The Top Five Golfers I'd ...
Make-A-List-Monday
Making lists is easy, that’s why they’re all over the place. But it’s also something I and many other guys have done for … well, forever. Hell, one of my favorite books of all time is essentially predicated on this. Who are the top five best golfers ever? What are the best major performances of all-time? Who is the WORST major golfer ever?
So I’m hopeful that this can be a recurring post here, and I’ll start with some fun ones.
Who are the top three active golfers you’d want to play a round with?
A disclaimer - I’m well aware that none of these guys would want to play a round with me, a suspect 13.3 handicap at the time of this post. But the point here is that I think these guys would make the round fun and I’d be able to witness something truly special. In that regard, it’s:
Jordan Spieth: Of course, Jordan is here. I love Spieth, and I think the way he thinks himself around the course is fascinating. He also has an unreasonably mature perspective and can laugh at himself (and get VERY down on himself, of course), but I think it would be a blast.
Rory McIlroy: This one is just because I want to play with someone who absolutely NUKES the ball, and I would never, ever, ever put Bryson on this list. Also, Rory is super thoughtful about the sport, his game, the world in general - and I’d love to tap his brain even for a moment.
Viktor Hovland: OK, this is the wild card - but pairing Rory and Stoned Rory in the same group would be hilarious. But also, Viktor does everything well but is maybe the most down-to-earth guy on the planet. He still lives in Oklahoma. He flies commercial, and he booked a round in Norway (most pro golfers haven’t paid for a round of golf since high school). I just think he’d be an absolute joy to spend four hours with.
Same Question, Senior Circuit Edition:
OK, these guys aren’t seniors but they’re all at the tail ends of their careers and yet I’d love to spend a round with them. Who wouldn’t?
Phil Mickelson: I mean, he’d never shut up and he’d be the biggest Phil fan in the group but how can you leave him out?
Lee Westwood: I hold residency on Westy Island and have been heartbroken a bunch of times. But Westwood is clearly in the “I’m just here to have a good time” now, and I ride for that.
Adam Scott: I wanted to put Louis Oosthuizen in here, but it turns out Louis is only 39, and my god…that doesn’t seem right. Scott is only 41, but he hasn’t been all that competitive in awhile and also seems like maybe the most chill human on the planet.
Who are the golfers you’d want to play a round with who aren’t in the list above, assuming politics never came up for discussion? (Top 100 OWGR)
I’m sure that I disagree politically with most guys on tour, but I’m quite sure I disagree with a bunch of guys on this list, but otherwise I think they’d be a blast:
Kevin Kisner. The “this ain’t no hobby, boys” guy can put away a lot of canned beer and while his game is PGA Tour elite, there’s a chance I could see his drive on the fairway from wherever mine landed.
Pat Perez. Perez seems to literally not give a single fuck, at almost anything. I’m here for that.
Dustin Johnson - I want to see this in person, and he plays at lightning speed. Sign me up.
Cameron Smith - The Iguana Merchant (a phenomenal nickname based on his mullet) seems like an absolute good hang, as well as his countryman and friend Marc Leishman, who can come too.
Max Homa - A genuinely good person who is even better at playing golf than he is on Twitter. I also just found out that perhaps, if Wikipedia is to be believed, that he is one of the few Jewish golfers out there. As a fellow member of the tribe, I gotta support my peeps. I’d also like to encourage Max to bring out his buddy Joel Dahmen, who also seems like a great guy to hang out with.
Shane Lowry - Just watching how he celebrated winning The Open in 2019 tells me everything I need to know.
Tommy Fleetwood - Look, I’m done pretending he’s about to win his first major - I’d love to be wrong, but he feels like a guy I’m gonna say, “Oh, right, that guy” in ten years. But in the meantime, I love his game and attitude.