(Honeyfield/Flickr)
Golf.com (SI) has published their PGA Tour player version of “all hat, no herd.” Here’s their list of the most-overrated players of the last quarter century:
Colin Montgomerie
Chris DiMarco
Davis Love III
Tom Lehman
Charles Howell III
Stewart Cink
I’m sure we could come up with some others for the most-overrated list, but here’s my quick armchair analysis of their list.
I can’t argue with Monty. As much as he’s dominated the European Tour, Colin has accomplished zilch on American soil (except for in the Ryder Cup). Not only is he majorless, he’s 0 for the PGA Tour.
DiMarco has just three career wins and none in the last five years. Golf.com calls him mostly sizzle. OK, but I never thought of him as being great and not fulfilling expectations.
DLIII, on the other hand, is a deserving choice. I like him, sure, but in my heart I know he should have more than one major (’97 PGA) to go with his 19 tour wins. For years I expected Davis to win at Augusta.
Tom Lehman. Interesting pick. He was a late bloomer, a guy who came out on tour in his 30s and won a few tournaments, plus the British Open. Yeah, he threw away a U.S. Open or two, but I don’t think of Tom as overrated.
Howell and Cink are both underachievers (so far). Younger than Cink, Howell has more time to make some noise, but he disappeared last Sunday in Atlanta after having the lead.
−The Armchair Golfer
I’d put Sergio Garcia at the very top of that list. I agree with DLIII. And why aren’t Ian Poulter, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby or J.B. Holmes on this list? These guys, except for maybe Allenby, get a ton of fanfare and have nearly nothing to show for it.
John Daly has to go at the top of the list.
As for the list, I would say it’s all in the measuring stick you’re using. If you’re in Europe and all you follow is the European Tour then you would probably think Montgomerie is one of the most successful golfers there are. I always try to give Monty the benefit of the doubt because simply put, there are hundreds of golfers who have played the Pro tours who would have loved to have had half the career he’s had. Davis Love is another one I’d take off that list because it seems like no one’s considering his matchplay stuff. He and Fred Couples won how many times in the World Cup events? And he’s one of the most respected players on tour.
If you’re being critical, how about putting Greg Norman on the list for all of the majors he could have won had he not choked so often.
And regarding Ian Poulter and JB Holmes – I think they haven’t been on tour long enough yet to be considered overrated. They are just popular. JB is what, in his third year on tour if that? And Poulter splits his time between Europe and America so it’s difficult for him to make a winning statement. Appleby does get a lot of attention, but I think Allenby gets attention because in tournaments where there are no big name players, he always seems to be doing well enough to give the announcers something to talk about.
Not sure i agree with the list to be honest, and i think you mean ‘underachieved’ not ‘overrated’…
Monty: Okay he doesn’t travel well, and he has never won a major. That stat about never winning on US soil is particularly damning. But… the guy has dominated the European Tour for years, winning 7 consecutive order of merits. He also has a fantastic Ryder Cup record. The guy was an unbelievable golfer. I would think of him in the ‘best player to never win a major category.
Davis Love and Tom Lehmann have won majors, and have bagfulls of Tour wins between them. Perhaps they both could have won more majors, i don’t know, but they are certainly not overrated.
Oh and whoever suggested John Daly. Come on now.
Garcia, Poulter and Holmes on the other hand are definately overrated. Still think garcia will win a major or two though.
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Thanks for the comments, everyone.
Tom: I agree Sergio deserves a nod. Miranda: Funny you mention Greg Norman. I was thinking about him, too. I don’t think people look at the World Cup team events the same way as individual accomplishments. If Davis is on the overrated list, Freddie ought to be, too. All that talent should have produced more than one major.
Golf Bet King: I agree that “underachieved” may be a better word, but Golf.com used the term “overrated” so I stuck with it. Actually, Lehman doesn’t have a lot of wins, only five. Sorry, but DL belongs on the list, in my opinion, a major talent that should have bagged more majors.
Daly, that’s the list. Career leader in exemptions. Oops, Wie.
Mickelson is arguably overrated. He’s “rated” as an historically great or near-great golfer who is just a notch down from Tiger. However, he didn’t win his first major til he was 33, he’s only won 3 altogether (one more than John Daly and Retief Goosen), I believe he’s never been no. 1 on the money list or ranked no. 1 in the world, and only something like 15 of his wins took place with Tiger in the field.
Sorry Neil, I know its not your list but a Scotsman here is about to defend another Scotsman! Colin Montgomerie is not and could not ever be considered “over rated” in fact I am not sure any of those guys could, maybe not lived up to their expectations or as another has said have underachieved, yes maybe. Someone who topped the European Tour 8 times cannot be over rated! What about Golfers who have freak wins at Majors of whom we hear very little of or see winning again consistently at the highest level? Surely they are the over rated ones? I can think Paul Lawrie as an example close to home, I am sure there are others closer to home for you, Ben Curtis maybe? He won the PGA then missed 13 cuts out of the next 20 Majors. Monty was a consistent winner in Europe and yes never cut in the U.S but then again he never did a Sergio, or a Rose or a Parnevik and shipped up and moved over and tried to make his living on the US Tour, he stayed loyal to the European circuit. To call him over rated seems typical of the disrespectful attitude towards him from certain parts of the US Media/Public , who lets face it just dont like him hence the Mrs Doubtfire Tag. No one needs to remind him he has never won a major, believe me he gets reminded about it everyday over here, would he swap his 8 European order of Merits for one US Open and golfing obscurity thereafter? Not sure, winning a major does not get you guaranteed respect over here, who do you think is more respected in golf Montgomerie or Lawrie?
Apologies for length of rant, keep using those photographs!
I have trouble putting someone who has won a major on an “Overrated” list. I think the “Best golfer never to win the big one” list is pretty much the same as the overrated list.
Thinking other sports, teams with championship rings, even stiffs like the Atlanta Braves, can’t be overrated if they’ve won it all.
Great blog mate!
As for most overrated tour players, I’m going to say Adam Scott. He reminds me of a heavyweight boxer that won’t fight anyone that’s any good.