Best player never to win a Major ?

[Dave Ireland]

Well with another year of majors behind us, and just one new addition to the hall of winners Mr. Immelman, it's seems like an opportune time to ask who out there is the best player not to have won yet. In actual fact I'd break it out into 2 separate questions - the best player not to have won and the player most likely to win, as they may not be 1 and the same.

My vote goes to Sergio (best not to have won, and most likely wont)

and Stenson or Romero as the next inductee .. would be interested in other claims ?

[Eracer]

Never won? Colin Montgomery.

Next to win? Robert Karlsson.

[warbirdlover]

Never won and won't = Sergio

Next to win = Anthony Kim and soon Camilo Villegas (edited per SolderJokey's help)...

[King Par]

My picks are identical to Warbird's except I think Sergio may be able to pull one out.

Anthony Kim and Camilo are going to be there soon.

[slickpitt]

Originally Posted by King Par

My picks are identical to Warbird's except I think Sergio may be able to pull one out.

Anthony Kim and Camilo are going to be there soon.

I was just about to say Kim and Camilo... both are playing very well.

[Dave Ireland]

Funnily enough, until the last month or so I wouldn't have backed Villegas to win a tourney nevermind a major.... I think he may well be a good call guys

[David Hillman]

Why is everybody so hard on Sergio? He's _still_ seven years younger than Harrington was when he won his first major, and four years younger than Goosen was, when he won his first. He's a year younger than Ogilvy was when he won his Major. Five years younger than Furyk was. Six years younger than Mickelson.

Not a lot of golfers win a Major before they turn 28. Very few make a habit out of finishing in the top 3, like Garcia has. He's not that bad, guys.

Edit: Make a list of golfers who've done more before 28. How many guys not named Jones and Woods are on it?

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by David Hillman

Why is everybody so hard on Sergio? He's _still_ seven years younger than Harrington was when he won his first major, and four years younger than Goosen was, when he won his first. He's a year younger than Ogilvy was when he won his Major. Five years younger than Furyk was. Six years younger than Mickelson.

Not a lot of golfers win a Major before they turn 28. Very few make a habit out of finishing in the top 3, like Garcia has. He's not that bad, guys.

Edit: Make a list of golfers who've done more before 28. How many guys not named Jones and Woods are on it?

I think the reason people a "down" on Sergio is his tendency to whine and pout and blame everyone but himself for his losses.

He's a great ballstriker, and an imaginative and swashbuckling player.
He's a poor putter.

That combo makes it easier to contend, but tougher to win a major.

[Dave Ireland]

Originally Posted by Eracer

I think the reason people a "down" on Sergio is his tendency to whine and pout and blame everyone but himself for his losses.

He's a great ballstriker, and an imaginative and swashbuckling player.
He's a poor putter.

That combo makes it easier to contend, but tougher to win a major.

Couldn't have said it better .. I would point Sergio towards Vijay Singh as a poor putter who managed to get his mojo working for 3 majors, but realistically all the recent major winners have been blindingly good putters

I would also question Garcia's shot selection at times, but the one thing that's not in question is his potential

[ManchesterGolfer]

I think like Phil Mickleson did and then Harrington's doing, as soon as Garcia wins one he'll bag 2 or 3 in double quick time. In fact if he'd won at Carnoustie my money would have been on him to see off Harrington yesterday.

On a side Note I think Harrington has risen to the player most likly to go head to head with Tiger in the big Tourney's and make a real match out of it, Tiger's main Nemisis.

[Harry Longshanks]

Paula Creamer.

[Dave Ireland]

Good point MG, but by virtue of the fact that Sergio has come up short twice against Harrington - I think psychologically he'll find it extremely difficult to get the monkey off his back.

Getting into the realms of conjecture - I don't think Tiger would've beaten Harrington in Birkdale. On the other hand I think Tiger would've won yesterday.

Tiger & Harrington share the same motivation, their fear of failure. In my view Tiger will pound on with his goal of eclipsing Jack's 18 majors and Harrington will prepare himself for an onslaught on The Masters (the 1 he feels he can win) and US Open. Harrington won't stop until he attains true greatness (winning the grand slam, a feat even Arnie didn't achieve). Should both of them fail in their efforts, while the golfing world will acclaim their greatness they themselves may cast a different view.

I can't wait to see how it plays out........

[David Hillman]

Originally Posted by Dave Ireland

Couldn't have said it better .. I would point Sergio towards Vijay Singh as a poor putter who managed to get his mojo working for 3 majors, but realistically all the recent major winners have been blindingly good putters

I would also question Garcia's shot selection at times, but the one thing that's not in question is his potential

Whose shot selection is _never_ questionable?

There seems to be a big difference between being a constantly-great putter and stringing together 3 or 4 days of great putting when it counts. Angel Cabrera is 204th ( fifth from last ) on Tour this year. Zach Johnson is 153rd. Furyk is 143rd. Goosen 116th. Ogilvy 110th. None of these guys have ben consistently good, nevermind great, but still managed to win a Major. I don't see any reason why Garcia can't catch lightning in a bottle for a four days, if these guys all did.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by David Hillman

Whose shot selection is _never_ questionable?

There seems to be a big difference between being a constantly-great putter and stringing together 3 or 4 days of great putting when it counts. Angel Cabrera is 204th ( fifth from last ) on Tour this year. Zach Johnson is 153rd. Furyk is 143rd. Goosen 116th. Ogilvy 110th. None of these guys have ben consistently good, nevermind great, but still managed to win a Major. I don't see any reason why Garcia can't catch lightning in a bottle for a four days, if these guys all did.

No reason at all, save for the lack of confidence that comes from missing putts time and again when those putts really matter.

Harrington made three difficult putts down the stretch yesterday because he saw them going in the hole before he even addressed the ball. Sergio missed easier putts because he saw himself missing. I can't crawl inside his head, obviously, but I'd bet I'm right.

[IrishGolfer]

Originally Posted by Eracer

Harrington made three difficult putts down the stretch yesterday because he saw them going in the hole before he even addressed the ball. Sergio missed easier putts because he saw himself missing. I can't crawl inside his head, obviously, but I'd bet I'm right.

So true. And that is the difference between good putters and bad putters.