players not to have won one come nowhere near their predecessors. In 100 years time, someone may look at Monty's record and think, how did this guy not win one?! At things stand based on their careers to date, is anyone going to look at Cantlay, Hovland or whomever else it might be and think the same. 

 

Given that, I am minded to agree that as things stand there is no one in particular that deserves the title of best not to have done it. 

 pretty sure that the OP was referring to the current crop of players and not players from yesteryear, but I could be wrong. Monty is one of the all-time better players to never win a major though...... Probably due to having rabbit ears and a swing that didn't hold up under major championship pressure. IMO

[Ferguson]

Burnsie 

Finau

Paul Casey

Paul Casey's forearms

 

 

[Shriner]

Great question.  We don't have the Phil's and Sergio's of years past, but I agree it is basically down to Cantlay, Viktor or Finau.  If talking about active players, it is definitely Fowler.  If you want make an argument for Fleetwood, I guess I could see it.  If not for the injury, maybe Zalatoris.  

[Golfnutgalen]

I know nothing about Macdonald Smith, but browsing wiki it does seem like he won a lot of big events: 3 Western Opens and 2 North and South's. Harry Cooper in comparison won 1 Western Open. Smith also had fewer opportunities with WWI smack in the middle of his prime while Cooper arguably lost opportunities in his later years after age 38 due to WW2. 

 

The other difference between the two is Mac didn't play the PGA Championship and his prime was pre-Masters while Cooper didn't play the British Open. 

 

For reference Mac was born in 1890 and Cooper in 1904.

Edited August 22, 2024 by Golfnutgalen

[TiScape]

Gotta go with 

[Ty_Webb]

4 hours ago, mat562 said:

 

I agree. Greg Norman's 7 year stint between Open victories is probably the only one that comes close in the last 40 years or so.

 

As for best player in the world without a Major? Taking Monty and Westwood out of the mix, my vote would be for Hovland.

 

Tiger went 11 years between his 14th and 15th Majors. In that period, he had two runners up, five additional top 5s and four more top 10s (11 top 10s total). He won 3 WGCs, and 12 other tournaments. Greg won 7 times in those 7 years. Tiger won 15 times in 11 years. I do agree that Rory's taking the cake with his, but I think Tiger's closer than Greg in that regard.