Golf Lists

By: Rob Duca

Time for some lists - favorite this, least favorite that. You know the drill. So here we go.

Most Swashbuckling Player of All-Time

If I said the most charismatic, the answer would be obvious. It's Arnie (no last name required). End of discussion. But swashbuckling conjures up another image for me, and it evokes two players: Seve Ballesteros and Walter Hagen. Ballesteros famously made birdie after driving into a parking lot en route to victory at the 1979 British Open. Ben Crenshaw once said, "Seve plays shots I don't even see in my dreams." The dapper Hagen personified the Roaring 1920s. He once said, "I never wanted to be a millionaire. I just wanted to live like one." The Haig was the man.

Most Difficult Golf Course I've Ever Played

I've been fortunate to visit storied layouts such as St. Andrews, Carnoustie, Muirfield, Turnberry, Ballybunion, Medinah and The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. In my mind, Royal County Down in Northern Ireland stands alone. There isn't a water hazard on the course, but one can easily lose a dozen balls. Miss the fairway and you're in thick gorse, lucky to find the ball, let alone play it. It's a classic, stunningly beautiful course, and will leave you feeling as though you've spent four hours in a sauna.

Greatest Shot in Golf History

Gene Sarazen's double-eagle at the 1935 Masters is always on this list. But I prefer something from the modern era. Tom Watson's chip-in on the 17th hole at Pebble Beach in the 1982 U.S. Open cemented the career of one Hall-of-Famer and denied another the opportunity to make history. Watson's ball came to rest on a slope in heavy rough, and most observers felt he would be lucky to make par and was more likely to make bogey. On the side of the 18th green, his round completed, Jack Nicklaus was being congratulated for winning his record fifth Open title. And then Watson chipped in for birdie to take the trophy.

Saddest Finish in Major Tournament History

"What a stupid I am!" If you know that quote, you're probably old enough to remember the 1968 Masters when Roberto De Vicenzo signed an incorrect scorecard, preventing him from reaching a playoff with Bob Goalby. As is the custom in tournament golf, De Vicenzo's card was kept by his playing partner, Tommy Aaron, who marked down par instead of birdie on the 17th hole. De Vicenzo failed to catch the error, signed the card and had to live with the higher score.

Most Compelling Major

Take the PGA Championship out of the equation; it rarely produces memorable tournaments. The Masters is the Masters. We know the holes, we love the drama produced at Amen Corner, and it is simply an eye-popping venue. The U.S. Open is intriguing because of its brutal nature. High, thick rough, lightning-fast greens and narrow fairways make it a test of attrition. But my vote goes to the British Open for its links venues and their pot bunkers, swales, rock-hard fairways, sometimes ghastly weather, unpredictable bounces and history. Imagination, creativity, versatility and patience are essential for any success. And could there be a more inspiring scene than watching the champion walk across the Swilcan Bridge and down the 18th fairway on the Old Course at St. Andrews?

Most Unlikely Champion Ever

Jack Fleck. He won only three times on the PGA Tour. But he beat Ben Hogan in a playoff to capture the 1955 U.S. Open, denying Hogan a fifth national championship. By 1963, Fleck would leave tournament golf, winning only twice more on tour.

Best Player in the World Right Now

We know that Rory McIlroy is No. 1, but Jordan Spieth is making a pretty solid case that at this moment in time there's isn't a better player on the planet. It's not solely due to his record-tying, wire-to-wire victory at the Masters. It's also due to his one win and two seconds in his three starts before Augusta. The Texan exudes poise, patience and remarkable consistency. It's his dazzling short game and ability to drain putts seemingly every time he must. It's the fact that he can suffer the classic Masters letdown at the RBC Heritage by shooting 74 in the first round and come back the next day with a 62. I love the joke on Tour, as reported in this week's Sports Illustrated, that the 21-year-old is so mature his hairline had no choice but to recede prematurely. This kid isn't going away. Rory vs. Jordan just might be golf's next great rivalry.

Greatest Player of All-Time

Jack vs. Tiger. We know it comes down to them. No player ever enjoyed a more dominant stretch of golf than Tiger Woods in 2000-01, when he captured four consecutive majors, including a ridiculous 15-stroke win at the U.S. Open. But Nicklaus still gets my vote, and not only because he leads in major championships (18 to 14). He finished second in 19 majors and third nine times. Conversely, Woods has only six seconds and four thirds. Unless Tiger starts winning again, the debate is over.

Rob Duca is an award-winning sports columnist who wrote for the Cape Cod Times for 25 years, covering golf, the Boston Red Sox, the Boston Celtics and the Boston Bruins. He is now managing editor of New England Golf & Leisure magazine and has written for a variety of other publications, including Sports Illustrated, the Boston Globe, Yankee magazine and Cape Cod Life.

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