5 Finest PGA Tour, LIV golfers to by no means win a serious, ranked

Main championships are marathons, functioning as a battle of attrition between participant and course.

In addition they function the barometer to measure a golfer’s greatness.

Jack Nicklaus received 18 main championships, probably the most of all time. In the meantime, Tiger Woods has captured 15.

These two are broadly thought to be the 2 biggest to ever play the sport.

And but, {most professional} golfers won’t ever obtain main championship glory. However a small variety of gamers stand above that enormous group.

Listed below are the most effective 5 gamers who’ve by no means received a serious since 1970, ranked by SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of:

5. Xander Schauffele

Photograph by Ben Jared/PGA Tour through Getty Photos

Tournaments Gained: 10

Most Notable Victory: 2020 Summer season Olympics

Xander Schauffele might simply take away himself from this listing with a serious championship victory within the coming years.

However because it stands now, the previous San Diego State Aztec has but to interrupt by means of.

Since his main championship debut on the 2017 U.S. Open, the place he tied for fifth, Schauffele has recorded 11 top-10 finishes, which incorporates two runner-ups.

The closest he got here to profitable was in 2019, when he completed one stroke behind Tiger Woods at Augusta Nationwide.

But, Schauffele appears to at all times contend at majors.

Of the 15 majors for the reason that summer season of 2020, Schauffele has missed the minimize simply twice whereas ending inside the top-20 an astounding 12 instances.

This consistency has allowed him to make the Tour Championship in every of the final seven seasons, too.

It looks as if a matter of time till he lastly wins the large one, however till then, he occupies the fifth spot on our listing—a testomony to how good he has been over the previous seven years.

4. Steve Stricker

Photograph by Montana Pritchard/Getty Photos

Tournaments Gained: 40

Most Notable Victories: 7 Senior Majors

Steve Stricker got here near profitable a serious a number of instances. However his finest likelihood to take action got here on the 1998 PGA Championship, the place he misplaced to Vijay Singh by two strokes.

Stricker and Singh entered the ultimate spherical tied atop the leaderboard, however the Wisconsite’s destiny was sealed on the seventeenth gap, the place he did not stand up and down from the greenside bunker.

Curiously, he would by no means come nearer, because the 1998 PGA marked simply his 14th main championship look. He would document 11 extra top-10 finishes at majors in his profession, together with a solo fourth end on the 2016 Open. Regardless of that, he was by no means in competition at Royal Troon that 12 months, as Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson had an epic duel for the ages. Stricker completed 15 strokes behind Stenson.

Alas, the 2021 Ryder Cup captain discovered way more main championship success on the PGA Tour Champions, the place he has racked up seven senior majors—together with two in 2023.

That’s tied for the fourth most ever on the Senior Circuit.

3. Rickie Fowler

Getty Photos

Tournaments Gained: 10

Most Notable Victory: 2015 Gamers Championship

In 2014, Rickie Fowler tied for fifth on the Masters, tied for second at each the U.S. Open and The Open Championship, after which completed in a tie for third on the PGA Championship at Valhalla.

Not many gamers can say they completed within the high 5 of all 4 majors, not to mention in the identical season. His excellent play was vindicated the next Could when he received The Gamers, the PGA Tour’s unofficial fifth main.

However he must wait one other few years earlier than critically contending in a serious once more. On the 2017 U.S. Open and PGA Championship, Fowler tied for fifth in each occasions.

Then, on the 2018 Masters, he completed only one stroke shy of Patrick Reed.

Fowler then recorded two high 10s in 2019, earlier than tying for eighth on the 2021 PGA Championship received by Phil Mickelson.

Most lately, Fowler held a share of the lead getting into the ultimate spherical of the 2023 U.S. Open. However he shot a 5-over 75 on Sunday and settled for a fifth-place end.

In all, Fowler has 13 top-10 finishes in majors.

2. Lee Westwood

Photograph by Charles Baus/Getty Photos

Tournaments Gained: 44

Most Notable Victory: 2009 Dubai World Championship

Lee Westwood got here so near profitable so many majors, however he by no means might discover a option to triumph.

On the 2008 U.S. Open, Westwood completed only one shot out of the playoff that featured Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate.

Then, two years later, the Englishman completed three strokes behind Phil Mickelson on the Masters, after which he got here in solo second at The Open.

Even on the 2012 U.S. Open, the place he finally tied for tenth, luck was not on his facet. A wayward drive was misplaced in certainly one of The Olympic Membership’s towering Cypress timber, ending his probabilities.

Westwood held the solo lead the next 12 months after 54 holes at The Open. However he faltered down the stretch, making 4 bogeys over his last 13 holes to complete 4 strokes behind Mickelson.

And but, regardless of his main championship heartbreak, Westwood at all times ripped the hearts of the US on the Ryder Cup. He helped Europe win seven cups and performed in 11—tied with Nick Faldo for probably the most ever on the European facet.

He undeniably belongs on this listing. Now a member of the LIV Golf tour, Westwood very properly may by no means get off of it both.

1. Colin Montgomerie

Photograph by Scott Halleran/Getty Photos

Tournaments Gained: 54

Most Notable Victories: 3 Volvo PGA Championships at Wentworth

Sadly, Colin Montgomerie, a terrific Scottish golfer, dons the title as the best participant to by no means win a serious since 1970.

The Scotsman completed second—or in a tie for second—at 5 majors between 1994 and 2006.

He misplaced in a playoff to Ernie Els on the 1994 U.S. Open at Oakmont, Arnold Palmer’s last main look.

The next 12 months, Montgomerie was once more on the improper facet of a playoff, this time dropping to Steve Elkington on the 1995 PGA Championship.

Then, in 1997, ‘The Massive Straightforward’ bought the most effective of ‘Monty’ once more, as Els bested the Scotsman by one on the U.S. Open at Congressional.

It by no means bought simpler for Montgomerie.

After recording two top-10s in majors in 1998 and 1999, Montgomerie struggled in the course of the early 2000s at majors, together with his finest end being a tie for 14th at Augusta Nationwide.

He rediscovered his kind on the 2005 Open Championship, however no person was catching Tiger Woods at St. Andrews that week. ‘Monty’ completed 5 strokes behind Woods.

After which there may be the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

That championship is finest remembered for Phil Mickelson choking on the 18th gap, however Montgomerie blew the title, too.

He hit an ideal drive down the center of the 18th fairway, a difficult dogleg left. He then had a mid-iron into the inexperienced. However he hit it proper and wanting the placing floor, because it nestled in Winged Foot’s deep and gnarly tough. He chipped up onto the inexperienced, then three-putted for a double bogey, thus fully ending his probabilities. Geoff Ogilvy stole the title from ‘Monty’ and Mickelson.

The Scotsman would by no means document a top-10 at a serious once more.

Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Taking part in By way of. Make sure to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as properly.