Worst player to win a major?

[Shilgy]

Willett didn't have to play with the lead until the last couple of holes. That's a huge difference.

 

Yeah, he just birdied the 16th right after he knew he was leading the Masters while Westwood 3 putted, then made the chip for par at the 17th which was the shot of the tournament and he made par at the 18th... I can do that too...

 

Yes, that's exactly what I said - he played the last couple with the lead. Playing the last 3 holes at -1 is good, but not spectacular. 17 & 18 were shaky, actually. If he was that shaky starting the day with the lead, he would have lost by a bunch.

 

You can downplay his win if you like, but that doesn't take anything off his performance. Switch Rickie with Willett and they would still be talking about how clutch he was ;) Willett capitalized Jordan's choke, and he succeeded where others failed. Some people may not like it for various reasons, but these are the facts ;)

 

I'm not trying to downplay his victory, but just pointing out that he was in the right place at the right time. I don't care who it would have been. If it would have been Rickie, I'd point out that HE was in the right place at the right time. I don't have anything against Willett or European players (I loved watching Sergio win it this year), just pointing out the reality.

Reality... Jack versus Sanders, Casper versus Arnie, Spieth versus DJ at Chambers Bay, Faldo versus Norman, Ryu versus Lexi. No one cares how after the fact. We have a winner with the fewest strokes after 72 holes.

[Hawkeye77]

Who said Kuchar won a gold medal?

[Shilgy]

Who said Kuchar won a gold medal?

Some idiot. Sorry, bronze.

[williamsnrb]

 

Yeah, he just birdied the 16th right after he knew he was leading the Masters while Westwood 3 putted, then made the chip for par at the 17th which was the shot of the tournament and he made par at the 18th... I can do that too...

 

Yes, that's exactly what I said - he played the last couple with the lead. Playing the last 3 holes at -1 is good, but not spectacular. 17 & 18 were shaky, actually. If he was that shaky starting the day with the lead, he would have lost by a bunch.

 

You can downplay his win if you like, but that doesn't take anything off his performance. Switch Rickie with Willett and they would still be talking about how clutch he was ;) Willett capitalized Jordan's choke, and he succeeded where others failed. Some people may not like it for various reasons, but these are the facts ;)

 

I'm not trying to downplay his victory, but just pointing out that he was in the right place at the right time. I don't care who it would have been. If it would have been Rickie, I'd point out that HE was in the right place at the right time. I don't have anything against Willett or European players (I loved watching Sergio win it this year), just pointing out the reality.

Reality... Jack versus Sanders, Casper versus Arnie, Spieth versus DJ at Chambers Bay, Faldo versus Norman, Ryu versus Lexi. No one cares how after the fact. We have a winner with the fewest strokes after 72 holes.

 

I disagree. It has been almost 10 years since Tom Watson nearly won the British and it still makes me disappointed to think about it.

[Forged4ever]

Ben Curtis has 3 other tour wins, played on a winning Ryder Cup team and doesn't belong on this list. Neither does Webb Simpson.

Only on a golf forum would there even be such a list??

 

Ben Curtis????

 

WTF???

 

Have a nice weekend Bro?

RP

[imakaveli]

Willett didn't have to play with the lead until the last couple of holes. That's a huge difference.

 

Yeah, he just birdied the 16th right after he knew he was leading the Masters while Westwood 3 putted, then made the chip for par at the 17th which was the shot of the tournament and he made par at the 18th... I can do that too...

 

Yes, that's exactly what I said - he played the last couple with the lead. Playing the last 3 holes at -1 is good, but not spectacular. 17 & 18 were shaky, actually. If he was that shaky starting the day with the lead, he would have lost by a bunch.

 

You can downplay his win if you like, but that doesn't take anything off his performance. Switch Rickie with Willett and they would still be talking about how clutch he was ;) Willett capitalized Jordan's choke, and he succeeded where others failed. Some people may not like it for various reasons, but these are the facts ;)

 

I'm not trying to downplay his victory, but just pointing out that he was in the right place at the right time. I don't care who it would have been. If it would have been Rickie, I'd point out that HE was in the right place at the right time. I don't have anything against Willett or European players (I loved watching Sergio win it this year), just pointing out the reality.

 

Oh please, a lot of people lost the Masters in the last 3 holes. Having to play 16, 17 and 18 at Augusta National with all the pressure in the world is not being in the right place at the right time... I could have agreed with you if he would have pulled a Webb Simpson winning the Masters from the locker room after everyone choked. I think you are indeed downplaying his victory ;)

[imakaveli]

YE Yang

 

I think YE is one of the most worthy major winner because he was the only player in history able to beat the real Tiger Woods on Sunday in a Major

[Shilgy]

 

Reality... Jack versus Sanders, Casper versus Arnie, Spieth versus DJ at Chambers Bay, Faldo versus Norman, Ryu versus Lexi. No one cares how after the fact. We have a winner with the fewest strokes after 72 holes.

 

I disagree. It has been almost 10 years since Tom Watson nearly won the British and it still makes me disappointed to think about it.

Watson did nearly win the British that year but Watson did exactly what you are saying Spieth did. He blew it. There I said it. No way younger Tom makes that bogey that lead to the playoff.

 

PS what did you disagree with? Total after 72 holes is not what matters? The rest is just story lines for the masses.

[BillyZ2]

Although he was good for a little while, sort of a flash-in-the-pan, I got to go with Tiger.

[Forged4ever]

The most amazing thing to me is that most men, and I'm gonna say 80-85%+ and it may be higher, NEVER EVER rise above mediocrity in their lives, regardless of the arena or activity, yet they have the balls to judge another man basically as "the worst" who won what may be THE single hardest thing to win in all of professional sports, a golf Major.

 

I find it even MORE Amazing that the men mentioned in this thread had the ability to summon every bit of drive focus and talent in their bodies and minds to do what Greg Norman, Colin Montgomery, Lee and Luke could not and have not been able to do. We are speaking of 3 former Word #1's and Colin is a WGHoFer.

 

I understand that this is a forum and as such we discuss myriad topic and hypotheticals, however I just think that unless one has "been there done that," as in actually planting the tee in a Major and experiencing first hand the suffocating pressure that is with every breath and swing that they take, well, ya see where I'm goin with this :)

 

As Mak's stated above me, for YE to do what no other Tour Boy before him did, and for many, including super stars, it was thought to be undoable, well, in my mind, there is No more worthy Major Champion than YA Yang and there is absolutely no one, and I mean NOONE, that I would rather sit and speak to and listen to their Major Victory experience because there is NOONE on the face of this earth that did what YA did or can speak to the thoughts emotions and experience except YA Yang.

 

Being the first in anything makes any Man Worthy

 

Just my .03 worth

 

Have a Great Easter Gals & Gents?

 

My Best,

RP

[lumberman2462]

Well said, Richard.

 

Happy Good Friday to everyone....

[imakaveli]

Reality... Jack versus Sanders, Casper versus Arnie, Spieth versus DJ at Chambers Bay, Faldo versus Norman, Ryu versus Lexi. No one cares how after the fact. We have a winner with the fewest strokes after 72 holes.

 

I disagree. It has been almost 10 years since Tom Watson nearly won the British and it still makes me disappointed to think about it.

Watson did nearly win the British that year but Watson did exactly what you are saying Spieth did. He blew it. There I said it. No way younger Tom makes that bogey that lead to the playoff.

 

PS what did you disagree with? Total after 72 holes is not what matters? The rest is just story lines for the masses.

 

I cry a little every time I watch this video...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnIkiNdNQw0&t=371s

[Dave230]

Reality... Jack versus Sanders, Casper versus Arnie, Spieth versus DJ at Chambers Bay, Faldo versus Norman, Ryu versus Lexi. No one cares how after the fact. We have a winner with the fewest strokes after 72 holes.

 

I disagree. It has been almost 10 years since Tom Watson nearly won the British and it still makes me disappointed to think about it.

Watson did nearly win the British that year but Watson did exactly what you are saying Spieth did. He blew it. There I said it. No way younger Tom makes that bogey that lead to the playoff.

 

PS what did you disagree with? Total after 72 holes is not what matters? The rest is just story lines for the masses.

 

Watson wasn't bulletproof though, '78 PGA was five ahead going into the last day and lost. Only major he never won too. '78 Open, went in tied for the lead, finished tied 14th after 76.

[Shilgy]

Reality... Jack versus Sanders, Casper versus Arnie, Spieth versus DJ at Chambers Bay, Faldo versus Norman, Ryu versus Lexi. No one cares how after the fact. We have a winner with the fewest strokes after 72 holes.

 

I disagree. It has been almost 10 years since Tom Watson nearly won the British and it still makes me disappointed to think about it.

Watson did nearly win the British that year but Watson did exactly what you are saying Spieth did. He blew it. There I said it. No way younger Tom makes that bogey that lead to the playoff.

 

PS what did you disagree with? Total after 72 holes is not what matters? The rest is just story lines for the masses.

 

Watson wasn't bulletproof though, '78 PGA was five ahead going into the last day and lost. Only major he never won too. '78 Open, went in tied for the lead, finished tied 14th after 76.

I agree with you. I could change the post you replied to to "younger Tom would have been less likely to bogey". And your point really agrees with mine I think. There is an ebb and flow to every event and a bogey on Thursday hurts as much to an eventual contender as a bogey on Sunday. Play 72 and add them up. 65-65-73-73 is still 4 strokes better than 74-74-66-66.**

 

**Fictitious event to make a point.

[Forged4ever]

Reality... Jack versus Sanders, Casper versus Arnie, Spieth versus DJ at Chambers Bay, Faldo versus Norman, Ryu versus Lexi. No one cares how after the fact. We have a winner with the fewest strokes after 72 holes.

 

I disagree. It has been almost 10 years since Tom Watson nearly won the British and it still makes me disappointed to think about it.

Watson did nearly win the British that year but Watson did exactly what you are saying Spieth did. He blew it. There I said it. No way younger Tom makes that bogey that lead to the playoff.

 

PS what did you disagree with? Total after 72 holes is not what matters? The rest is just story lines for the masses.

 

Watson wasn't bulletproof though, '78 PGA was five ahead going into the last day and lost. Only major he never won too. '78 Open, went in tied for the lead, finished tied 14th after 76.

Exactly, until 1977, his first "Monster" year with two head to head Victories(The Masters & The Epic 77 Open Championship) along with I believe 5 Tour Victories against Jack, he was known as "choker." He credits his turnaround to his ceasing to look for the "perfect" swing and accepting and trusting the swing that he brought to the course that day.

 

A few other Pros in the decades to follow coulda done good to have learned from Tom's discoveries, lol.

 

All the Best,

RP

[sailfishchris]

HAHAHAHA! Worst to win a major! Is that an oxymoron? I'd bet it's less than 5% of all pro golfers have ever won a major. How about who's the worst pro to never win a tournament? Or who's the worst pro to never make the tour? They are all the tip of the needle. Who's the worst! LOL!

[imakaveli]

HAHAHAHA! Worst to win a major! Is that an oxymoron? I'd bet it's less than 5% of all pro golfers have ever won a major. How about who's the worst pro to never win a tournament? Or who's the worst pro to never make the tour? They are all the tip of the needle. Who's the worst! LOL!

 

Agree, this thread is silly but some people are going mental after last weekend

[BillyZ2]

The most amazing thing to me is that most men, and I'm gonna say 80-85%+ and it may be higher, NEVER EVER rise above mediocrity in their lives, regardless of the arena or activity, yet they have the balls to judge another man basically as "the worst" who won what may be THE single hardest thing to win in all of professional sports, a golf Major.

Your words are very true, and winning a major on the PGA might be the most difficult trophy to win in all of sports. Just the same, people like to bs in here due to ennui, so I take what people say with a grain of salt. It is what it is comma but I always enjoy reading your posts!

[williamsnrb]

[

 

Yeah, he just birdied the 16th right after he knew he was leading the Masters while Westwood 3 putted, then made the chip for par at the 17th which was the shot of the tournament and he made par at the 18th... I can do that too...

 

Yes, that's exactly what I said - he played the last couple with the lead. Playing the last 3 holes at -1 is good, but not spectacular. 17 & 18 were shaky, actually. If he was that shaky starting the day with the lead, he would have lost by a bunch.

 

You can downplay his win if you like, but that doesn't take anything off his performance. Switch Rickie with Willett and they would still be talking about how clutch he was ;) Willett capitalized Jordan's choke, and he succeeded where others failed. Some people may not like it for various reasons, but these are the facts ;)

 

I'm not trying to downplay his victory, but just pointing out that he was in the right place at the right time. I don't care who it would have been. If it would have been Rickie, I'd point out that HE was in the right place at the right time. I don't have anything against Willett or European players (I loved watching Sergio win it this year), just pointing out the reality.

 

Oh please, a lot of people lost the Masters in the last 3 holes. Having to play 16, 17 and 18 at Augusta National with all the pressure in the world is not being in the right place at the right time... I could have agreed with you if he would have pulled a Webb Simpson winning the Masters from the locker room after everyone choked. I think you are indeed downplaying his victory ;)

 

I suppose it depends on your definition of "downplay" (ala Bill Clinton's debate over the definition of "is"). Did Willett legitimately win the tournament? Yes. Did he 'deserve' to win? Yes. Was it because he outplayed everyone for the tournament? I think this is where we differ. I say that he did not. A person can have the lowest score at the end of a tournament in two different ways: play better than everyone else or everyone else plays worse than him. I feel like everyone else played worse than he did, especially Spieth. It was a very anticlimactic win, IMO. I may be in the minority who feel this way and that's fine - I like it here. :)

[RoryGenius]

Well of the 218 golfers to win a major, someone must be the worst, or more accurately the 'least good'. So it's probably a fair topic.

[williamsnrb]

Reality... Jack versus Sanders, Casper versus Arnie, Spieth versus DJ at Chambers Bay, Faldo versus Norman, Ryu versus Lexi. No one cares how after the fact. We have a winner with the fewest strokes after 72 holes.

 

I disagree. It has been almost 10 years since Tom Watson nearly won the British and it still makes me disappointed to think about it.

Watson did nearly win the British that year but Watson did exactly what you are saying Spieth did. He blew it. There I said it. No way younger Tom makes that bogey that lead to the playoff.

 

PS what did you disagree with? Total after 72 holes is not what matters? The rest is just story lines for the masses.

 

I disagree with "no one cares how after the fact". I care quite a bit, as it were.

[Forged4ever]

The most amazing thing to me is that most men, and I'm gonna say 80-85%+ and it may be higher, NEVER EVER rise above mediocrity in their lives, regardless of the arena or activity, yet they have the balls to judge another man basically as "the worst" who won what may be THE single hardest thing to win in all of professional sports, a golf Major.

Your words are very true, and winning a major on the PGA might be the most difficult trophy to win in all of sports. Just the same, people like to bs in here due to ennui, so I take what people say with a grain of salt. It is what it is comma but I always enjoy reading your posts!

I just reread this thread for the second time just to be sure that I read what I thought that I read and that is that though I may disagree with the general premise of there even being a "worst" Major winner, there is not a single post in this thread as bad as some of the shat that I've posted, lol. Not one!!

 

It's sorta like when guys say that the PGA Championship sucks and to drop and replace it with the Players when the PGA is THE most competitive, deepest and toughest to win Major Tourney of the three. As Ernie described it, The PGA Championship is "a Major on steroids." My feelings for the PGA are emotionally based cuz it meant so much to Pete and the other Pro who Played such a huge part of my life.

 

I go off on these emotion based tangents sometimes, hahaha

 

Just ignore me?

 

Have a great Weekend and nice Easter Bro?

 

Fairways & Greens 4ever My Friend⛳️

Richard

[Joebirds55]

Tons of golfers have been "handed" tournaments - and majors. It happens ALL THE TIME in golf. Danny Willett is only 29! He has 5 European Tour wins including Dubai. He finished T6 at the British he year before and was ranked in the top 15 when he won the Masters, so its not like he came out nowhere. Rant over, and I'm not a big Willett fan at all.

 

Agree with this. Willett is still young and could possibly bag another major or two.

 

His play following the biggest win of his life and all that it entails fell off a bit. Big deal. It would be too short sighted to write him off already as one of the worst to win a major.

[dlygrisse]

Mungo Park

[imakaveli]

 

 

I suppose it depends on your definition of "downplay" (ala Bill Clinton's debate over the definition of "is"). Did Willett legitimately win the tournament? Yes. Did he 'deserve' to win? Yes. Was it because he outplayed everyone for the tournament? I think this is where we differ. I say that he did not. A person can have the lowest score at the end of a tournament in two different ways: play better than everyone else or everyone else plays worse than him. I feel like everyone else played worse than he did, especially Spieth. It was a very anticlimactic win, IMO. I may be in the minority who feel this way and that's fine - I like it here. :)

 

Tomato, tomato... Dude, Willett won the Masters in a clutch fashion tying the lowest round of the day , I understand some people are pissed because Spieth pulled one of the biggest chokes in the history of the game or because of what his brother tweeted but... let it go...

[Shilgy]

Reality... Jack versus Sanders, Casper versus Arnie, Spieth versus DJ at Chambers Bay, Faldo versus Norman, Ryu versus Lexi. No one cares how after the fact. We have a winner with the fewest strokes after 72 holes.

 

I disagree. It has been almost 10 years since Tom Watson nearly won the British and it still makes me disappointed to think about it.

Watson did nearly win the British that year but Watson did exactly what you are saying Spieth did. He blew it. There I said it. No way younger Tom makes that bogey that lead to the playoff.

 

PS what did you disagree with? Total after 72 holes is not what matters? The rest is just story lines for the masses.

 

I disagree with "no one cares how after the fact". I care quite a bit, as it were.

So DJ is your winner at Chambers Bay? Or is it just a Spieth issue?

[imakaveli]

For all who say Micheel is the worst, remember how he won it?

 

[williamsnrb]

 

 

I suppose it depends on your definition of "downplay" (ala Bill Clinton's debate over the definition of "is"). Did Willett legitimately win the tournament? Yes. Did he 'deserve' to win? Yes. Was it because he outplayed everyone for the tournament? I think this is where we differ. I say that he did not. A person can have the lowest score at the end of a tournament in two different ways: play better than everyone else or everyone else plays worse than him. I feel like everyone else played worse than he did, especially Spieth. It was a very anticlimactic win, IMO. I may be in the minority who feel this way and that's fine - I like it here. :)

 

Tomato, tomato... Dude, Willett won the Masters in a clutch fashion tying the lowest round of the day , I understand some people are pissed because Spieth pulled one of the biggest chokes in the history of the game or because of what his brother tweeted but... let it go...

 

And I see it differently. I do not feel like he won it as much as everyone else lost it. To me, it has nothing to do with Spieth or Pete, necessarily, but the theater of the victory.

[williamsnrb]

Reality... Jack versus Sanders, Casper versus Arnie, Spieth versus DJ at Chambers Bay, Faldo versus Norman, Ryu versus Lexi. No one cares how after the fact. We have a winner with the fewest strokes after 72 holes.

 

I disagree. It has been almost 10 years since Tom Watson nearly won the British and it still makes me disappointed to think about it.

Watson did nearly win the British that year but Watson did exactly what you are saying Spieth did. He blew it. There I said it. No way younger Tom makes that bogey that lead to the playoff.

 

PS what did you disagree with? Total after 72 holes is not what matters? The rest is just story lines for the masses.

 

I disagree with "no one cares how after the fact". I care quite a bit, as it were.

So DJ is your winner at Chambers Bay? Or is it just a Spieth issue?

 

Spieth isn't the winner at Augusta in 2016 just like DJ isn't the US Open winner in 2015. I'm not sure how I can make it clearer, honestly. I'm not a fanboy of anyone, but I do analyze how a player wins. I enjoy it more when a player captures the lead with great play, holds off charges, etc. It's anticlimactic to see a person piddling along have the lead fall in their lap, and then they run across the finish line with it. My feelings have nothing to do with "who" won, but with "how" it was won.

[williamsnrb]

For the record, I think the thread's main question is dumb. Any major winner should be immune to this discussion.