Who is the biggest underachiever in the Majors?

[natureboy]

12 minutes ago, onthehunt526 said:

But it also depends on what Euro Event your talking about. If it's the BMW PGA Championship, it has a lot more clout than a regular German Open or Volvo Masters, or KLM Open... Or if soneone wins the Race To Dubai Tourney over the Azores Open... 

That's true, but I don't care to drill that deeply. A rough average that recognized the stronger field of PGA events was sufficient for my intent. If you're interested, why not give it a try with some of the 'underachievers'?

I expect that some of Montgomerie and Westwood's 'expected' Majors number is inflated by wins at relatively 'weak' tournaments. But even if a full-field pro event is 50% of a PGA win, if you have 12 of them you'd still be expected to have hauled in a Major.

The argument also lowers Norman's expected Majors, because many of his recorded worldwide wins were on the weak side (Australian Masters) relative to the Euro Tour & PGA. But obviously his boatload of wins was still somewhat predictive because he did subsequently win on the Euro Tour, then PGA, then 2 Majors. For the estimation, I did discount some of Norman's wins outright because they were more equivalent to state opens in the U.S.

Edited April 3, 2016 by natureboy

[Buckeyebowman]

I only read the first page of this thread, but my vote has to go to Monty! You'd think he'd win at least one in the sand dunes in Scotland, his native turf!

Some of the posts gave me a chuckle. Like saevel's accusiing Dustin Johnson's caddie of malfeasance because he didn't notice he was in a hazard and not a "waste area". How about the player! Was "NoseDustin' Johnson sleeping off a coke jag that caused him to skip the meeting explaining the local rules?

The same goes for Pez's description of Faldo's 67 on the final day of the Masters as "steady"! Are you kidding me? It was freaking miraculous given how Augusta was playing back then! I can remember articles written about how Augusta was setting up the course for the Masters. That they were making it too slick and too hard. All the roars you heard on Sunday on the back nine were going silent, and how the tournament was losing it's drama!

Faldo played an amazing last two rounds, and Norman did not! Admittedly, Norman confessed that he lost his timing. He managed to scrape it around in even par on Saturday, but he practiced Saturday evening, and warmed up Sunday morning, and the timing wasn't back! We've all been there. Your swing abandons you, and you have no idea what to do! So, Norman went out and shot, what? 6 or 7 over? While Faldo shot 5 under to win the thing?

Good for Faldo, bad for Norman!

[BrofessionalGolfer]

Henrik Stenson - such a phenomenal long ball player, but has yet to win a major. FedEx Champion, but now approaching 40 years old, his chances will be swindling.

[natureboy]

6 hours ago, BrofessionalGolfer said:

Henrik Stenson - such a phenomenal long ball player, but has yet to win a major. FedEx Champion, but now approaching 40 years old, his chances will be swindling.

His 'expected' Majors is around the same (~1.6) as Luke Donald and Dustin Johnson, though I'm not sure Stenson has come as close as DJ has in a Major.

[Buckeyebowman]

On 1/19/2016 at 6:59 AM, boogielicious said:

We are laughing. He's been hurt. He won a major on a broken leg. What a choker!

Nicklaus had back injuries too and may have won more majors if he didn't. He came in second a bunch of times. Is he an underachiever?

This thread is really about players who had the hype and didn't deliver. Anyone who has won more that a few majors is really not underachieving. Golf is hard.

Great point! Ending up second means you were in the hunt! If all of Nicklaus's seconds had turned out to be firsts, I think he might have won something like 33 majors! Nicklaus finished second a lot! I guess that makes him a real loser!

[Howling Coyote]

I voted for Sergio

If you pick Dustin Johnson, then actually Ricky Fowler is worse, with far fewer wins and far less money.

Now about DJ, is it me or do others sense a lot of negative energy?  When he is wining and things are working, it is almost as if he has some critical person on his shoulder feeding him negative thoughts.  No happy gait, nothing in his body language.  When he blows it, he does not vent or blow off steam.  He just droops his shoulder like a puppy that has been scolded.

[newtogolf]

13 minutes ago, Howling Coyote said:

I voted for Sergio

If you pick Dustin Johnson, then actually Ricky Fowler is worse, with far fewer wins and far less money.

Now about DJ, is it me or do others sense a lot of negative energy?  When he is wining and things are working, it is almost as if he has some critical person on his shoulder feeding him negative thoughts.  No happy gait, nothing in his body language.  When he blows it, he does not vent or blow off steam.  He just droops his shoulder like a puppy that has been scolded.

DJ's putting is inconsistent.  One week he's leading the tournament in putting and then Sunday he's missing 3 footers.  I don't believe he reads greens very well and would benefit from learning Aimpoint.  

[saevel25]

I am going to add Jordan Spieth. I mean the kid just can't close. He's only won two majors out of 13 tries. He only has 4 more top 5 finishes. The guy is clearly underachieving for the amount of attention he's getting in the media. He should be 13-0 in majors by now. 

[skydog]

For me it's Norman in a runaway. I think people forget how good he was/ how many Majors he let slip away. Sergio could/should have 2-3 Majors now, Norman was in a position to win 8-10 Majors that he threw away through outright choking or just playing too aggressively with the lead.

Edited April 11, 2016 by skydog

[atb5079]

2 hours ago, Howling Coyote said:

I voted for Sergio

If you pick Dustin Johnson, then actually Ricky Fowler is worse, with far fewer wins and far less money.

Now about DJ, is it me or do others sense a lot of negative energy?  When he is wining and things are working, it is almost as if he has some critical person on his shoulder feeding him negative thoughts.  No happy gait, nothing in his body language.  When he blows it, he does not vent or blow off steam.  He just droops his shoulder like a puppy that has been scolded.

Agreed. And again I will say, DJ would benefit from a high profile caddy (along with Rickie). Steve Williams or Bones when Mickelson is done. Someone who is a professional and elite caddy. DJ an Rickie have the skill, a good caddy can assist with the mental game.

[Howling Coyote]

All this talk of under performers in the majors reminds me of a certain golfer.  There was this certain golfer who had a lot of hype around him before going pro.  It seemed that everyone expected him to do well.  Unfortunately during the first 10 years of his pro career he couldn't win a single major.  He got the distinction of being called the greatest underachiever in golf.

Then suddenly he began winning majors.  He now has 5 wins in majors and come in 2nd in the US Open 6 times.  Who am I talking of?  Phil Mickelson.

 

P.S. People like Jordan Speith should look at this guy and be thankful for getting a win so early in their career.

[Scotsclaff]

I think Westwood goes up a notch after the Masters.A good each way bet for Troon.

 

[gatsby47]

Without digging up bones.  Sam Snead won the Masters, And the  PGA and won a British Open. His victories are no 1 and may indeed remain so for another dozen years. Yet he had the US Open in his grasp several times and failed to complete. He was always upset at this when others far less talented came through and of course, rivals Hogan and Nelson did it.  It is his own underachievement and one that always takes him out of the running for the all time great. When considered in that light, to me, that is what represents underachieving. He is a great golfer and deserves his rightful place as does Nicklaus, Woods, Hogan, Hagen and Palmer. Yet each of them would mention some failing as a part of what drove them on.  By and large, we see mediocrity and big cheques for less than stellar performance.  Hoping to see one or two more of the grand golfers. I fear though money has made them complacent.

A million dollars for losing will probably do that.

[Rainmaker]

Have to say Sergio.  He's an amazing talent.  He's been in the world top 20 for almost all of his career and the top 10 for much of it.  He's been in contention in majors . .but you just never think of him winning.  For how good he consistently is . .he should have 3 times the wins and 5 majors . .imo. 

If you gave Tiger Sergio's swing right now, or gave Sergio Tiger's brain - I bet he'd win 4 times this year.