Tiger Woods Isn't Walking Through That Door.
Tiger changed what we think about with the word "elite" and golf. Let's rebalance.
As a golf sicko, I am a pretty serious participants in several golf-related discussions - whether it’s the No Laying Up Refuge, group chats with friends or a WhatsApp channel for my fellow local golf sickos, there’s a lot of “golf talk.”
The other day, a conversation rose up about elite golfers - and there was a massive, massive disconnect on what an elite golfer even meant. Because every time someone tried to define it and cite a few golfers who “qualified” it meant that guys other folks thought were elite fell off that list.
How do you define elite? Websters says — just kidding. This isn’t an 8th grade graduation speech.
My first attempt at a personal definition is something along the lines of this:
A golfer who is always in contention at the most important events, and who if he has a lead on Sunday would shock you if he didn’t close it out AND he’s demonstrated this over several (many) seasons in a row.
I’m sure I could wordsmith that a bit but that’s the idea. And yes, I said “he” because I’m focusing on the PGA Tour. I wish I knew more about the LPGA Tour but I just don’t.
This feels right to me - look at other sports. Elite players like Steph Curry, LeBron James, Tom Brady, Mike Trout, Random Hockey Player Whose Name I Don’t Know … these guys are always at the top of their game.
But in golf, who really meets this criteria?
The easiest name that came to mind for me is Rory McIlroy. In fact, I’d argue if Rory doesn’t qualify for your definition of elite, you need to change your definition.
And maybe I do - because Rory hasn’t won a major in EIGHT years. Whether you think he folded in The Open or Cam Smith went out and grabbed it, it’s been eight years.
So, what about Cam Smith? He won a major recently, he’s ranked 2nd in the world and has some other big wins. But … that’s really only true in the last two years. (Disregard the fact he bailed on the PGA Tour and won’t be in most of the events I care about.) The same is true with world #1 Scottie Scheffler, who dominated 2022 but had never won a single tournament prior to 2022.
But if the world #1, 2 and 3 aren’t elite, what are we DOING HERE?
Basically, this is Tiger Woods’ fault.
It’s obviously a compliment, but Tiger messed things up. In his prime, he won a preposterous amount of the tournaments he entered and he almost NEVER relinquished a 54-hole lead, especially in majors. He was 14-1 when going into the final round of a major with a 54 hole lead, and was 55-4 when he had at least a share of the 54-hole lead going into the final round. That’s disgusting. He won over 22% of the professional tournaments he ENTERED. That doesn’t even make sense. There are a slew of other jaw dropping records that I won’t litter this up with but check them out here for a good time.
It was amazing to watch, but it’s impacted the way we think of “elite” golfers ever since.
Let’s take Jon Rahm. He won the U.S. Open in 2021, and he’s ranked 5th in the world right now. He’s been the #1 golfer in the world for almost a year from 2020-2021, and has 15 professional wins, seven of them on the PGA Tour. But in 2022, despite winning twice (admittedly, the Mexico Open and the Spanish Open, neither exceptionally competitive events) he had by his own standards a down year. He finished 12th in the US Open, 27th in the Masters, 34th in The Open and 48th in the PGA. That’s not elite, and few would argue it is.
But Jon Rahm IS an elite golfer! If he isn’t, nobody is.
Almost the same argument can be made for Collin Morikawa, a two-time major winner who at 25 years old has five PGA wins and is ranked 9th in the world. He’s elite and that’s true even though in 2022 he didn’t win and missed the cut at The Open, with his best finish a 2nd at The Genesis.
Guys, this is NORMAL.
Now…I am not arguing that everyone in the top-10 of the OWGR is elite. There are lots of ways to earn points and some guys win a lot of events that don’t mean much, make top-10’s in similar events but when it matters, they’re gone. The Shotgun Start podcast (and guest Kevin Van Valkenburg) refer to this type of golfer as a “housecat” and the prime example of this is Patrick Cantlay.
He’s 30 years old, ranked 4th in the world and has eight PGA Tour wins. And I am here to argue he is absolutely NOT elite. Because in majors - when it matters - he has three top-10’s in his entire career, and in none of them has he been a threat. He’s a kitten. His buddy Xander Schauffele, who is ranked 6th in the world and also has seven PGA tour wins with no majors, at least has nine top-10s (and two second places) in one less major appearance, as well as an Olympic gold medal for whatever that’s worth. Xander also isn’t quite elite, but at least he looks like he could be. I’m shocked Cantlay hasn’t gone to LIV, a “tour” full of guys who think they aren’t respected enough, who make decisions based more on money than wins or legacy, etc. That feels like Cantlay. That’s not elite.
My list of elite golfers?
Scottie Scheffler
Rory McIlroy
Jon Rahm
Collin Morikawa
Justin Thomas
Special category:
Jordan Spieth
Looking from the outside, but poised to move up:
Will Zalatoris (needs to start winning instead of always being right there)
Viktor Hovland (needs to show up in majors)
Schauffele (see above)
Cantlay (but I think he’s far away)
Matt Fitzpatrick (some more regular season wins and/or another major…and he’s in)
Max Homa (needs to show up in majors)
Tony Finau (needs to show up in majors)
Spieth is the genesis of this entire discussion and I lobbied pretty hard to term him as elite. He missed the cut in two majors this year and that’s not great. But he made a real run at The Open last year and my gut just always counts him in when he’s even sniffing a win on Sunday. But I’ll admit he’s not quite in the same category as the guys above him.
Golfers who fled the PGA Tour like Cam Smith, Dustin Johnson and others aren’t elite because they’ve purposefully taken themselves out of that conversation.
Sorry. My definition, my rules.
Who did I leave out? Does this feel right? Join the conversation.