Today

Tony Finau

• OWGR as of 8/5/2022: #13
• No major titles yet
• 4 PGA Tour wins (2016 – current)
  • In 2021, I put this comment in here: “Very up and coming – most people feel like its only a matter of time before he wins another PGA Tour title” and now he has won 2 tournaments back-to-back
    • 9 Top 10 finishes in the 2020, 2019, 2017 seasons
    • 14 Top 10s in 2018 season

Rickie Fowler

• OWGR as of 8/5/2022: #164
• No major titles yet
  • He is probably the most famous golfer with no major title
  • He has placed 2^nd in the US Open, Open and Masters and 3^rd in the PGA so far
• 5 PGA Tour wins (2012-current)
• Proud OSU Cowboy and is in many many commercials
  • He is married to a former UCLA pole vaulter
• He had a lot of success early in his career and hasn’t done a whole lot since.

Dustin Johnson

• OWGR as of 8/5/2022: #18
  • 135 weeks as #1
• Majors: US Open 2016; Masters 2020
  • Has finished 2^nd in every other major
• 24 PGA Tour wins (2007-current)
• Now a member of the LIV Golf tour
• First player to win all 4 World Golf Championship tournaments
  • #GFHint: World Golf Championships are more important than an average golf tournament on the PGA Tour but not as important as the Majors. There are 4 of these tournaments: WGC-HSBC Champions in China, WGC-Dell Match Play (Austin, TX), WGC-Mexico Championship obviously in Mexico and the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational (Nashville, TN)
• He is also the 3^rd player to win at least 1 tournament in 13 consecutive seasons (Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus)
• Famous Wife: Paulina Gretzky (daughter of the Great One)
• 2020 Player of the Year and FedEx Cup Champion

Brooks Koepka

• OWGR as of 8/5/2022: #23
  • 47 weeks at #1
• Majors: PGA 2018, 2019; US Open 2017, 2018
  • Placed 2^nd in the Masters and 4^th in the Open all in 2019
  • Famous for winning back-to-back PGA Championships and back-to-back US Open Championships
• 8 PGA Tour wins (2015-current)
• Now a member of the LIV Golf tour
• He is known as Mr. Major because he famously said Majors are the only tournaments he cares about and the easiest to win. He also won 4 major titles in under 24 months
  • It doesn’t hurt that he’s one of the most in shape guys on course

Rory McIlroy

• OWGR as of 8/5/2022: #3
  • 106 weeks as #1
• Majors: PGA 2012, 2014; US Open 2011; Open 2014
  • Only needs the Masters for the Career Grand Slam
• 21 PGA Tour wins (2010-current)
• Proud Northern Irishman
• 2019 Player of the Year

Phil Mickelson

• AKA Lefty
• Golf HoF
• OWGR as of 8/5/2022: #99
• Majors: Masters 2004, 2006, 2010; PGA 2005; Open 2013; PGA 2021
  • Finished 2^nd at the US Open 6xs
• 45 PGA Tour wins (1991-2019)
  • Was playing on both the PGA Tour and dabbling on the PGA Tour of Champions before…
• Now a member of the LIV Golf tour
• He was also accused of insider trading with Clorox stocks
• He is known as the big gambler on tour and one of the best at scrambling

Jon Rahm

• OWGR as of 8/5/2022: #5
  • 43 weeks at #1
• Majors: 2021 US Open
• 7 PGA Tour wins (2017-current)
• Up and coming Spanish golfer
  • Known being a stellar amateur golfer with 60 weeks at #1 amateur – a record to this day
  • Went to ASU along with his javelin thrower wife

Jordan Spieth

• OWGR as of 8/5/2022: #12
  • 26 weeks at #1
• Majors: Masters 2015, US Open 2015; Open 2017
  • All he needs is the PGA Championship to complete the Career Grand Slam, which he got 2^nd in PGA 2015
• 13 PGA Tour wins (2013-current)
• Known for winning 3 majors by a very young age of 24
  • Has faded the last couple of years but it still a crowd favorite
• FedEx Cup Champion and Player of the Year in 2015

Justin Thomas

• OWGR as of 8/5/2022: #7
  • 5 weeks at #1
• Majors: PGA 2017 & 2022
• 15 PGA Tour wins (2015-current)
• Went to the University of Alabama
  • Although bffs on tour with Spieth
• Known for being consistently up in the Top 10 from a young age
  • FedEx Cup Champion 2017 and Player of the year

Tiger Woods

• Golf HoF – inducted this year
  • The reason why people watch golf on TV
    • Arguably the GOAT
• OWGR as of 5/25/2021: #1062
  • 683 weeks at #1
• Majors: Career Grand Slam & 15 (2^ND highest of all time)
  • Masters 1997, 2011, 2002, 2005, 2019
  • PGA 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007
  • US Open 2000, 2002, 2008
  • Open 2000, 2005, 2006
• 82 PGA Tour wins (1996-current) tied with Snead for most of all time
• 11x PGA Player of the Year
• Won at least 15 tournaments or more 1997-2007
  • #1 on the All-Time money list by $28MM

Back in the Day

Ben Hogan

• Golf HoF
• Majors: Career Grand Slam & 9 major wins
  • Masters: 1951, 1953
  • PGA: 1946, 1948
    • Didn’t enter into 1953 PGA Championship as it was the same week as the 1953 Open so no possible Grand Slam. Only player to win Masters, US Open and Open in the same year
  • US Open: 1948, 1950, 1951, 1953
  • Open: 1953
• 64 PGA Tour wins (1938-1959)
  • He was also known for his golf instruction book

Bobby Jones

• Golf HoF
• Majors: US Open 1923, 1926, 1929, 1930; Open 1926, 1927, 1930
  • Technically Bobby Jones won the pre-Masters Grand Slam in 1930 which included the Amateur, Open, US Open and US Amateur
  • If you count up the Amateur wins, his major total is 13
• 9 PGA Tour wins (1923-1930)
• He is credited with starting the Masters as a founder of Augusta National Golf Club. He served in the Air Force and landed in Normandy on D-day.
• Best Amateur of all time

Tom Morris – Considered the father of modern golf

• Golf HoF
• Majors: Open 1961, 1962, 1964, 1967
• He designed St. Andrews (considered the Home of Golf). He even died there.

Byron Nelson

• Golf HoF
• Majors: Masters 1937, 1942; PGA 1940, 1945; US Open 1939
• 52 PGA Tour wins (1935-1951)
• He won 11 consecutive tournaments. This still reigns as the longest streak to date. Tiger Woods is in 2^nd with 7 tournaments. He also holds the record for the most win sin 1 season with 18 tournaments in the 1945 season.
• Why you might recognize his name now? The tournament in Dallas is named after him

Jack Nicklaus

• AKA The Golden Bear
• Golf HoF
• Majors: Career Grand Slam & 18 major wins – most ever
  • Masters: 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1986
  • PGA: 1963, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1980
  • US Open: 1962, 1967, 1972, 1980
  • Open: 1966, 1970, 1978
• 73 PGA Tour wins (1962-1986)
  • Won at least 2 PGA Tour tournaments for 17 straight years

Greg Norman

• AKA the Shark (he’s from Australia)
• Golf HoF
• Majors: Open 1986 & 1993
  • The other 3 he finished 2^nd in all the other majors at least twice! And lost each of the other 3 in a playoff.
• 20 PGA tour wins (1984-1997)
• 331 weeks at #1

Arnold Palmer

• Golf HoF
• Majors: Masters 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964; US Open 1960; Open 1961, 1962
  • Finished T2 3xs at the US Open
• 62 PGA Tour wins (1955-1973)
• Yes the drink of half lemonade and half tea is named after him
• Grandson Sam Saunders is a pro golfer

Gary Player

• AKA The Black Knight (South African)
• Golf HoF
• Majors: Career Grand Slam & 9 major wins
  • Masters: 1961, 1974, 1978
  • PGA: 1962, 1972
  • US Open: 1965
  • Open: 1959, 1968, 1974
• 24 PGA Tour wins (1958-1978)
  • He has 160 wins as a pro worldwide

Sam Snead

• AKA Slammin’ Sammy
• Golf HoF
• Majors: Masters 1949, 1952, 1954; PGA 1942, 1949, 1951; Open 1946
  • Finished 2^nd in US Open 4xs
• 82 PGA Tour wins (1936-1965) – tied with the most ever
• He was also the oldest player to win on the PGA Tour (53), make a cut and shoot his age (67)

Harry Vardon

• Golf HoF
• Majors: US Open 1900; Open 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914
  • Still holds the record for the most Open wins: 6
• 48 Professional wins (1896-1914)

Tom Watson

• Golf HoF
• Majors: Masters 1977, 1981; US Open 1982; Open 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983
  • T2nd at the PGA in 1978
• 39 PGA Tour wins (1974-1998)
• He also made at least 1 cut from 1971-2007 (37 years)
• His grip is still the grip used today by most golfers