Best and Worst Player to Win Two Majors

[Ethan]

One major could be lucky, but 2?

Best: I'll go with Greg Norman. Runner up - Johnny Miller.

Worst: I'll go with Andy North. I remember seeing the double hit from TC Chen at one of the US Opens he won. Only one other PGA Tour win, though. Runner up - Zach Johnson.

 

[Grizzly]

The worst player to win two majors has still won TWO majors.

Think about some of the players who have never even won one - Monty, Westwood, Casey, Jimenez etc.

 

[Ethan]

The worst player to win two majors has still won TWO majors.

Think about some of the players who have never even won one - Monty, Westwood, Casey, Jimenez etc.

Indeed, but 2 majors changes the question from whether they were lucky to win or unlucky to only win one to a higher echelon of player.

 

[robinthehood]

Its obviously Gregg Norman....

 

[Orikoru]

Based on present day form the worst guy to win two majors is probably Kaymer!

Best to only win two - Norman, but Langer also in with a shout?

 

[robinthehood]

Based on present day form the worst guy to win two majors is probably Kaymer!

Best to only win two - Norman, but Langer also in with a shout?

Nah, 300 odd weeks as number 1 plus all those runners up spots.
Normans a shoe in.

 

[Ethan]

Based on present day form the worst guy to win two majors is probably Kaymer!

Best to only win two - Norman, but Langer also in with a shout?

Mmm, I really like Kaymer, but you might be right. Has a Players as well (see discussion on the BPTOWOM thread). Are there bonus points for winning two different majors though?. Langer, Norman, Crenshaw and Ollie all won the same one twice.

 

[Orikoru]

Nah, 300 odd weeks as number 1 plus all those runners up spots.
Normans a shoe in.

If you ain't first, you're last!

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Best … Greg Norman, runner up Bernard langer

Worst.. John daly as hasn't got loads of other wins. TBH Not heard of a load of them but looking at some of the number of wins, there isn't many that haven't won loads, so think it would be unfair to pick one, as they are pretty good

(heres an easy list to look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_men%27s_major_championships_winning_golfers )

 

[Orikoru]

Best … Greg Norman, runner up Bernard langer

Worst.. John daly as hasn't got loads of other wins. TBH Not heard of a load of them but looking at some of the number of wins, there isn't many that haven't won loads, so think it would be unfair to pick one, as they are pretty good

(heres an easy list to look at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_men%27s_major_championships_winning_golfers )

On raw talent Daly must be nowhere near the worst though. He should have won more really.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

One major could be lucky, but 2?

Best: I'll go with Greg Norman. Runner up - Johnny Miller.

Worst: I'll go with Andy North. I remember seeing the double hit from TC Chen at one of the US Opens he won. Only one other PGA Tour win, though. Runner up - Zach Johnson.

Very difficult to disagree with those selections. I suppose that it could be argued that Miller pips Norman although the former's period of dominance was shorter lived.

Certainly wouldn't argue with your assessment of Andy North. His record was truly bizarre. To twice win the US Open whilst rarely featuring in regular events is extraordinary.

 

[Grant85]

Based on present day form the worst guy to win two majors is probably Kaymer!

Best to only win two - Norman, but Langer also in with a shout?

I think Kaymer is a good shout here. Incredible his dips in form... and still only mid 30s. Has been world no. 1, mind.

I'm not sure about Langer being the best. He's certainly not as good a player as Norman.

In terms of worst, I'd throw Angel Cabrera into the mix. Very very patchy career, other than a few good weeks at the right events. Probably just pips Kaymer for me.

Again recency bias doing it's thing as I know very little about Andy North, Fuzzy Zoeller, Hubert Green.

Also got to be careful about what you are calling a Major, as this wasn't really a thing until around 1960 and there were other events that effectively had major like fields, but players and schedules weren't built around 4 events like now.

 

[Tongo]

Definitely Norman. Threw away some good chances but a couple of times (87 Masters, 93 PGA) he was robbed!

 

[Tongo]

With regard to Andy North (and later Lee Janzen) how much of that was down to how you seemed to get US Open specialists more in the 70's, 80's, 90's? Now all the best players go into every major believing they could win but the US Open seemed a bit more like the French Open in Tennis in decades past where certain players came to the fore whilst certain top name players just didn't have the game to cope with the conditions.

 

[garyinderry]

Harsh on zach Johnson. Fairly steady career for someone who's not long.

 

[HampshireHog]

Worst I’d go with Bubba Watson

 

[Deleted member 21258]

On raw talent Daly must be nowhere near the worst though. He should have won more really.

Can see your point and don't disagree that he had plenty of raw talent. I think Daly was great.

To me talent isn't relevant to this measure of 'worst', its results that count. So who has the worst other results, compared to major wins.

Daly hasn't won masses of other tournaments given he has two majors. A lot of the other players who won 2 majors, have many more wins. Therefore Daly is near the worst of those players.

Talent can make it easier to achieve those results for sure, but the record books only cares about results.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I'd say Cabrera, as he never seemed likely to win anything particularly big, but somehow got two majors (US Open & Masters)

 

[Ethan]

Harsh on zach Johnson. Fairly steady career for someone who's not long.

But that is the interesting aspect of taking the debate up to the 2 majors level. Aside from Andy North, the others have all won a fair few events. Cabrera and Daly won fewest of the rest, although Cabrera won a load of S. American events on various tours. Since 1960, the 2 majors winners are (with PGA Tour and European Tour wins):

Tony Jacklin (12), Dave Stockton (10), Johnny Miller (36), David Graham (9), Fuzzy Zoeller (10), Hubert Green (20), Andy North (3), Sandy Lyle (22), Curtis Strange (17), Greg Norman (32), Bernhard Langer, (43) Ben Crenshaw (20), John Daly (6), Lee Janzen (8), Mark O'Meara (19), Jose-Maria Olazabal (27), Retief Goosen (19), Angel Cabrera (6), Bubba Watson (12), Martin Kaymer (12), Zach Johnson (12).

 

[Mandofred]

Is it me? Or am I waiting for the "Who's the best player....to wear glasses while playing"? Or who's the best player who played with freckles? (and the crazy thing....somebody out there probably knows the answer).