Europe’s Top 5 Golfers of all time

The Northern Irish megastar has enjoyed one of the defining seasons of his career, completing the elusive Career Grand Slam while pulling clear of Seve Ballesteros in the Order of Merit rankings (only Monty, with eight year-end titles, is ahead of him). It got me thinking: where does Rory fit in the pantheon of Europe’s greatest golfers? Below I have attempted to rank the top five European golfers of all time, using a range of metrics to come to my final decision. I had to make some difficult omissions, with the likes of Bernhard Langer and Jon Rahm coming within tap-in distance of consideration.

5. Colin Montgomerie

Yes, I know it seems sacrilegious to include a player who failed to win a major championship. Monty was a perennial nearly-man on the major roster, finishing in either a tie for 2nd or solo 2nd on five occasions (that Winged Foot choke in 2006 was a major meltdown for the ages). He often cut a forlorn figure in major championship golf, putting too much pressure on himself to succeed. Still, Monty’s consistency in the European theatre was undeniable and he dominated the tour during arguably it’s last ‘great’ period. Monty sits 4th on the all-time list for DP World Tour wins (31). More importantly, his record of eight Order of Merit titles remains (he won an incredible seven straight year-end crowns between 1993-1999). Monty was a talismanic figure in Ryder Cup action, ending his career with a remarkable 20-9-7 record. Monty enjoyed some indelible Ryder Cup moments, securing the 1997 trophy with a match-winning half-point before sinking the winning putt in the 2004 renewal. Incredibly, Monty was never beaten in eight Ryder Cup singles ties.

4. Harold Vardon

There’s a reason why Harold Vardon is immortalized in the season-ending Order of Merit trophy. Widely touted as the first international golfing superstar, Jersey-born Harold Vardon had to be on this list. Vardon overcame some obstacles in his journey, with financial constraints and an unsupportive father stalling his early golfing development. But he was a natural, organically rising from greenkeeper to become of the preeminent golfing figures of the late 19th century (heading into the early 20th century). Vardon would go on to win six Open Championships (a record to this day). He made three transatlantic trips, winning the US Open while also picking up two runner-up finishes. He won a total of 48 singles trophies in his storied career. Vardon was also a sartorial trailblazer, discarding formal attire for the baggy knickerbockers that became all the rage. The decision was a crucial step in making the game slightly more palatable to a broader audience.

3. Nick Faldo

A somewhat divisive figure till this day, Englishman Nick Faldo usurped Ballesteros as European No.1 and would go on to dominate the late 80’s and early 90’s. The Englishman’s calm, robotic efficiency may have lacked the raw magnetism of Ballesteros. But the results spoke for themselves, with Faldo reigning as World No.1 for 97 weeks. Faldo picked up 43 career victories, ranking 5th on the all-time European rankings with 30 titles. He ensured his legacy on the major championship stage, winning three Masters and three Open Championships (his unflappable temperament was just too much for Great White Shark Greg Norman to handle). Faldo elevated the status of British golf, instilling confidence for generations to come. He also played a massive part in European Ryder Cup lore, playing in a record 11 events while captaining a victorious European side in 2008.

2. Seve Ballesteros

Probably the most influential European player of all time, Seve Ballesteros is the man who almost single-handedly resurrected the fortunes of European golf. The charismatic Spainard was at the forefront of Europe’s Ryder Cup renaissance, winning the trophy five times as player and captain. Ballesteros secured 90 worldwide wins in his illustrious career and still leads the all-time European charts with 50 titles. Ballesteros brought European golf kicking and screaming into the major championship fray, winning five majors while laying the groundwork for future Spanish major winners Olazabal, Garcia and Rahm. More than all of that, Ballesteros played with a swagger and braggadocio that flew in the face of the status quo. The European contingent had long assumed a passive role in the face of their more brash American counterparts. The likes of Rahm and Hatton would probably not exist were it not for the pioneering Spaniard.

1. Rory McIlroy

A story right out of Holywood. Holywood, Northern Ireland, that is. This selection will probably look like recency bias to some. Sure, McIlroy just passed Ballesteros’ Order of Merit tally. But he still possesses half the amount of worldwide wins as the Spanish giant (45). I think it’s hard to argue with what McIlroy has done in America: he eclipses any other European player with 29 official US PGA Tour victories. He reached golfing nirvana earlier this season, becoming the first European player to complete the Career Grand Slam. But he has just been a paragon of consistency in America for well over a decade, winning two Players Championships while securing three FedEx Cup titles (the most of any player). He has 33 top 10’s in majors (Faldo had 25 and Ballesteros had 20). He has also been an integral member of the European Ryder Cup squad during its most glorious period, winning six of the eight events in which he has participated. McIlroy is golf’s biggest post-Tiger superstar and still appears to have plenty left in the tank.