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Bring on Byron Your Take: Who should have made the Top Eight?
Posted: Sunday April 04, 1999 05:38 PM
CNN/SI asked users who should have made the Top Eight list for the Century's Best Golfers. Most e-mails came in support of Byron Nelson -- who was No. 9 on Alan Shipnuck's list. Some of you were happy that Shipnuck left Tiger Woods off the list. In any event, Tiger is certainly well positioned to compete for best golfer of the 21st Century honors. Others suggested some curious folks like Michael Jordan, Mark McGwire and Danny Noonan (Caddyshack). We all know Noonan's pressure putt sank Judge Smails -- but come on now!
I've always been a fan of Jack Nicklaus. Being from the Columbus area, I grew up watching Jack and his many, many tournament wins. But the player I've always enjoyed watching is Hale Irwin. He knows how to win. He may not have the numbers that Palmer, Nicklaus and Jones have, but he is great. He's been very successful on the tour in the past decade. He's consistent, which I think defines greatness in golf. If anyone should be in the Top Eight, it should be Irwin. -- Patrick Rolwin, Reynoldsburg, OH I think Tiger has got to be considered in the Top Eight -- based on age, amateur wins, and recent success. He wouldn't come above Nicklaus, Hogan, or even Paolmer, but he's up there. -- Dan Isaacson, Los Angeles, CA It's hard to argue with the eight you picked, but Gene Sarazen should have made the list. How could three of the four career Grand Slam winners make the list and for whatever reason the fourth wasn't worthy enough? -- Bradley, Atlanta, GA I got to say, the eight selected are pretty good selections. The only possible addition to the list is Harry Vardon. He was regarded as the best golfer of his time. Harry Vardon also won a U.S. Open. Counting up his wins in both Opens gives you seven. The only other golfers with seven are Jack Nicklaus and Bobby Jones. All in all, a very good list of the eight greatest golfers. -- Michael A. Burns Hatboro, PA Byron Nelson, 11 victories in a row, 18 victories in a season, and 5th all-time in victories should be on any list of the greatest ever. Also Billy Casper, who in any other generation would have been a superstar had he played at the same time as Palmer and Nicklaus. -- Jason Wallace, Newberry, MI Leaving the "modern" player out of the Top Eight is nothing short of criminal. Your top four are excellent, and Snead could stay as well. But Hagen and Player could be replaced by individuals like Greg Norman, Davis Love III, Nick Faldo, Nick Price or even David Duval. It appears the modern player is being penalized in your poll for playing in an era where the level of competition is higher -- and dominance is short of impossible. -- Doug Hollmann, Milwaukee, WI I wonder at the process by which you come up with your Top Eight. Voting would indicate that maybe you should have limited yourselves to four picks. At least you had the good sense to avoid repeating the Michael Jordan fiasco by leaving Tiger off your list. MJ is in my mind the greatest Pro Basketball player of all time. But College Hoops? Please! And Tiger may well be the golfer of the century, it will just have to be the next one. -- Randy Proal, Cardiff, CA In the 50's, at the height of his prowess, Bobby Locke was effectively prohibited from playing in the U.S. by the PGA. However, he was consistently able to beat the pants off Snead and Hogan in competition in the United Kingdom and in South Africa. While not a long hitter, Locke is recognized as probably the greatest putter who ever lived. Bobby Locke epitomized what we should all do -- learn to achieve golf excellence by playing within our limitations. -- Peter Briscoe, Chesterfield MO When John Daly is on his game and is ready to play he can dominate any course or any field of players. Look at his game -- incredibly long drives, great putting, and his touch around the greens is spectacular for a long ball hitter. -- Kevin Brunson, Charleston, SC I cannot imagine Joe DiMaggio not being on anyone's list of the eight best baseball players -- all you have to do is point to the streak. So it seems to me that Byron Nelson's consecutive tournament winning streak is comparable to DiMaggio's. No one will ever come close to that. Besides the talents of a Byron Nelson, there is also the name and how it has been good for golf throughout the years. He is still very much connected to the game. He is the only golfer to have a regular tour stop named after him. He is also a true gentleman. So why isn't he on the list? -- Ron J. Berard, Breaux Bridge, LA Harry Vardon deserves a nod. After all, the most important fact of golf is stroke average. Vardon was so good in an age of inferior equipment that the trophy for lowest scoring average is named after him. Imagine him being able to play on today's manicured courses. -- Rich Bleakley, Cedar Rapids, IA While I don't have a real problem with the ever- smug and smarmy Shipnuck's Top Eight golfers of the century -- why does it seem that the list of the greatest athletes (in this case golfers) is filled with champions of many decades past? Reverence for history is a must, however, I feel you need to factor in the differences between the game; and those who played it, then, and now. There is surely much more parody in today's fields than in the era of Hogan, Snead and even Nicklaus. Don't laugh, but I think you could put a Greg Norman or a Nick Faldo in the Top Eight for what they have been able to accomplish in a what is now a far more competitive sport. Being No. 1 in the world means a lot more now than it did then. -- Jeff Speicher, Dallas, TX
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