Who's Achievement is greater Lyle or Monty?

[frasting]

Picking up on another thread, do you think Sandy Lyle's 2 Majors plus tour titles is a greater achievement than Monty's 8 OOM Titles Ryder Cup Singles Record and 61 (I think) european tour titles (the most by anyone).

Interested in who you think is Scotland's Best Golfer in the Modern Era.

 

[Dodger]

tough 1 to call,big Eck was one hell of a player at his peak and the fact that he bagged 2 majors shows what a great player he was but Monty was top of the tree in Europe for an incredible 8 years on the spin and during a time when there was some great players plying there trade in Europe so as I say a bloody hard one to call,going forward tho I feel Monty will win alot in Seniors golf should he go down that road where as I aint sure Lyle will......if you are asking me I would have to say despite the lack of Major prizes Monty for me.

 

[The23rdman]

That really is a tough call, but as most top pros are judged on their performance in majors you'd have to say Sandy nicks it.

Ok, Monty has been around longer and I totally admire him for keeping the same swing all this time when it would have been easy to pick it apart like Sandy did. I bet Sandy wishes every day he'd done the same thing.

 

[AliB]

Monty should probably win on length of career and no. of titles, but I suspect that for the 'man in the street'and in the general public consciousness, Lyle would be in front.
Nothing like a green blazer for seeing off the opposition?

AliB

 

[Vincent]

I agree that winning Majors is considered to be the main criteria to determine a golfer's "greatness" in the game, however to do what Monty has done over many years, winning some very impressive titles, going very close to a couple of Majors and having a fantastic Ryder cup record shows that his game has stood up to competitive golf year-on-year. Winning a Major can be as fickle as just having a good week (see Hamilton, Curtis, Micheel, Beem to name a few). However winning two Majors, as in Lyle's case, is probably a different matter.

 

[shanker]

Without a doubt Lyle. Winning the Open and the Masters is a marvellous achievement.

 

[SammmeBee]

Lyle - no contest and don't even get me started on Monty....

 

[McCojac]

Although I'd agree about majors won should be the determining factor on the who's the greatest debate, I still feel Monty's been unfortunate to have had his best years at the same time as Tiger Woods has dominated world golf and to have had the success over such a long period has been quite remarkable. Lyle's major victories were vitally important and his achievement probably showed Nick Faldo that it was possible, and he was a good ambassador for Scotland and British Golf but his career was shortened with tinkering with his golf swing and his fall from the top of the game was dramatic and sad.

Anyway maybe just to settle this discussion Monty should go and win The Masters( if he gets a place) and The Open this year.

 

[GB72]

The general public judges golfers on the number of majors won and as such Lyle's achievements will probably live longest in people's memories. I am a bit of a fan of Monty and it is a shame that he will probably not be remembered for the Order of Merit wins but rather by the fact that he did not (and I will eat my words if he comes up with a miracle over the next couple of years) win a major.

 

[Toad]

I think Colin is hard done by, his achievements of winning 8 European OOM titles,his record in the ryder cup and many individual tour titles prove what a great golfer he was in his day.

 

[pjaz]

I think Lyle, and thats from a Monty fan. Part of the problem is Monty is as famous for his Major misses and his ability to be distracted by someone blinking an eye as much as his 8 OoM wins which wouldn't help in a public vote.

 

[toonarmy]

So does this make Paul Lawrie better than Monty then? After all he won a Major. John Daly won two, does that make him better?

While Majors are significant wins, they are still ultimately only a single tournament win. 4 days of good golf and there you go, place in history. Monty had 96 months of being the best golfer in Europe on a tour with some very good players playing regularly. And then there's his Ryder Cup record which is brilliant and we all know if he putted in a major as he does in the Ryder, he would have had a hatful of them by now.

Personally, I salute the gnarly old bugger for upping his game for his mates/country/continent rather than the 'play-for-me-and-money-only-thanks' approach that other certain feline players have.

It's not like Monty hasn't been close - he's been in playoffs for the US Open during the period when it was the most ridiculously difficult one to play in. Lyle did great things, but he also became a borderline embarrassment with the way his game self-destructed. Can't see that happening to Monty somehow.

 

[birdieman]

I can't believe this question is even being asked, Lyle is a champion and a gentleman, first British winner of the Masters, Open champ and 4 time winner on US tour apart from the 2 majors(the real tour Monty!) .
Meanwhile Monty is an ill-mannered cheat who nearly won a Major and has never won a US tour event.
End of.

 

[toonarmy]

...4 time winner on US tour apart from the 2 majors(the real tour Monty!)End of.

Sorry, but so, so wrong.

What makes the US Tour the 'real' tour? Is it the identikit courses, target golf approach or putting bonanzas, all in benign conditions that makes it 'real'?

Sorry, but I get really ticked off when people assume the PGA Tour is in some way superior to the European Tour.

You don't have to like Monty to appreciate what he has achieved and why is he a 'cheat'?

 

[Sam]

The question was who is the greater not who is better and, for me that is a massive difference. Monty the better golfer, Lyle the greater

 

[MVP]

It soccer terms Monty has one the Premiership 8 Times plus runner ups, But hasnt one the Champions Leeague? To win the OOM 8 times is an underated Achievement,

Monty had the right to have a pop at ernie els for not turning up for the last tournament of the season it was disrespectful to the European tour!

 

[stevelockie]

No contest, Lyle. Can't believe it's even up for discussion!

Don't get me wrong, Monty has the career longevity over Sandy, and he's a Ryder cup legend. But he hasn't delivered the major (and look at the way he has capitulated when he has been close to a major). Major victories is how success is measured for the pro's.

Plus can you imagine Monty having the balls to play a 7 iron like Sandy's up the last at Augusta!?

 

[Tommo21]

A Grand Prix driver is judged by his GP stats, not the F3, F Renault or formula ford races he won before that.

As a GP racer Monty is no where. Sandy has won two GPs, Monaco and Imola to boot. He took on and beat the best in the world.

I’ll bet Monty would swap all his European stuff for two majors.

Sandy has been there and done it, Monty has been there and not..........Monty is a top driver but not a GP winner.

 

[thecraw]

Although I'd agree about majors won should be the determining factor on the who's the greatest debate, I still feel Monty's been unfortunate to have had his best years at the same time as Tiger Woods has dominated world golf and to have had the success over such a long period has been quite remarkable. Lyle's major victories were vitally important and his achievement probably showed Nick Faldo that it was possible, and he was a good ambassador for Scotland and British Golf but his career was shortened with tinkering with his golf swing and his fall from the top of the game was dramatic and sad.

Anyway maybe just to settle this discussion Monty should go and win The Masters( if he gets a place) and The Open this year.

Lyle was up against players like Seve, Faldo, Langer, Woosnam, Crenshaw, Strange, Norman, all wonderful wonderful players in their own right. Lyle had just as tough a time winning majors as Monty has now.

For me Lyle wins it by a country mile, I appreciate what Colin has done for European golf and especially for Scottish golf but Lyle wins the debate in my books. The reason why??

Ask yourself this, would Sandy Lyle has gassed the US Open from the middle of the fairway, would Lyle have missed the green from where Monty was under pressure? Would Sandy have then three putted after the woeful pitch that Monty played?

The answer is (in my opinion) a definate NO! We will never know for sure but I think Alexander Walter Barr Lyle would have been made of sterner stuff!

 

[toonarmy]

We will never know for sure but I think Alexander Walter Barr Lyle would have been made of sterner stuff!

Not at the same age or stage in his career he bloody wasn't!