The 6 Best Golfers to Never Win a Major
The Greatest Golf Players to Never Win a Major
Winning a major is a huge achievement for any golfer - but some of the best golfers have still not got one under their belt.
Here are the 6 best golfers to NEVER win a major!
Rickie Fowler, one of the best golfers to never win a major
Justin Rose once said:
“Winning your first major is a massive hurdle. Having won one myself—and that was a little while ago—my mentality was that winning one enabled me to win more.”
It’s simple logic, although slightly flawed given that the Englishman hasn’t won any since his breakthrough.
Rose may still be waiting for the follow-up, but at least he has one in the bank. There are some great players who, for one reason or another, are still on zero when it comes to lifting the big four.
Some can take it on the chin but for others, it’s a weight that hangs heavy…
1. Colin Montgomerie
Career Highlight Stats
31 wins on the European Tour
Eight Order of Merits
Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame
The big Scot won 31 times on the European tour, securing no less than eight Order of Merits and was a winning player on six Ryder Cup teams.
When he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame for his achievements, Monty put on a brave face:
"I've never, ever stood up and made a winner's speech and said I was unlucky. Never. I never will.”
Strangely, he failed to win a playoff in seven attempts on the European tour.
This may have come back to haunt him when he lost the 1994 U.S. Open and the 1995 PGA Championship in extra holes to Ernie Els and Steve Elkington respectively.
The one that got away was the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot when Montgomerie came up short against Geoff Ogilvy after a double bogey at the 18th.
"It's the first time I've really messed up," he said. "My other chances (to win a Major) other people have done well, this is the first time I've really messed up."
2. Lee Westwood
Career Highlight Stats
Nine top-three finishes in the Majors - but no win
Briefly replaced Tiger Woods at the top of the world rankings
Won 44 times on the pro circuit
The Englishman has a very impressive record of nine top-three finishes in the majors.
Approaching 50 years of age, he was still competitive in the big ones before Covid, with a top-four finish at the Open.
Unfortunately, he is also the man who holds the dubious record of playing in the most majors (91) without winning any of them.
Westwood’s best chance probably came at Augusta in 2010 when he began the third round a shot ahead of Phil Mickelson.
That was in the middle of a blitz period where ‘Westy’ finished second twice and tied third four times in the big four between 2008-12.
In the middle of that run, the Worksop-born golfer briefly replaced Tiger Woods at the top of the world rankings. Westwood has won 44 times on the pro circuit as a consolation prize.
3. Rickie Fowler
Career Highlight Stats
An impressive run at Royal Sandwich in 2011
Four top-five finishes in all four events in 2014
Won five times on the PGA Tour
With his long hair, Leo DiCaprio looks and distinctive garb (including an orange cap) Rickie Fowler was supposed to be America’s new kid on the block.
He made an impressive run at a windswept Royal Sandwich as a 22-year-old in 2011.
He followed this up impressively with four top-five finishes in all four in 2014. He was only the third player, along with Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, to have finished in the top five in all four in one calendar year.
Unfortunately, he was the first one not to have won a big one in that same category.
Fowler has won only five times on the PGA tour, hardly a reflection of his prodigious ability. He’s 34 now. It might never happen.
4. Xander Schauffele
Career Highlight Stats
10 top-10 finishes: two runners-up and three third-placed spots
Tied for the lead at the 2019 Masters
Won the gold medal at the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021
The Californian has been sniffing around the majors for about five years now.
In 23 attempts, Schauffele has 10 top-10 finishes with two runners-up spots and three third-placed efforts.
He almost spoilt the fairytale for Tiger Woods at the 2019 Masters when the 29-year-old was tied for the lead with just a handful of holes left.
He is not a choker, having won the gold medal at the Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021 and the 2017 Tour Championship, holding off Justin Thomas.
5. Paul Casey
Career Highlight Stats
Five top-10 finishes at the Masters from 2004-2017
21 pro tour wins
Third in the 2022 Players Championship
Paul Casey is now in his mid-forties but that hasn’t stopped him from competing at the highest level in recent years.
In 2020, he was exceptionally close to claiming the USPGA Championship until Collin Morikawa chipped in at the 14th and drove the par four 16th to beat the Englishman and Dustin Johnson by a shot.
Casey has also enjoyed five top-10 finishes at the Masters from 2004 to 2017, a sequence which included three consecutive finishes of sixth, fourth and sixth.
He has 21 pro tour wins and was also placed third in the 2022 Players Championship behind Open winner Cameron Smith and fifth in 2021 when the event offered the highest purse of any tournament in golf.
6. Luke Donald
Career Highlight Stats
Finished third place at the Masters in 2005
His best major years were between 2011-12
Won the US Open, the Open and the PGA between 2011 and 2014
The new European Ryder Cup captain has had a glittering career on the course without ever backing it up with a big trophy.
Donald had the reputation of a plodder which is a bit of an insult for someone who was number one in the world for an aggregate of more than 50 weeks.
The initial excitement stemmed from his third-place finish in his very first appearance at the Masters in 2005.
Ultimately, his best major years were between 2011-12 when he was placed in the top ten three times (at the Masters, the Open and the USPGA) while battling for the number one spot with Rory McIlroy.
While the Northern Irishman claimed The US Open, the Open and the PGA between 2011 and 2014, Donald would never grace the business end of a major ever again, especially after changing his swing in an attempt to gain more distance.
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