Start a conversation about the greats of golf and you will undoubtedly get into a heated debate. You will inevitably disagree on some of the names on your list then kick yourself for forgetting certain legends that had slipped your mind as you built your list. Well, we’ve waded into this debate and we expect disagreement but here is our list of just some of the modern golfing greats.
Of course, we have some of the most incredible names in the game like Old and Young Tom, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, but this is about the modern-day legends. Below is a list of some modern greats and some are with a view to the future of our sport, you’ll notice them.
1. Tiger Woods: The name Tiger Woods is synonymous with modern golfing excellence. With 15 major titles to his name, Woods' dominance transcended generations. His triumphant victory at the Old Course, St Andrews, in 2000 and then again in 2005 rank amongst his more treasured victories. Tiger created the modern era of athleticism in golf and the “Tiger effect” created the vast wealth in the sport for the most elite performers. We would argue his true level of greatness has never been fully appreciated for what it is! Now we know this sounds crazy but it’s nothing as crazy as some of the stats around Tiger, for example, he went one stretch where he single-putted 38 holes in a row!
2. Rory McIlroy: Hailing from Northern Ireland, Rory McIlroy's prodigious talent has propelled him to four major championships. His record-breaking performances on both sides of the Atlantic highlight his versatility and innate ability to conquer any course. He remains one of the most celebrated athletes of his generation. With two runner-ups at the Dunhill Links Rory clearly loves Carnoustie, Kingsbarns and the Old Course and I’m sure a win will come. Let’s not talk about the 150th Open Championship. When Rory is on song, there are few more exciting golfers in the world to behold, especially off the tee.
3. Nelly Korda: In my opinion, Nelly Korda has the most beautiful swing in golf. The women’s game is different to the men’s game in that it’s not about raw power but about accuracy and finesse. Nelly Korda embodies these virtues, and she is still very early in a promising career. Only 25, she has an Olympic gold medal, one major title and top tens in the other four majors. At Carnoustie in 2021 she finished T13 and she had a T9 at Woburn in 2019. If you want to learn how to play golf, watch Nelly navigate a course.
4. Ludvig Aberg: A bit of a wildcard here but Ludvig is easily the hottest property in golf right now. Literally just on the scene and fresh out of college in the US, the young Swede has everyone salivating as the next big thing in golf. He hits it miles, has a short game to die for and does it all with a smile on his face. A highly decorated collegiate golfer, including two Ben Hogan awards (awarded to the best collegiate player in the US) and multiple international honours, he is definitely a generational prospect.
5. Charlie Hull: Anyone who watched the AIG Women’s Open would have seen the painful final round where Charlie just couldn’t get it going. Very “Rory at St Andrews in 2022” her putter stayed cold all day and Lilia Vu went on to take the title. Hull has been around for a while but it feels like her game is in that crazy maturation phase where wins just start to roll in. Charlie Hull is part of a new generation of more powerful girls that hit it miles, forget the old codger at your golf club who thinks girls hit it short, they don’t. Hull has been on the rampage since the final round at Walton Heath and you better not be surprised if she gets her maiden major win next year.
So, the cards are on the table, that’s a top five that you are unlikely to see anywhere else. Of course, we have some of the expected golfers in there but hopefully the arguments put forward make you see why everyone has a place on this list.
St Andrews 2024 promises to be a phenomenal event for the girls at the AIG Women’s Open and it will be incredible to see the women playing over the most famous course in the world.
