Top golfers by state (top 5 + hon. mention)

I'm curious to know how a state-by-state breakdown of the greatest golfers would look. I'm currently living in Minniesnowta (it's mid-May and we have a windchill today in the 30s). I'm not a MN native, so I may be way off on this list (please feel free to correct/add):

MINNESOTA

#1 Tom Lehman

#2 Lee Janzen (grew up out of state tho)

#3 Tim Herron

#4 Cameron Beckman

#5 John Harris

of note: Patty Berg LPGA co-founder; Hillary Lunke (I think won US Women's Open?)

I was born in Kansas, but the only great golfers that come to mind from the sunflower state are:

#1 Tom Watson (#1 by a mile from Kansas)
#2 Tom Pernice

sorry for butchering the Kansas golfers (as noted below Watson and Pernice are actually Missouri born)...right now, the only one that springs to mind is Gary Woodland

Hogan
Nelson
Trevino
Crenshaw
Demaret

Hon Mention:

Zaharias
Penick

Not Mentioned: Several LPGA players, many major winners, and some current up and comers.

Going to be hard to top Texas, but it usually is.......

[quote name='highdraw69' timestamp='1400172292' post='9301569']
I was born in Kansas, but the only great golfers that come to mind from the sunflower state are:

#1 Tom Watson (#1 by a mile from Kansas)
#2 Tom Pernice
[/quote]

PGAtour.com list both of those as being from Missouri...Watson listing Kansas City, Missouri and Pernice listing Joplin, Missouri?

So, my Missouri list will be

Tom Watson
Payne Stewart
Hale Irwin
Amy Alcott
Judy Rankin

Hon mention, a tie between
Brandel Chamblee and Tom Pernice

[quote name='exgolfpro' timestamp='1400184152' post='9303333']
[quote name='highdraw69' timestamp='1400172292' post='9301569']
I was born in Kansas, but the only great golfers that come to mind from the sunflower state are:

#1 Tom Watson (#1 by a mile from Kansas)
#2 Tom Pernice
[/quote]

PGAtour.com list both of those as being from Missouri...Watson listing Kansas City, Missouri and Pernice listing Joplin, Missouri?

So, my Missouri list will be

Tom Watson
Payne Stewart
Hale Irwin
Amy Alcott
Judy Rankin

Hon mention, a tie between
Brandel Chamblee and Tom Pernice
[/quote]

sorry but I don't think Watson is Missouri born, and neither is Pernice; and I don't think Payne was born in Missouri either, which really changes the top of your "show me" state list... ;-)

Thomas Sturges Watson
[b]Born [/b][url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbirthdays.htm?mth=9&dy=4"]9/4/1949[/url] in Kansas City, [url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbystate.htm?st=KS"]KS[/url], USA
[b]Height:[/b] 5' 9'' [b]Weight:[/b] 175
[b]College:[/b] Stanford University

Thomas Pernice, Jr.
[b]Born [/b][url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbirthdays.htm?mth=9&dy=5"]9/5/1959[/url] in Kansas City, [url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbystate.htm?st=KS"]KS[/url], USA
[b]Height:[/b] 5' 10'' [b]Weight:[/b] 160
[b]College:[/b] UCLA

on 2nd thought, i'm not convinced my source for the above info is correct (databasegolf.com)...there are other sources saying Watson was in fact born on the Missouri side of the state border, and Pernice and Stewart also born in Missouri...so much for the quality of databasegolf.com !

So I have:

Arnold Palmer
Jim Furyk
Jay Sigel
Art Wall
Carol Semple Thompson
Lew Worsham
Jock Hutchinson
William C Fownes Jr.

Frank Beard
Bobby Nichols
Kenny Perry
J.B. Holmes
Gay Brewer
Jodie Mudd
Ted Schultz
Russ Cochran
Steve Flesch

Ohio produced a bunch of hacks. None worth mentioning.

[quote name='esketores' timestamp='1400203073' post='9305191']
Ohio produced a bunch of hacks. None worth mentioning.
[/quote]


Jack, but who else? Find me 5.

Texas wins.

Cali a close 2nd with Tiger, Phil, Miller, Casper, and Venturi. Might pass Texas eventually.

3rd is a ways back.

[quote name='CowtownTexas' timestamp='1400218955' post='9306527']
[quote name='esketores' timestamp='1400203073' post='9305191']
Ohio produced a bunch of hacks. None worth mentioning.
[/quote]



Jack, but who else? Find me 5.

[/quote]
Jack
John Cook
Tom Wieskopf
Jason Dufner
Ben Curtis
Dow Finsterwald - 13 wins, 1 major
Joe Oglivie
Frank Lickliter
Stacy Lewis

1. Jack
2. Wieskopf
3. Finsterwald
4. Cook
5. Lewis

Slim pickings here in Indiana:

Fuzzy Zoeller
Billy Kratzert
Bo Van Pelt
Jeff Overton
Chad Collins

All I know of is Morgan Hoffman. I'm from Jersey. Anyone know any other?

Virginia is tough:

1) Sam Snead
2) Vinny Giles (career amateur, too)
3) Curtis Strange
4) Lanny Watkins

5) Could be a long list: Steve Marino, Ed Sneed, Bobby Watkins, Donna Andrews?

What is the criteria; born in, college, current resident?
Oklahoma

Gil Morgan
Bob Tway
Scott Verplank
Nancy Lopez
Charlie Coe (carrer AM, finished 2nd in 1961 masters)
Bo Van Pelt
Hunter Mahhan

If you have to be born in the state, then Georgia would probably look like this:

Bobby Jones
Larry Mize
Tommy Aaron
Doug Sanders
Watts Gunn

Honorable Mention: (Not born in GA)
Larry Nelson
Stewart Cink
Davis Love III
Matt Kuchar

[quote name='Pert1862' timestamp='1400243376' post='9307217']
All I know of is Morgan Hoffman. I'm from Jersey. Anyone know any other?
[/quote]

Faxon
Jim McGovern
Mike Sposa
Jim Colbert

Illinois....

Kevin Streelman
D.A. Points
Luke Guthrie
Uhmmmm, me?

[quote name='highdraw69' timestamp='1400191007' post='9303987']
[quote name='exgolfpro' timestamp='1400184152' post='9303333']
[quote name='highdraw69' timestamp='1400172292' post='9301569']
I was born in Kansas, but the only great golfers that come to mind from the sunflower state are:

#1 Tom Watson (#1 by a mile from Kansas)
#2 Tom Pernice
[/quote]

PGAtour.com list both of those as being from Missouri...Watson listing Kansas City, Missouri and Pernice listing Joplin, Missouri?

So, my Missouri list will be

Tom Watson
Payne Stewart
Hale Irwin
Amy Alcott
Judy Rankin

Hon mention, a tie between
Brandel Chamblee and Tom Pernice
[/quote]

sorry but I don't think Watson is Missouri born, and neither is Pernice; and I don't think Payne was born in Missouri either, which really changes the top of your "show me" state list... ;-)

Thomas Sturges Watson
[b]Born [/b][url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbirthdays.htm?mth=9&dy=4"]9/4/1949[/url] in Kansas City, [url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbystate.htm?st=KS"]KS[/url], USA
[b]Height:[/b] 5' 9'' [b]Weight:[/b] 175
[b]College:[/b] Stanford University

Thomas Pernice, Jr.
[b]Born [/b][url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbirthdays.htm?mth=9&dy=5"]9/5/1959[/url] in Kansas City, [url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbystate.htm?st=KS"]KS[/url], USA
[b]Height:[/b] 5' 10'' [b]Weight:[/b] 160
[b]College:[/b] UCLA

on 2nd thought, i'm not convinced my source for the above info is correct (databasegolf.com)...there are other sources saying Watson was in fact born on the Missouri side of the state border, and Pernice and Stewart also born in Missouri...so much for the quality of databasegolf.com !
[/quote]

Not that this makes it a fact that Missouri was Watson's home state, but he did win the Missouri Amateur, so did Payne Stewart. Tom Watson's high school is in Missouri and so is Payne Stewarts (but so is John Daly's for that matter). I don't know much about Tom Pernice, so I can't attest to him.

1. Bubba Watson
2. Matt Kuchar
3. David Duval
4. Joe Durant
5. Woody Austin

Most of the good ones make their homes in Florida though.

[quote name='exgolfpro' timestamp='1400271552' post='9310153']
[quote name='highdraw69' timestamp='1400191007' post='9303987']
[quote name='exgolfpro' timestamp='1400184152' post='9303333']
[quote name='highdraw69' timestamp='1400172292' post='9301569']
I was born in Kansas, but the only great golfers that come to mind from the sunflower state are:

#1 Tom Watson (#1 by a mile from Kansas)
#2 Tom Pernice
[/quote]

PGAtour.com list both of those as being from Missouri...Watson listing Kansas City, Missouri and Pernice listing Joplin, Missouri?

So, my Missouri list will be

Tom Watson
Payne Stewart
Hale Irwin
Amy Alcott
Judy Rankin

Hon mention, a tie between
Brandel Chamblee and Tom Pernice
[/quote]

sorry but I don't think Watson is Missouri born, and neither is Pernice; and I don't think Payne was born in Missouri either, which really changes the top of your "show me" state list... ;-)

Thomas Sturges Watson
[b]Born [/b][url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbirthdays.htm?mth=9&dy=4"]9/4/1949[/url] in Kansas City, [url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbystate.htm?st=KS"]KS[/url], USA
[b]Height:[/b] 5' 9'' [b]Weight:[/b] 175
[b]College:[/b] Stanford University

Thomas Pernice, Jr.
[b]Born [/b][url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbirthdays.htm?mth=9&dy=5"]9/5/1959[/url] in Kansas City, [url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbystate.htm?st=KS"]KS[/url], USA
[b]Height:[/b] 5' 10'' [b]Weight:[/b] 160
[b]College:[/b] UCLA

on 2nd thought, i'm not convinced my source for the above info is correct (databasegolf.com)...there are other sources saying Watson was in fact born on the Missouri side of the state border, and Pernice and Stewart also born in Missouri...so much for the quality of databasegolf.com !
[/quote]

Not that this makes it a fact that Missouri was Watson's home state, but he did win the Missouri Amateur, so did Payne Stewart. Tom Watson's high school is in Missouri and so is Payne Stewarts (but so is John Daly's for that matter). I don't know much about Tom Pernice, so I can't attest to him.
[/quote]

I haven't seen this much of a dust up between Missouri and Kansas since John Brown and William Quantrill waged war along the border between 1854 and 1861.

[quote name='zer0' timestamp='1400271333' post='9310129']
Illinois....

Kevin Streelman
D.A. Points
Luke Guthrie
Uhmmmm, me?
[/quote]

Slim pickens in this state it seems.

D.A. Weibring?

These are the only Oregonians I know with PGA tour wins.

Peter Jacobsen
Bob Gilder
Robert Garrigus
Ben Crane

I think Pat Fitzsimons may have won a Tour event. LA Open?

Tiger won a USGA junior championship here. Does that count?

Slim Pickens for Oregon. But we have Bandon.

[quote name='VinceFurnier' timestamp='1400300927' post='9312567']


Slim Pickens for Oregon. But we have Bandon.
[/quote]

This thread got me thinking about that. Several states have many great courses, but haven't really produced that many players. Illinois, New York, New Jersey, and several "colder" states have what are considered our nations best courses. However, they haven't produced many players.

Does make sense that most good players would come out of warm weather states since the golf season here is basically year round. However, there are few courses in the warm weather states that get much acclaim.

I've often wondered if that's more a function of the fact most of the people who produce such rankings live in those colder states or if we're truly lacking in good golf down south. I tend to think it's a combo of the two. Always interesting to me how many of the "best" courses are near major metro areas. Of course, Bandon is the exception but that's a special area.

Wisconsin's a pretty short list, but pretty decent

Andy North
Steve Stricker
Jerry Kelly
Mark Wilson
JP Hayes
???

[quote name='CowtownTexas' timestamp='1400182119' post='9303083']
Hogan
Nelson
Trevino
Crenshaw
Demaret

Hon Mention:

Zaharias
Penick

Not Mentioned: Several LPGA players, many major winners, and some current up and comers.

Going to be hard to top Texas, but it usually is.......
[/quote]

Jackie Burke Jr
Tom Kite
Lloyd Mangrum
(Just to add to the great state of Texas honorable mention)

[quote name='Zeverson' timestamp='1400376237' post='9316087']
[quote name='CowtownTexas' timestamp='1400182119' post='9303083']
Hogan
Nelson
Trevino
Crenshaw
Demaret

Hon Mention:

Zaharias
Penick

Not Mentioned: Several LPGA players, many major winners, and some current up and comers.

Going to be hard to top Texas, but it usually is.......
[/quote]

Jackie Burke Jr
Tom Kite
Lloyd Mangrum
(Just to add to the great state of Texas honorable mention)
[/quote]

I didn't want to pile on, but other major winners are:

Mark Brooks
Charles Coody
Ralph Guldahl
Bill Rogers
Rich Beem
Don January
Justin Leonard

Plus a couple others I'm probably missing

Not to mention Jordan Speith and "top 5" Patrick Reed........

[quote name='VinceFurnier' timestamp='1400300927' post='9312567']
These are the only Oregonians I know with PGA tour wins.

Peter Jacobsen
Bob Gilder
Robert Garrigus
Ben Crane

I think Pat Fitzsimons may have won a Tour event. LA Open?

Tiger won a USGA junior championship here. Does that count?

Slim Pickens for Oregon. But we have Bandon.
[/quote]

You forgot Brian Henninger.

He has won on the PGA tour twice, and was in the final group on Sunday at Augusta in 1995 (paired with Crenshaw).

Currently playing on the Champions Tour.

Great guy.

North Carolina:
Raymond Floyd
Harvie Ward
Davis Love III
Charlie Sifford
Webb Simpson

Rhode Island: (We don't even have 5!)

Brad Faxon
Billy Andrade

Umm, that's all I got.

--kC

[quote name='zer0' timestamp='1400272012' post='9310197']
[quote name='exgolfpro' timestamp='1400271552' post='9310153']
[quote name='highdraw69' timestamp='1400191007' post='9303987']
[quote name='exgolfpro' timestamp='1400184152' post='9303333']
[quote name='highdraw69' timestamp='1400172292' post='9301569']
I was born in Kansas, but the only great golfers that come to mind from the sunflower state are:

#1 Tom Watson (#1 by a mile from Kansas)
#2 Tom Pernice
[/quote]

PGAtour.com list both of those as being from Missouri...Watson listing Kansas City, Missouri and Pernice listing Joplin, Missouri?

So, my Missouri list will be

Tom Watson
Payne Stewart
Hale Irwin
Amy Alcott
Judy Rankin

Hon mention, a tie between
Brandel Chamblee and Tom Pernice
[/quote]

sorry but I don't think Watson is Missouri born, and neither is Pernice; and I don't think Payne was born in Missouri either, which really changes the top of your "show me" state list... ;-)

Thomas Sturges Watson
[b]Born [/b][url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbirthdays.htm?mth=9&dy=4"]9/4/1949[/url] in Kansas City, [url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbystate.htm?st=KS"]KS[/url], USA
[b]Height:[/b] 5' 9'' [b]Weight:[/b] 175
[b]College:[/b] Stanford University

Thomas Pernice, Jr.
[b]Born [/b][url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbirthdays.htm?mth=9&dy=5"]9/5/1959[/url] in Kansas City, [url="http://www.databasegolf.com/players/playerbystate.htm?st=KS"]KS[/url], USA
[b]Height:[/b] 5' 10'' [b]Weight:[/b] 160
[b]College:[/b] UCLA

on 2nd thought, i'm not convinced my source for the above info is correct (databasegolf.com)...there are other sources saying Watson was in fact born on the Missouri side of the state border, and Pernice and Stewart also born in Missouri...so much for the quality of databasegolf.com !
[/quote]

Not that this makes it a fact that Missouri was Watson's home state, but he did win the Missouri Amateur, so did Payne Stewart. Tom Watson's high school is in Missouri and so is Payne Stewarts (but so is John Daly's for that matter). I don't know much about Tom Pernice, so I can't attest to him.
[/quote]

I haven't seen this much of a dust up between Missouri and Kansas since John Brown and William Quantrill waged war along the border between 1854 and 1861.
[/quote]

i would put Horton Smith on my Missouri list also.