Ranking Best Players of the 2010s

With all the talk of The Open being the last major of the 2010s decade, thought we could rank the best players of the decade.

1.Rory Mcilroy (4)

2. Jordan Spieth (3)

3. Dustin Johnson (1)

4. Brooks Koepka (4)

5. Phil Mickelson (2)

6. Jason Day (1)

7. Tiger Woods (1)

8. Justin Rose (1)

9. Justin Thomas (1)

10. Adam Scott (1)

Other notables: Henrik Stenson, Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler, Martin Kaymer, Patrick Reed, Steve Stricker, Brandt Snedeker, Louis Oosthuizen

I obviously thought about major wins, major performances, tour wins, world ranking, and longevity in the decade (DJ and Rory were a force in the whole decade, while Brooks and JT haven't been)

Some of the players above achieved their success in latter part of the decade.

McIlroy has finished in the year end world top 10 rankings from 2010 till now (except 2017 when he finished 11th). He won 16 PGA Tour events including 4 majors during the decade.

It is hard to argue against those results, if you're discussing about the whole decade.

Quite impressive for Tiger and Phil to still make the list after being #1 and #2 (or maybe #3) in the 2000-2009 timeframe.

Seems like Rory's decade is closer to that of Phil or Vijay in the proceeding 10 years. Rory with more majors but less total wins.

> @gmzbball said:

> With all the talk of The Open being the last major of the 2010s decade, thought we could rank the best players of the decade.

> 1.Rory Mcilroy (4)

> 2. Jordan Spieth (3)

> 3. Dustin Johnson (1)

> 4. Brooks Koepka (4)

> 5. Phil Mickelson (2)

> 6. Jason Day (1)

> 7. Tiger Woods (1)

> 8. Justin Rose (1)

> 9. Justin Thomas (1)

> 10. Adam Scott (1)

> Other notables: Henrik Stenson, Matt Kuchar, Rickie Fowler, Martin Kaymer, Patrick Reed, Steve Stricker, Brandt Snedeker, Louis Oosthuizen

>

> I obviously thought about major wins, major performances, tour wins, world ranking, and longevity in the decade (DJ and Rory were a force in the whole decade, while Brooks and JT haven't been)

I'd agree on #1-#4 (maybe Koepka can move up with a win at the Open) and #9-#10.

In between, I'm not sure. Phil has the advantage of two majors but his play was also up and down and he has the least amount of wins in this sub-group. Rose has the same amount of wins/majors as Tiger and played well throughout the decade but was never as good as Tiger in 2012-2013. Day has the most wins but his run seems concentrated around a couple of years (not different than Tiger). I could go either way on a lot of these...

What talk? Open Championship not over, Euro season not over, Finchem Cup yet to be played, plenty of other golf to be played . . . . let's rank the best players of the decade before it's finished? If you are really thinking majors, tour wins, world ranking, lol, then probably should wait and see what all that is about when the golf is actually over for the decade. So wrx-y.

Not a bad list but don't think Justin Thomas should be on it and Bubba Watson should be on it, think you've forgotten about him as you haven't even put him in the notables.

To compare Justin Thomas to Bubba Watson for example:

Majors: Bubba 2 vs Thomas 1. WGCs: Bubba 2 v Thomas 1. Regular PGA Tour wins: Bubba 8 v Thomas 6. Ryder Cup appearances: Bubba 4 v Thomas 1

This would be my top 10 players of the 2010s, giving different weighting to majors, Players, WGCs, PGA, Euro, Ryder/Presidents Cup apps, other Tour wins and major top 5. Koepka is quite low but he's late to the game in the 2010s and also has hardly any PGA/Euro wins.

1) Rory McIlroy

2) Dustin Johnson

3) Jason Day

4) Jordan Spieth

5) Bubba Watson

6) Tiger Woods

7) Brooks Koepka

8) Adam Scott

9) Phil Mickelson

10) Justin Rose

Here is my ranking. I put Spieth slightly ahead of Koepka due to 8 PGA wins vs 2. DJ has 17 PGA wins, so I put him above the "2 majors" guys.

I don't give extra credit for WGC events.

The last four are equal.

1. Rory McIlroy: 4 majors/ 10 more PGA Tour wins/ 6 other wins

2. Jordan Spieth: 3/8/2

3. Dustin Johnson: 1/17/ 1

4. Brooks Koepka: 4/2/3

5. Tiger Woods: 1/9/0 (in just 103 starts)

6. Bubba Watson: 2/10/0

6. Justin Rose: 1/9/6

8. Jason Day: 1/11/0

9. Phil Mickelson: 2/5/1

9. Adam Scott: 1/6/4

9. Justin Thomas 1/8/0

honorable mention

Martin Kaymer 2/1/5 (with nothing in the last 5 years)

> @"Darth Putter" said:

> 1. Rory McIlroy: 4 majors/ 10 more PGA Tour wins/ 6 other wins

> 2. Jordan Spieth: 3/8/2

> 3. Dustin Johnson: 1/17/ 1

> 4. Brooks Koepka: 4/2/3

> 5. Tiger Woods: 1/9/0 (in just 103 starts)

> 6. Bubba Watson: 2/10/0

> 6. Justin Rose: 1/9/6

> 8. Jason Day: 1/11/0

> 9. Phil Mickelson: 2/5/1

> 9. Adam Scott: 1/6/4

> 9. Justin Thomas 1/8/0

>

> honorable mention

> Martin Kaymer 2/1/5 (with nothing in the last 5 years)

>

Why would you rank Tiger with one major and 9 PGA wins over Bubba with 2 majors and 10 PGA wins?

And Phil with 2 majors? You obviously don't value majors very highly.

Pretty amazing that Phil won 2 majors in his 40s this decade and had 5 runner up finishes to go along with it.

> @KRAMER1997 said:

> Pretty amazing that Phil won 2 majors in his 40s this decade and had 5 runner up finishes to go along with it.

2013 US Open, 2014 PGA, 2015 Masters, and 2016 Open? 2nd place slam in consecutive years pretty late in his career.

What is the 5th (I'm drawing a blank).

2012 Masters was also a great opportunity. Played in the last group and was likely the favorite until a ball of the bleachers and two right-handed slashes ended it.

I think Kaymer with a US Open, Pga and a players should get a spot in the top 10, Webb deserves a mention with a major and players

> @Roadking2003 said:

> > @"Darth Putter" said:

> > 1. Rory McIlroy: 4 majors/ 10 more PGA Tour wins/ 6 other wins

> > 2. Jordan Spieth: 3/8/2

> > 3. Dustin Johnson: 1/17/ 1

> > 4. Brooks Koepka: 4/2/3

> > 5. Tiger Woods: 1/9/0 (in just 103 starts)

> > 6. Bubba Watson: 2/10/0

> > 6. Justin Rose: 1/9/6

> > 8. Jason Day: 1/11/0

> > 9. Phil Mickelson: 2/5/1

> > 9. Adam Scott: 1/6/4

> > 9. Justin Thomas 1/8/0

> >

> > honorable mention

> > Martin Kaymer 2/1/5 (with nothing in the last 5 years)

> >

>

> Why would you rank Tiger with one major and 9 PGA wins over Bubba with 2 majors and 10 PGA wins?

>

> And Phil with 2 majors? You obviously don't value majors very highly.

I point you to the (in just 103 starts) part. Also Tiger's 9 non major wins are better quality than Bubba's 10.

If I didn't value majors highly, why is Spieth ahead of DJ?

Good idea.

1. McIlroy

2. Spieth

3. Johnson

4. Koepka

5. Day

6. Mickelson

7. Thomas

8. Watson

9. Woods

10. Scott/Rose/Kaymer

> @"Darth Putter" said:

> > @Roadking2003 said:

> > > @"Darth Putter" said:

> > > 1. Rory McIlroy: 4 majors/ 10 more PGA Tour wins/ 6 other wins

> > > 2. Jordan Spieth: 3/8/2

> > > 3. Dustin Johnson: 1/17/ 1

> > > 4. Brooks Koepka: 4/2/3

> > > 5. Tiger Woods: 1/9/0 (in just 103 starts)

> > > 6. Bubba Watson: 2/10/0

> > > 6. Justin Rose: 1/9/6

> > > 8. Jason Day: 1/11/0

> > > 9. Phil Mickelson: 2/5/1

> > > 9. Adam Scott: 1/6/4

> > > 9. Justin Thomas 1/8/0

> > >

> > > honorable mention

> > > Martin Kaymer 2/1/5 (with nothing in the last 5 years)

> > >

> >

> > Why would you rank Tiger with one major and 9 PGA wins over Bubba with 2 majors and 10 PGA wins?

> >

> > And Phil with 2 majors? You obviously don't value majors very highly.

>

> I point you to the (in just 103 starts) part. Also Tiger's 9 non major wins are better quality than Bubba's 10.

>

> If I didn't value majors highly, why is Spieth ahead of DJ?

The number of starts is irrelevant when looking at accomplishments in a decade. Two majors to one and more non-majors puts Bubba way ahead of Tiger in my book.

> @Roadking2003 said:

> > @"Darth Putter" said:

> > > @Roadking2003 said:

> > > > @"Darth Putter" said:

> > > > 1. Rory McIlroy: 4 majors/ 10 more PGA Tour wins/ 6 other wins

> > > > 2. Jordan Spieth: 3/8/2

> > > > 3. Dustin Johnson: 1/17/ 1

> > > > 4. Brooks Koepka: 4/2/3

> > > > 5. Tiger Woods: 1/9/0 (in just 103 starts)

> > > > 6. Bubba Watson: 2/10/0

> > > > 6. Justin Rose: 1/9/6

> > > > 8. Jason Day: 1/11/0

> > > > 9. Phil Mickelson: 2/5/1

> > > > 9. Adam Scott: 1/6/4

> > > > 9. Justin Thomas 1/8/0

> > > >

> > > > honorable mention

> > > > Martin Kaymer 2/1/5 (with nothing in the last 5 years)

> > > >

> > >

> > > Why would you rank Tiger with one major and 9 PGA wins over Bubba with 2 majors and 10 PGA wins?

> > >

> > > And Phil with 2 majors? You obviously don't value majors very highly.

> >

> > I point you to the (in just 103 starts) part. Also Tiger's 9 non major wins are better quality than Bubba's 10.

> >

> > If I didn't value majors highly, why is Spieth ahead of DJ?

>

> The number of starts is irrelevant when looking at accomplishments in a decade. Two majors to one and more non-majors puts Bubba way ahead of Tiger in my book.

You and I have never been in the same library before, so why start now.

> @agolf1 said:

> > @KRAMER1997 said:

> > Pretty amazing that Phil won 2 majors in his 40s this decade and had 5 runner up finishes to go along with it.

> 2013 US Open, 2014 PGA, 2015 Masters, and 2016 Open? 2nd place slam in consecutive years pretty late in his career.

>

> What is the 5th (I'm drawing a blank).

>

> 2012 Masters was also a great opportunity. Played in the last group and was likely the favorite until a ball of the bleachers and two right-handed slashes ended it.

2011 Open was -6 through 10 holes but putted awful on the back.

> @KRAMER1997 said:

> > @agolf1 said:

> > > @KRAMER1997 said:

> > > Pretty amazing that Phil won 2 majors in his 40s this decade and had 5 runner up finishes to go along with it.

> > 2013 US Open, 2014 PGA, 2015 Masters, and 2016 Open? 2nd place slam in consecutive years pretty late in his career.

> >

> > What is the 5th (I'm drawing a blank).

> >

> > 2012 Masters was also a great opportunity. Played in the last group and was likely the favorite until a ball of the bleachers and two right-handed slashes ended it.

>

> 2011 Open was -6 through 10 holes but putted awful on the back.

Ah yes, thanks. Forgot about this one. Definitely one where he "had a chance" although far from blowing it. I'd actually say Winged Foot (leader on the 72nd tee) and maybe Merion where the only two that he really screwed it up on. It seems like a lot of others he was right there and just didn't get it done. Maybe because of who he is people expected (or hoped/wished) he won but some of these were fairly close to 50/50. But, it's amazing to think of how high up the all-time ranks he'd be had the cards fallen differently a few more times.