Poll: Who will complete the career Grand Slam first?

[Imurg]

Out of interest, why have a couple of people said the PGA is the easiest to win? I thought it normally has the best quality field, based on world ranking...

Probably because it's set up the most similar to a run of the mill tour event.
Open is on links, Masters at Augusta, US Open is tight with deep rough.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Probably because it's set up the most similar to a run of the mill tour event.
Open is on links, Masters at Augusta, US Open is tight with deep rough.

That's the basis on which I said it.

Although it might be true that the PGA has the highest ranked field, how often does a player outside the top 50 win a major these days?

 

[Billysboots]

Too close to call between Koepka and DJ.

Both are half way there, and both have clearly demonstrated with past results that they have the games to win the remaining two.

I said prior to The Masters that Rory struggles to put four rounds together, and was rather criticised for suggesting it. Lo and behold, he once again only played 54 holes like a Major champion. I was really interested to hear how his first rounds in Majors stack up against rounds two to four - he seems to play himself out of contention by Thursday evening far too often, and needs to find a way past it. I just can’t see him doing that at Augusta.

As for Spieth and Mickelson? No chance. Sorry.

 

[Yorkshire Hacker]

I think Johnson has the best chance of those on the list, but I honestly think it will be someone who hasn't won any yet, like Rahm

 

[Sports_Fanatic]

Too close to call between Koepka and DJ.

Both are half way there, and both have clearly demonstrated with past results that they have the games to win the remaining two.

I said prior to The Masters that Rory struggles to put four rounds together, and was rather criticised for suggesting it. Lo and behold, he once again only played 54 holes like a Major champion. I was really interested to hear how his first rounds in Majors stack up against rounds two to four - he seems to play himself out of contention by Thursday evening far too often, and needs to find a way past it. I just can’t see him doing that at Augusta.

As for Spieth and Mickelson? No chance. Sorry.

I get what your saying about Rory with recent first rounds, but it is an interesting one where many will agree that Brooks and DJ have demonstrated they have the game to win their remaining two. Yet Brooks has 2 top 10s at the Masters whereas Rory has been top 10 in 6 of the last 7, so surely he's better demonstrated that he's closer to wining his final major for the slam than Brooks is to getting the Masters let alone an Open.

Is it how they carry themselves, the fact that mediocre rounds for Brooks are better than a bad round and three good for Rory, or is it just the period of time since the last Major that makes that logic work as many will definitely agree. On the last point, DJ has won after 4 years so not that different to Rory's 6 year wait so interesting where the cut off point feels like the pressure is to great due to the delay between wins.

I think if this years Masters had been back in April, Rory would have had similar form to DJ now and a great chance of winning. Hoping that's not his best chance gone. Personally don't think so but I can see why people give him less chance with the amount of bad first rounds recently in Majors. Joys of them all being such good players that you can make a case or not for each of them.

 

[Ethan]

Out of interest, why have a couple of people said the PGA is the easiest to win? I thought it normally has the best quality field, based on world ranking...

It only has the best quality field (although that can be measured in various ways) because there are former champions like Lyle and Langer, as well as amateurs, in The Masters, and both Opens have qualifying events where some lesser known players can qualify , and both have amateurs and reserved slots for winners in certain other regions. The PGA has club pros, but no amateurs and the rest of the field qualify on OWGR or PGA Tour ranking.

 

[evemccc]

Most multiple major winners don’t dominate for that long in terms of the number of years in which they win...think Faldo and Seve it was around 9 years, and I think people like Watson it was 8. Mickelson won his majors over a 9 year stretch and Tiger won the overwhelming majority of his in the 1999-2009 period too.
Sure, Els is a notably recent outlier. But some of the best and most dominate champions over the last 40 years do the clear bulk of their winning in an 8/9 year period.

Rory and Spieth are quite young still. But there is lots of young talent coming through. Maybe marriage and kids and other life interests take away 1% of focus after being dominate for so long...Rory first won in 2011 and I actually don’t think he’ll win again. Happy to be proved wrong.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'm going out on a limb and saying none of them. DJ I think will do a Koepka and dominate the majors for a couple of seasons but I think there are so many good players now, plus the likes of a Morikawa coming through as perhaps an unfancied winner. McIlroy has the best chance as its the same venue every year but I think there is so much expectation and he has so much baggage from Augusta that he'll never crack it

 

[need_my_wedge]

I'm going with Rory. He's still young with a lot of golf to play, but he just needs to learn how to keep the ball on the fairway at Augusta. Perhaps a few rounds with Langer or DJ will help him get to it.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Struggling to differentiate between None of them and Someone else (so voted both)

Because someone new or unexpected will hit a major and then another - Im Sung-jae?

 

[Orikoru]

Struggling to differentiate between None of them and Someone else (so voted both)

Because someone new or unexpected will hit a major and then another - Im Sung-jae?

Bit of a knee-jerk reaction to one good performance isn't it?

I think the only guys not in the poll who you can say definitely have the potential/game to get all four are probably Thomas and Rahm.

 

[Grant85]

I think none of them is more likely than any of them.

Obviously you think Rory has another 12 to 15 goes at the Masters in him... surely he'll work it out? Seems to be a huge mental block for him playing well in majors (especially the 1st round). He'll need to bridge a 7 year major gap if he is to win another, which not many people have done (Jack, Tiger and Ernie only ones who spring to mind).

DJ is clearly the form horse and has a game suited to everywhere. He's let more than a few Open Championship's pass him by though without really getting involved. PGA is surely most likely for him.

Koepka - maybe he's done. Knee injury could be a long term issue and motivation seems to not be there. Would not surprise me if he fades.

Spieth - is done. Would be amazed if he competes at that level again. And a PGA was never suited to his game, even when he was at the top.

Mickelson - just not going to happen. Realistically he will need to win the Senior US Open to qualify for the US Open now. Doesn't have a realistic chance imo.

 

[Orikoru]

I think none of them is more likely than any of them.

Obviously you think Rory has another 12 to 15 goes at the Masters in him... surely he'll work it out? Seems to be a huge mental block for him playing well in majors (especially the 1st round). He'll need to bridge a 7 year major gap if he is to win another, which not many people have done (Jack, Tiger and Ernie only ones who spring to mind).

Zach Johnson's two majors were 8 years apart.
Greg Norman 7 years.
Crenshaw 11 years.

 

[USER1999]

Zach Johnson's two majors were 8 years apart.
Greg Norman 7 years.
Crenshaw 11 years.

Top googling that man!

 

[Orikoru]

Top googling that man!

How dare you question my encyclopaedic knowledge!

 

[Grant85]

Zach Johnson's two majors were 8 years apart.
Greg Norman 7 years.
Crenshaw 11 years.

good research.

Won't give up on Rory just yet, but I refuse to get as invested in him as I was doing up until the US Open.

 

[howbow88]

Zach Johnson's two majors were 8 years apart.
Greg Norman 7 years.
Crenshaw 11 years.

It's mad that Norman won the same amount of majors as Zach Johnson.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

It's mad that Norman won the same amount of majors as Zach Johnson.

and fewer than Padraig Harrington

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Bit of a knee-jerk reaction to one good performance isn't it?

I think the only guys not in the poll who you can say definitely have the potential/game to get all four are probably Thomas and Rahm.

cos I haven't a clue who Mr A.N.Other Unknown might be...so just plucked the most recent contender for a major who was previously unknown to me...

 

[drewster]

DJ for me, his best golf is simply on a different level to anybody elses . Additionally i think he's got the best golfing IQ and ability to manage himself and his own head.