PEZGolf

You are right! Leaving Francis Ouimet out of my list was a bad ommission and I take the blame for that. He not only stated an amateur, he made the BREAKTHROUGH of being the first American to beat the Champions who came over from "across the pond"---England, Scotland, etc. to win OUR National Championship. He created interest in golf in this country. Imagine beating the World's #1---Harry Vardon and Ted Ray!!

I agree with your last statement. It is like comparing Babe Ruth to today's baseball players. Ruth totally revolutionalized his sport by hitting home runs. Up until his arrival, baseball was hitting singles, stealing bases, etc. He showed people the LONG BALL would completely change the offense, and he did in an era when the ball itself was dead compared to today's balls. Golf is a great game, and ANY ONE who becomes a Champion in it deserves praise and that includes Padraig Harrington.

I offer this thought for consideration in terms of playing through excruciating PAIN: after Ben Hogan almost lost his life in the head on collision where he threw himself in front of his wife, and not only saved her life, but prevented her from being seriously injured, he was told he may never walk again, and would not play Championship golf. Being determined, he played and walked the rest of his career, from 1949 to 1966, and had to wrap his legs and endure tremendous pain in his legs and hips. He won all four of his United States Opens AFTER the accident. In 1953, he could play in only six tournaments and won five of the six for a winning percentage of .8333. He played in three Majors, the Masters, the United States Open, and his one and only Open Championship (aka the British Open) and WON ALL THREE! He is the only golfer in history to win those three in the same calendar year. The schedule of the Open Championship meant that he could NOT play in the PGA Championship and his legs would not let him anyway, since it was still match play at the time. In 1960, when Arnie won his one and only US Open at Cherry Hills, Hogan played with Jack Nicklaus and both were in contention until the last hole. Hogan unchararteristically hit his third shot fat, due to the pain in his legs, and he could not catch Arnie. He stands alone not only for his records, but playing through pain that could not be relieved by surgery.

Sorry, but I will NOT vote. In my opinion, we cannot rate ANYONE as the "Greatest Golf of All Time". To do so, we would have to get Old Tom Morris, his son, Young Tom, Harry Vardon (6 Open Championship and a US Open Championship), James Braid, JH Taylor, Walter Hagen, Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, etc. on the same golf course, in their PRIME, using the same equipment and balls, and have them play a 72 hole stroke event. THAT would determine the "Greatest MALE Golfer of All Time". To make it the "Greatest Golfer of All Time", we would have to add Joyce Wethered (Bobby Jone said that she had the BEST swing he ever saw--male or female), Mickey Wright (Ben Hogan said that she had the BEST swing her ever saw), Kathy Whitworth, Babe Didrikson Zaharias (the Greatest Athlete to also be a Golf Champion), Nancy Lopez, Annika, etc to have the men AND the women prove their worth.

It is too bad that DD recorded an 83 in the third round, after a rocky start. He sez that he is going to keep on trying. I hope he does. Anyone who can be on the Leaderboard for two rounds at Royal Birkdale in that wind has shown that he can STILL PLAY!!

David has taken a lot of grief from some people in the media and some fans because he has played so badly the past few years. Some people LOVE to stomp on a guy when he is down but not yet out. He is now a happy family man, and back in 1999-2001, he was not. Personally, I am glad to see him play well, and I am glad that the Open Championship does allow past Champions to play for a lifetime---look at Tom Watson and Greg Norman----they can still play in the testing British and Scottish weather. Go get 'em, David and show your critics that you can still play this game.