Revealed! The Top-Ranked Male Golfer In Every Major Statistical Category Over The Last 20 Years
The debate over the greatest male golfer of all time will continue to rage on, but who is the best in each individual area of the game?
Have you ever had that famous clubhouse debate about creating the perfect golfer? The one that lets you choose a player to crush your tee shot, another to nail your approach, a wizard with the wedges to get you onto the green and a prolific putter to propel you to glory. Well, if you find yourself embroiled in such a dispute on your next visit to the 19th hole, we might be able to help.
Datagolf.com have collated over 20 years of stats to give us the best golfer in each major strokes gained category in that time period. You can probably predict certain members of the elite line-up we are about to unveil, but be warned, there could be a few surprise omissions ahead...
Strokes Gained: Off the tee
When you consider the sheer volume of absolute crushers we've had in world golf over the past 20 years, narrowing it down to one player would usually take some real deliberation.
When it comes to the data, however, there is only one winner. Enter, Rory McIlroy.
The Northern-Irishman narrowly pips Jon Rahm to top spot in this category, gaining over a stroke on average in the 1353 measured rounds that Data Golf tracked. His consistency and power is quite frankly frightening, ranking 3rd for driving distance – marginally behind Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson – and 1st for Strokes Gained: Tee to green.
Strokes Gained: Approach
How far did you really think we would get down this list without mentioning him? Tiger Woods stole the show on approach, making up 1.2 strokes on average in 855 measured rounds.
If the 15-time Major Champion found the fairway in his prime (and most of the time if he didn't) it was almost inevitable that he was going to stick it in close to the pin. Tiger accumulated 82 PGA Tour wins, in a career which arguably places him as the greatest golfer of all time, and I am only surprised he isn't vying for contention in every category.
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
The chasing pack in this category are led by Collin Morikawa, Paul Casey and 2024 President's Cup Captain Jim Furyk.
Strokes Gained: Around the green
There are plenty of names you might expect to see in this section, perhaps most notably the six-time Major Champion and short game sorcerer, Phil Mickelson. But perhaps, like me, you will be shocked to find he didn't rank in the top-20!
The top-ranked player to get us out of trouble with a wedge in hand is in fact the Spanish sensation Jose Maria Olazabal, who outperformed a stellar list including Steve Stricker, Corey Pavin and Mike Weir.
Gaining almost half a stroke on average over 926 measured rounds, the two-time Masters Champion was able to maintain an almost mesmeric control over the golf ball from anywhere around the green.
While you might not expect to have many shots around the green if Tiger is hitting your approach shots, on the odd occasion that we do, Olazabal is our go-to guy!
Strokes Gained: Putting
'Drive for show, putt for dough' as the old saying goes, but who do we want standing over that awful right to left downhill slider on the 18th green?
According to the data, Brad Faxon is your man. Conjuring almost three-quarters of a stroke on average over 515 measured rounds, the eight-time PGA Tour winner wielded the flat stick like no other.
This was the closest category to call, with the top-11 separated by just 0.2 strokes on average. The notable names on the also-ran list include Ryder Cup captains Luke Donald and Steve Stricker, along with another predictable entry for Tiger Woods.
Barry Plummer is our Staff Writer, joining in January 2024 after seven years as a PE Teacher. He now writes about instruction, working closely with Golf Monthly's Top 50 Coaches to provide hints and tips about all aspects of the game. As someone who came into golf at a later age, Barry is very passionate about supporting the growth of the game and creating opportunities for everyone to access it. A member at Sand Moor Golf Club in Leeds, he looks forward to getting out on the course at least once a week and making up for lost time in the pursuit of a respectable handicap.
Barry is currently playing:
Driver: Ping G425
Hybrid: TaylorMade Stealth 4 Hybrid
Irons: Mizuno JPX 921 4-PW
Wedges: TaylorMade RAC 60, Callaway Jaws MD5 54
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour
-
Jinichiro Kozuma Facts: 12 Things You Didn't Know About The Japanese LIV Golfer
Learn more about the life and career of Japanese LIV Golf League pro, Jinichiro Kozuma via the following facts...
By Jonny Leighfield Published
-
Treat The Golfer In Your Life This Christmas And Save Big With $700 Savings On Stewart Golf Electric Trolleys
Golf Monthly experts rate these remote control golf trolleys as some of the best available, on offer right now in these brilliant Christmas golf deals
By Paul Brett Published
-
Everything I Learned From Two Hours Sat Behind The 12th Tee At Augusta National
Spending two hours watching the leading groups come through the heart of Amen Corner, here's everything I learned about the championship defining stretch of golf
By Dan Parker Published
-
I Followed Scheffler And McIlroy On Masters Friday, The Gulf In Class Couldn't Have Been Clearer
While the ten shot difference tells one story, watching them side by side gave me a deeper insight into why Rory is so far off it
By Dan Parker Published
-
5 Things I Learned About The Masters That You Can't Learn From TV
From the hills to the queues to the smell, here are the five things I've learned about the Masters on my first visit
By Dan Parker Published
-
I Attended The Masters Par 3 Contest For The First Time...And It's By Far The Best Augusta Tradition
With the world of professional golf in such a fractured state, the Masters Par 3 Contest reminded me why I love golf
By Dan Parker Published
-
'It's Absolutely Insane That Many Golf Clubs Still Limit When Women Can Play' - Why Clubs MUST Start Walking The Walk When It Comes To Equality
Golf clubs are making strides to bring equality to the game, but many are still stuck in the Jurassic period or moonlighting and getting away with it
By Katie Dawkins Published
-
5 Signs You Need New Golf Shoes
Even the best golf shoes wear over time. Here's the five signs it's time you invested in a new pair
By Dan Parker Published
-
The PGA Tour Is At A Crossroads... Why It MUST Guard Against Hypocrisy At All Costs
The PGA Tour is entering arguably the most crucial period of its entire existence. The organisation has some huge decisions to make over the next few months...
By Nick Bonfield Published
-
‘Beware The Injured Golfer’ - Why Do Players Sometimes Perform Better When They’re Hurt?
There have been plenty of famously gutsy performances by golfers who are injured, but why might this help them to play better golf?
By Barry Plummer Published