Now that Sergio Garcia has shed the “best player without a major championship” label, which tournament regular assumes that role? Garcia had gone 0 for 73 majors before winning at the Masters this season.
(Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
Lee Westwood
Lee Westwood is now 43 years old. The Englishman, who turned professional in 1993, has 42 professional wins under his belt. Two of those came on the PGA Tour and 23 on the European Tour, where he is tied for eighth all-time.
The reason he is at the top of this list is because he has started in 76 major championships and has some pretty spectacular finishes in several of them, and was ranked as high as No. 1 in the world in 2010 when he surpassed Tiger Woods in the official world golf rankings.
Here’s a look at Westwood’s top 10 major finishes over the years.
| Year | Major | Finished |
| 1997 | Open Championship | Tied for 10th |
| 1998 | U.S. Open | Tied for 7th |
| 1999 | Master | Tied for 6th |
| 2000 | U.S. Open | Tied for 5th |
| 2004 | Open Championship | 4th |
| 2008 | U.S. Open | 3rd |
| 2009 | Open Championship | Tied for 3rd |
| 2009 | PGA Championship | Tied for 3rd |
| 2010 | Masters | 2nd |
| 2010 | Open Championship | 2nd |
| 2011 | U.S. Open | Tied for 3rd |
| 2011 | PGA Championship | Tied for 8th |
| 2012 | Masters | Tied for 3rd |
| 2012 | U.S. Open | Tied for 10th |
| 2013 | Masters | Tied for 8th |
| 2013 | Open Championship | Tied for 3rd |
| 2014 | Masters | 7th |
| 2016 | Masters | Tied for 2nd |
Westwood played in the fifth from last group in the Masters this year with Masters rookie Thomas Pieters. He finished tied for 18th.
With all of those top finishes over the years, he easily assumes the role of “Best player to not win a major.”
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Matt Kuchar
Many may quibble with this next one, but at 38 years-old, Matt Kuchar comes in second on my list of best players without a major.
Kuchar, who turned professional in 2000, has 23 wins as a pro with seven of those coming on the PGA Tour, and has started in 40 major tournaments. In those 40 starts he has finished as high as tied for third and in the top 10 eight times.
Kuchar has been ranked as high as fourth in the world rankings in 2014.
Here’s a look at Kuchar’s top 10 finishes in majors.
| Year | Major | Finished |
| 2010 | U.S. Open | Tied for 6th |
| 2010 | PGA Championship | Tied for 10th |
| 2012 | Masters | Tied for 3rd |
| 2012 | Open Championship | Tied for 9th |
| 2013 | Masters | Tied for 8th |
| 2014 | Masters | Tied for 5th |
| 2014 | PGA Championship | Tied for 7th |
| 2017 | Masters | Tied for 4th |
Kuchar has finished in the top five in three of his last six Masters appearances and in the top 10 in four. He hasn’t finished a season ranked outside of the top 30 in the world rankings since 2009.
(Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
Rickie Fowler
At 28 years old, Rickie Fowler is the youngest player on this list. Just a few years ago Fowler was voted as one of the most overrated golfers by his peers in an anonymous survey. He’s since won the Players Championship, Deutsche Bank Championship and finished in the top five in all four majors in a single season. He also won The Honda Classic this year.
In his young career, Fowler’s 29 major starts include two second-place finishes, one third-place finish, and two fifth-place finishes.
Here’s a look at his top 10’s in major championships.
| Year | Major | Finished |
| 2011 | Open Championship | Tied for 5th |
| 2013 | U.S. Open | Tied for 10th |
| 2014 | Masters | Tied for 5th |
| 2014 | U.S. Open | Tied for 2nd |
| 2014 | Open Championship | Tied for 2nd |
| 2014 | PGA Championship | Tied for 3rd |
Fowler, who was ranked as high as fourth in the world in 2015, has not been ranked outside of the top 15 since August 3rd, 2014.
Others Considered
Brandt Snedeker – Hasn’t been ranked in top 10 since 2012 although he has eight top 10 finishes in 38 major starts.
Steve Stricker – He’s now 50 years old. Has played in 68 majors and has four top five finishes and 13 top 10 finishes.
Luke Donald – Once ranked No. 1 in the world. Has played in 53 majors and has five top five finishes and eight top 10 finishes.
Paul Casey – Finished a season ranked as high as seventh in the world rankings. Dropped to 122nd in 2012 but has climbed all the way up to 14th. Has 52 major starts, two top five finishes and nine top 10 finishes.
Hideki Matsuyama – Too young and too early.
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