25 Greatest Male Golfers of All-Time - The Results

Two weeks ago, many of you submitted your selections as to who you believe are the 20 Greatest Male Golfers of All-Time. By 'Greatest', the onus was on you to determine your own categories as to who was deserving a mention. Would you put it down simply to their success on the course, or their wider impact on the game? You all gave your own interpretation, and that has resulted in an intriguing final list. Your age, nationality, and maybe even your own personality, certainly became influential in many of your submissions. All of your lists were fascinating to read for that reason. It was your personal input, your own decision, and that, I felt, made it a very worthwhile exercise. But, now, I have brought your selections, opinions, and decisons together to generate a definitive list. How did your selection match the final list? Lets find out. 

Due to the number, and popularity, of the players selected, I have had to extend the Top 20, to a Top 25. Today, I am going to reveal Players 25-20 on the list, in addition to those who marginally missed out, despite each receiving numerous votes. 

The results may surprise you. Some of the selections may have even be controversial. But that's the nature of a public vote. It is you, collectively, who have determined the list. 

Players Receiving Multiple Votes

Colin Montgomerie

8-time European Tour Order of Merit Winner

31 Titles on the European Tour

8-time Member of the European Ryder Cup Team

Unbeaten in Ryder Cup Singles Competition

Winning European Captain at the 2010 Ryder Cup

5-Time Runner-Up in Major Championships.

2007 - World Cup of Golf Winner (Scotland).

Jimmy Demaret

3-Time Masters Champion (1940, 1947, 1950)

31 Wins on the PGA Tour

3-time Member of Team USA in the Ryder Cup

Cary Middlecoff

Winner of the 1955 Masters Tournament

2-time U.S. Open Champion (1946, 1956)

40 wins on the PGA Tour

3 Ryder Cup Appearances (USA)

James Braid

5-time Open Championship Winner (1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1910)

4-time British Matchplay Championship Winner

1910 French Open Champion

Designed Kings/Queens Courses at Gleneagles

Padraig Harrington

2-time Open Championship Winner (2007/2008)

Winner of the 2008 PGA Championship

14 European Tour titles

5-time winner on the PGA Tour 

6-time member of the European Ryder Cup Team

Willie Anderson

4-time winner of the U.S. Open (1901, 1903, 1904, 1905)

4-time winner of the Western Open

Hale Irwin

3-time U.S. Open Champion (1974, 1979, 1990)

Oldest Winner of the U.S. Open (Aged 45 in 1990)

20 PGA Tour wins

45 wins on the Champions Tour (Record)

4-time Senior PGA Champion (1996, 1997, 1998, 2004)

2-time U.S. Senior Open Champion (1998, 2000)

1999 Senior Players Championship Winner

5-time member of the USA Ryder Cup Team.

Bernhard Langer

Two-time Masters Champion (1985, 1993)

42 wins on the European Tour

First Official World Number One (1986)

Veteran of 10 Ryder Cups (Europe)

2004 Winning European Ryder Cup Captain

16 wins on the Champions Tour 

2010 Senior Open Champion

2010 U.S. Senior Open Champion

Francis Ouimet

Winner of the 1913 U.S. Open (As an Amateur, at the age of 20)

He defeated Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in an 18-hole playoff to win

His victory arguably brought Golf into the American sporting mainstream

10 years after his win, the number of golfers in the USA had tripled

His 1913 victory is portrayed in the film 'The Greatest Game Ever Played'

Winner of the 1913, and 1931, U.S. Amateur Championship.

Tom Morris, Jr. 

 Four-time winner of The Open Championship (1868, 1869, 1870, 1872)

Made his Open Debut at the age of 14

Promoted Golf in Scotland, with thousands attending his challenge matches

 Payne Stewart

Two-time U.S. Open Champion (1991, 1999)

Winner of the 1989 PGA Championship

11 wins on the PGA Tour

Five-time appearances on the USA Ryder Cup Team

Those players marginally missed out on a place in the top 25. But all very deserving of recognition. Now, we come to the Top 25. These players have all achieved so much in the game, as much for their wider influence, in addition to their undisputed talents on the golf course.

THE TWENTY FIVE GREATEST MALE GOLFERS OF ALL-TIME

TWENTY FIVE

John Henry Taylor

Five-time winner of The Open Championship (1894, 1895, 1900, 1909, 1913)

Runner-up in the 1900 U.S. Open Championship

Captain the 1933 Great Britain team to victory over the United States in the Ryder Cup

J.H. Taylor was one of the pionners of professional golf in England. He was a co-founder of the British PGA, which was the first association of professional golfers established in the world. Alongside Harry Vardon, he travelled to the United States, playing in exhibtion matches, increasing the growing exposure of the game in America. Taylor was an immense player, and contributed greatly to the professional game. 

TWENTY FOUR

Rory McIlroy

Current World Number One

Winner of the 2011 U.S. Open Championship (By Eight Shots)

Set a new 72-hole record in the U.S. Open of 268

Winner of the 2012 PGA Championship (By a record Eight Shots)

Sixth Youngest player to win multiple Major Championships

Winner of the PGA Tour, and European Tour, Money Lists in 2012

Youngest player to earn $10 Million on both the PGA Tour, and European Tour

Two-time member of the European Ryder Cup Team

This will be a surprising position for some, but Rory is certainly one of the most impressive players we have seen for decades, and one who has an influential impact. Following his U.S. Open win in 2011, 39% of British 18-to-24-year-olds said they were inspired to play golf for the first time. Rory has achieved so much in the game already, at the age of 23, and will surely achieve so much more. If we were to do this again, in 10-years, where will Rory sit? It's going to be fasctinating to watch. 

TWENTY THREE

Tom Morris, Sr.

Four-time winner of The Open Championship (1861, 1862, 1864, 1867)

Finished Runner-up at the first Open Championship (1860)

Revolutionised Course Design and Management

Established the Old Course, St Andrews, in its modern form. 

He established the standard golf couse length of 18-holes

Very few people can claim to have had a more important impact, in the growth of golf, in Scotland, than Old Tom Morris. Born, and spending most of his life in St Andrews, Morris competed alongside Allan Robertson, the worlds first professional golfer, and quickly grew to become an influential figure. He was a greenkeeper, a clubmaker, an instructor, and a ballmaker. Many of the techniques he used in course maintainence remain in place today, in addition to his course designing. Morris designed Muirfield, the site of the 2013 Open Championship, and also developed the Old Course, into what we know it today.  

TWENTY TWO

Bobby Locke

Four-time winner of The Open Championship (1949, 1950, 1952, 1957)

72 Worldwide Professional titles.

15-time winner on the PGA Tour

Nine-time winner of the South African Open

Bobby Locke was the first truly international player. Coming from South Africa, he achieved victories in Europe, the United States, Africa, and Australia. His success helpd pave the way for players such as Gary Player to achieve similarly great things. One of the finest putters of all-time, in addition to being one of the most efficient. Bobby Locke was a revolutionary, and a unique figure. Locke is fully deserving of his place in the Top 25. 

TWENTY ONE

Raymond Floyd

Four-time Major Champion

Winner of the 1976 Masters Tournament 

Winner of the 1986 U.S. Open

Two-time winner of the PGA Championship (1969, 1982)

Five-time runner-up in Major Championships

Eight-time Ryder Cup Player (Oldest ever, aged 51 in 1993)

1989 USA Ryder Cup Captain

22 wins on the PGA Tour

14 Champions Tour wins (Including Four Majors)

Played in every Masters Tournament (1965 - 2009)

There have been few more determined competitors than Raymond Floyd. Possessing one of the finest short-games of his generation, Floyd contended in majors over four separate decades, in addition to winning PGA Tour events over that period. With his unique swing, and steely stare, Floyd was a recognisable, and intimidating player on the golf course. That ability under pressure, rightly, has Ray Floyd remembered as one of the greatest golfers of all-time.

TWENTY

Peter Thomson

Five-time winner of The Open Championship (1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965)

Winner of 82 Professional Tournaments

11-time winner on the Senior PGA Tour.

Winning-Captain of the 1998 International Presidents Cup Team

Peter Thomson is an Australian Legend. Achieving three consecutive Open wins, an achievement not matched in the 20th century, or by anyone since. Thomson won in Australia, Europe, the United States, and Asia, success which illustrated his position as one of the earliest truly international players.

TOP TWENTY FIVE
25 - John Henry Taylor
24 - Rory McIlroy
23 - Tom Morris, Sr. 
22 - Bobby Locke
21 - Raymond Floyd 
20 - Peter Thomson
19 - 
18 - 
17 - 
16 - 
15 - 
14 - 
13 - 
12 - 
11 - 
10 - 
9 - 
8 - 
7 - 
6 - 
5 - 
4 - 
3 - 
2 - 
1 - 

Come back tomorrow to learn the identites of players 19-11 on the list. As we count down, your selections, as the 25 Greatest Male Golfers of All-Time.