[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

There always seems to be the question of who's the best player in the world to have never won a major.
Sergio was probably the guy until last April.

But I got to thinking, who is the best player in history to have never won a major.

The first person that comes to my mind is Colin Montgomery. He was so close in so many majors and won a bazillion tournaments worldwide and topped the European Order of Merit many times. My only hesitation is that he really didn't play the US PGA tour a whole lot so he really wasn't playing against the best in the world.

Anyone else have an opinion?

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

There always seems to be the question of who's the best player in the world to have never won a major.
Sergio was probably the guy until last April.

But I got to thinking, who is the best player in history to have never won a major.

The first person that comes to my mind is Colin Montgomery. He was so close in so many majors and won a bazillion tournaments worldwide and topped the European Order of Merit many times. My only hesitation is that he really didn't play the US PGA tour a whole lot so he really wasn't playing against the best in the world.

Anyone else have an opinion?

Lee Westwood, Matt Kuchar and Steve Stricker

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Lee Westwood, Matt Kuchar and Steve Stricker

Certainly, those, along with Rickie Fowler are some of the best current players to have never won a major.

I was thinking about going back in history and trying to come up with the all-time best to have never won one.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Google is an amazing tool. Look what I found.


All-Time Best Without A Major | GOLF.com

[Rapscallion St Croix]

I remember when Tom Kite was the all time money leader and had no majors. He finally won the US Open in the early 90s.

Another was Corey Pavin. Turned pro in 1982 and finally won a major in 1995.

[chuckinca]

Looking at the list - I pick Doug Sanders.

I was going to say Bob Goalby but checked and he won the 1968 Masters.

In the 1961 PGA Championship at Olympia Fields, Ill I was a forecaddie on the 4th hole which was lined with trees on both sides and a 6' chain link fenced OB in the left. A player teed off and drove into the trees on the right where I and the fans were standing. I yelled fore and most people ducked. A few minutes later a player came into the group of fans and said to one of the fans "how's it going dad" to which the reply was "not good son you just broke my watch". The player was Bob Goalby as reported in the Chicago newspapers the next day. I caddied at Olympia Fields and other Chicago south suburban country clubs my last two years of high school.

Happy Fathers Day to all!

'

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by Rapscallion St Croix

I remember when Tom Kite was the all time money leader and had no majors. He finally won the US Open in the early 90s.

Another was Corey Pavin. Turned pro in 1982 and finally won a major in 1995.

All-time leading money winner is an irrelevant statistic. Unless you adjust for inflation and even with that, the purses are so much bigger today. My first serious teacher was a guy named Paul Runyan. He was the leading money winner the first year that stats were kept. He won about $6800.
I have a friend who played on tour for eleven years. Although he had one win, he was considered to be a journeyman player. But he won more money in his career than Ben Hogan.

You can take money stats and toss them out the window.

[Rapscallion St Croix]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

All-time leading money winner is an irrelevant statistic. Unless you adjust for inflation and even with that, the purses are so much bigger today. My first serious teacher was a guy named Paul Runyan. He was the leading money winner the first year that stats were kept. He won about $6800.
I have a friend who played on tour for eleven years. Although he had one win, he was considered to be a journeyman player. But he won more money in his career than Ben Hogan.

You can take money stats and toss them out the window.

Kite was the first in Tour history to reach $6 million, $7 million, $8 million, and $9 million in career earnings, and that is an irrelevant statistic?

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by Rapscallion St Croix

Kite was the first in Tour history to reach $6 million, $7 million, $8 million, and $9 million in career earnings, and that is an irrelevant statistic?

Yes. Purses have grown exponentially beginning back te 80s. A friend of mine won the 1974 Kemper Open. It was one of the highest purses of the era. His first place prize money was $50,0000. How many tournaments would a player have had to win in 1974 to get to $6 million? In 1988, Curtis Strange was the first player to win $1 million in a year. And if I'm not mistaken he had to win the big season-endingTour Championship which almost doubled his earnings for the year. Today a player wins a minor event and wins more than anyone before 1988 won in an entire season. But even that million dollars was deceptive when you consider that half of it came from one tournament.

Money winnings are irrelevant unless they are adjusted and I don't know how they even can be adjusted for today's tour.

Again, my friend, Bob Menne, 1974 Kemper Open Champion won more money in his career than Ben Hogan. Where would you rank Bob Menne compared to Ben Hogan.

Greg Chalmers has won more than double what Jack Nicklaus won in his career.

If you look at the list of most money won in a career, the top 59 are current players. Jack Nicklaus, the greatest golfer in history is number 261 on that list.

Career earnings are a meaningless statistic.

[Rapscallion St Croix]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

Yes. Purses have grown exponentially beginning back te 80s. A friend of mine won the 1974 Kemper Open. It was one of the highest purses of the era. His first place prize money was $50,0000. How many tournaments would a player have had to win in 1974 to get to $6 million? In 1988, Curtis Strange was the first player to win $1 million in a year. And if I'm not mistaken he had to win the big season-endingTour Championship which almost doubled his earnings for the year. Today a player wins a minor event and wins more than anyone before 1988 won in an entire season. But even that million dollars was deceptive when you consider that half of it came from one tournament.

Money winnings are irrelevant unless they are adjusted and I don't know how they even can be adjusted for today's tour.



Again, my friend, Bob Menne, 1974 Kemper Open Champion won more money in his career than Ben Hogan. Where would you rank Bob Menne compared to Ben Hogan.

Greg Chalmers has won more than double what Jack Nicklaus won in his career.

If you look at the list of most money won in a career, the top 59 are current players. Jack Nicklaus, the greatest golfer in history is number 261 on that list.

Career earnings are a meaningless statistic.

I am only comparing Kite to his contemporaries who all had a shot at the same purses he did. He was winning more tournaments than they and was at that time the best player without a major. His major came in his 17th win.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Different discussion. We're discussing all time. Yes, money lists are relevant when comparing players of the same era but are meaningless when discussing the best of all time.

[Rapscallion St Croix]

What was the most unlikely major win?
I vote for Orville Moody. His only regular tour win in 266 starts was the US Open.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by Rapscallion St Croix

What was the most unlikely major win?
I vote for Orville Moody. His only regular tour win in 266 starts was the US Open.

That's a good one. I'd add Lucas Glover, Steve Jones, Jack Fleck, Ed Furgol and Dick Mayer and Michael Campbell to that list.

But in my opinion, the most unlikely champion would probably be Francis Ouimet

[Rapscallion St Croix]

Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr

That's a good one. I'd add Lucas Glover, Steve Jones, Jack Fleck, Ed Furgol and Dick Mayer and Michael Campbell to that list.

But in my opinion, the most unlikely champion would probably be Francis Ouimet

Steve Jones could have had a much more impressive career if he had never ridden dirt bikes. I expected much more out of Michael Campbell. He had the tools. I was at the 1995 Open Championship at St Andrews, and John Daly winning was a big surprise. I also went to the 94 Open at Turnberry and watched Jesper Parnevik's course management error cost him a playoff spot. I was pulling for him to win.