Worst Player to Win a Major

[pipster11]

Ok let me stick some stats and facts in to back up what im saying, obviously im on my own here with my opinion but im sticking to it..

Cabrera - 46th in world. (will be outside of top 50 by this time next year)
143 starts on PGA tour. - 19 top tens, 1 top 3, 2 wins. Now if we ignored the fact that the two wins were majors then he would be a journey man.

Harrington - 22nd in world. (Was in the top 10 a year ago)
in 2010 played 18 events on PGA tour. 1 top 3 and no wins.....Harrington ROCKS!

oh wait....he doesnt.

[akgolfnut]

First one that came to my mind is Mark Brooks (1996 PGA)

Although he does have 7 PGA tour victories under his belt. Probably Beem is the winner here.

[The Recreational Golfer]

Let's not ignore Cabrera's eight top tens in majors (including his two wins), and three wins on the European Tour. In total, he has 46 professional wins. This only to say that he's no slouch.

[max power]

Ok let me stick some stats and facts in to back up what im saying, obviously im on my own here with my opinion but im sticking to it..

Being number 22 in the world, and in the top 10 a year ago does not make you overrated. It makes you one of the very best golfers in the world. Your sense of perspective is extremely skewed, and you have an irrational dislike of Harrington for some reason.

[JWL1957]

Cabrera and Harrington are both great players. I have no idea why thier names would be mentioned. 95% of the tour players worldwide would froth at the mouth to have thier success.

[San_94]

Cabrera - 46th in world. (will be outside of top 50 by this time next year) 143 starts on PGA tour. - 19 top tens, 1 top 3, 2 wins. Now if we ignored the fact that the two wins were majors then he would be a journey man.

You are very wrong man

I would bet a lot of money that Cabrera kick Poulter,Casey,Donald and Westwood ass in a single match.

[sean_miller]

You are very wrong man

You may be right. At least your opinion isn't biased in any way. What?

[Tiger Spuds]

Your sense of perspective is extremely skewed, and you have an irrational dislike of Harrington for some reason.

A lot of English seem to have reacted badly to Harrington getting the nod for the Ryder Cup team ahead of Casey and Rose. I don't know if they wanted an all English team or something, but there's already 4 English players on the team, which is quite a lot considering the team represents all of Europe. The English media were particularly scathing of Montgomerie's decision. If you ask me Padraig's been just as good as Casey in particular over the last year. And Justin Rose had a month of form in the last two years. Padraig's contended in a lot of events in that time period, despite not playing that well, and along with the prestige of winning 3 majors, it was more than fair that he got the pick. But that's off topic. Harrington and Cabrera being mentioned in this thread at all is ridiculuos. If either of them had won their majors and little else, there might have been a case.. maybe.. but they're both multiple winners all over the world. What they've done in the last year or two is irrelevent, they've both had Hall of Fame careers.

[sean_miller]

A lot of English seem to have reacted badly to Harrington getting the nod for the Ryder Cup team ahead of Casey and Rose. I don't know if they wanted an all English team or something, but there's already 4 English players on the team, which is quite a lot considering the team represents all of Europe. The English media were particularly scathing of Montgomerie's decision. If you ask me Padraig's been just as good as Casey in particular over the last year. And Justin Rose had a month of form in the last two years. Padraig's contended in a lot of events in that time period, despite not playing that well, and along with the prestige of winning 3 majors, it was more than fair that he got the pick. But that's off topic. Harrington and Cabrera being mentioned in this thread at all is ridiculuos. If either of them had won their majors and little else, there might have been a case.. maybe.. but they're both multiple winners all over the world. What they've done in the last year or two is irrelevent, they've both had Hall of Fame careers.

Rose and Casey are better than Harrington right now. Right. Now.

[Stretch]

Quite a few unselected American golfers are better than Tiger Woods right now. Right. Now.

Doesn't mean he's a poor pick for Ryder Cup competition either.

[mck]

1 major = Rich Beem.

1 major= either beem or paul laurie a case could be made for each one

2 majors= probably Andy North or John Daly- but Cabrera has had a much better career than both of them 3 majors= seems like a strange question at this point

[sean_miller]

Quite a few unselected American golfers are better than Tiger Woods right now. Right. Now.

I had a couple points about Tiger's performance lately and in the majors, but this isn't a Ryder Cup thread. Personally, I'd say taking Harrington and Poulter is a slight to Paul Casey. I guess we'll see how that turns out.

[pipster11]

In response to me only wanting English players in the team, couldn't be further from the truth since I'm Scottish. Listen I have nothing but the utmost respect for every single pro golfer, to play at the level they do and to hit the shots and make the decisions they make under the most intense pressure is incredible. I'm sure that harrington is a great guy but I just don't rate him as a player, I think he has over achieved and made the most from his game. As for cabrera he is great to watch but he is patchy as shit. The guy couldn't get two or three top tens in a row if his life depended on it. And to compare these two or any other active pro to tiger is foolish. Tigers record is the stuff of fantasy and I guarantee he will beat jacks record.

[allin]

Orville Moody. Watch the film of the 1969 U.S. Open: he won despite putting like a 20-handicapper. It's the only top-level tournament he ever won.

Possbily the worst putter, but he was a great ball striker for many years.

[allin]

I suspect there were some players in the match play, pre pro era who just got lucky? Rich Beem or Paul Lawrie and especially Todd Hamilton are good suggestions for the current generation. In fact in the last 30 years only Mark Calcavechia rivals Hamilton for the player with an ugly swing winning a major in my opinion. It does pain me to say that since Calc was either born or spent a significant part of his childhood in Nebraska. I do think both Hamilton and Calc along with some of the posters who knock Padrig Harrington forget that guts under pressure is something that matters big time in Majors. If talent and swing was the most important factor, talented hard working players like Greg Norman, Davis Love, would win more of them.

[Cornbread]

in recent years.... Lucas Glover, or maybe Craig Stadler.

[max power]

in recent years.... Lucas Glover, or maybe Craig Stadler.

Neither guy is a great player, but both far, far from being the worst to win a major.

[motteler621]

im going to have to go with rich beem. Its the only one I watched on tv so I can comment on.