Golf's Great Underachievers

[Jacko_G]

one of the biggest mysteries ever how Ogilvy won that lol with how Monty and Lefty finished

Classic case of you can only play your own game and hope its enough. It certainly worked out for him.

A bit like Lawrie winning at Carnoustie, people forget or choose to ignore how good a final round Paul put in never mind how well he played the play off. Play your own game and hope for the best. We've all seen or experienced an "implosion" ourselves on the golf course when you've thrown away a score.

 

[User 99]

You can close this thread now

It's a true story, I'm a far better player than my trophy cabinet shows.

 

[Tongo]

Sergio Garcia for me.

Always wonder with Garcia what would have happened had he beaten Tiger to the 99 USPGA. I reckon he would have won a lot more majors.

 

[Tongo]

Adam Scott is a good shout. Butch still talks about him having the best swing in golf but his putting has clearly cost him. He probably should have had 4-5 Majors but no doubt the millions in the bank will cushion the blow.

When we are talking under achieving it really is relative though.

Scott was a name that came to my mind as well.

 

[patricks148]

Surprised no one has said Rory, He should have won 10 or more majors by now, plus winning almost every tournament he entered

 

[Duckster]

Hard to pick anyone who's on the main tours, however if that's the feeding ground I'd have to go for a tie between Rickie Fowler and Ryan Moore (especially with his amateur record). Although I'm classing people who have won on the PGA Tour 4 and 5 times (plus some extra wins for Rickie around the world) as "under achieving".....

 

[BrianM]

Rickie Fowler for me, can't see him winning a major either.

 

[Papas1982]

Tiger Woods of 2001......

Back then I didn’t think Jacks record had a sniff of surviving.......

 

[Hobbit]

I don't think anyone has underachieved, although I do feel some have taken the wrong turn in the development of their swing and have subsequently become journeymen or worse. Kaymer being the best example. He set about changing his fade to a draw in order to win the Masters, and lost his swing. Now down to 175(?) in the world. Can't argue with his record before the changes. He achieved what he was capable of. And you can't argue with his record since with the new swing.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I don't think anyone has underachieved, although I do feel some have taken the wrong turn in the development of their swing and have subsequently become journeymen or worse. Kaymer being the best example. He set about changing his fade to a draw in order to win the Masters, and lost his swing. Now down to 175(?) in the world. Can't argue with his record before the changes. He achieved what he was capable of. And you can't argue with his record since with the new swing.

I thought Kaymer tried to make the change to a draw in about 2011 but after a year or so he went back to his normal swing and then won the US Open , The Players etc ?

He has suffered a few injuries as well and just hasn’t managed to get it all together since returning to full fitness

 

[TheDiablo]

Kaymer is a terrible shout. His 2nd major win came AFTER he had tried and failed to remodel his swing and had gone back to hitting a fade.

Fowler for me. Same number of PGA Tour wins as Chris Kirk, less than Bryson DeC.

Charles Howell III is another shout.

 

[Hobbit]

I thought Kaymer tried to make the change to a draw in about 2011 but after a year or so he went back to his normal swing and then won the US Open , The Players etc ?

He has suffered a few injuries as well and just hasn’t managed to get it all together since returning to full fitness

Kaymer himself, admitted that the swing changes he tried to make have spoiled his game.

 

[Robster59]

It would be unfair to say Padraig Harrington has underachieved but I feel he could have won a lot more if he didn't tinker with his swing so much.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

It would be unfair to say Padraig Harrington has underachieved but I feel he could have won a lot more if he didn't tinker with his swing so much.

If this were a thread about over achieving then Harrington would be my number one post. 3 majors, blimey. That's a harsh view if you think he under achieved . Then again, maybe me thinking he over achieved is harsh . Tricky business this.

 

[Imurg]

If this were a thread about over achieving then Harrington would be my number one post. 3 majors, blimey. That's a harsh view if you think he under achieved . Then again, maybe me thinking he over achieved is harsh . Tricky business this.

Mind you, he won those 3 in 18 months. Not unreasonable to have expected him to kick on from there...
In a way you could that everyone has underachieved compared to Jack and Tiger...

 

[Robster59]

If this were a thread about over achieving then Harrington would be my number one post. 3 majors, blimey. That's a harsh view if you think he under achieved . Then again, maybe me thinking he over achieved is harsh . Tricky business this.

You're not wrong there . As I say it's unfair to say he underachieved but I just feel he could have done more.
In reality, I wish I underachieved to the level to pretty much everyone mentioned in this thread!

 

[Wolf]

For me it's Rickie Fowler all the hyperbole about him when he cane out as being the closest thing to Rory etc. I really like Fowler and yes he has had a couple big wins but compared to others he hasn't done it enough.

 

[Wolf]

Also the calls for Kaymer, really! 2 majors, a players championship, WGC and numerous tour wins I'd love that level of under achievement. He has had a massive dip in form but seems to be starting to player better.

 

[Jacko_G]

Kaymer is a terrible shout. His 2nd major win came AFTER he had tried and failed to remodel his swing and had gone back to hitting a fade.

Fowler for me. Same number of PGA Tour wins as Chris Kirk, less than Bryson DeC.

Charles Howell III is another shout.

Its not a terrible shout at all, he had the potential to be phenomenal and blew it. He had the title of Germany's most successful golfer ever in his grasp and I think he's even managed to threw that away too. Genuinely hope I'm wrong but he's killed his game.

 

[Norrin Radd]

i would like to add a certain player called Ian James Poulter as an under achiever. loads of self belief but rarely a tour winner that his belief gave him.