19th Hole
Golf’s 5 biggest underachievers
Tony Jacklin recently called Sergio Garcia “golf’s biggest underachiever”. Garcia, a notoriously poor putter, has won more Ryder Cup points than anyone, pulled on the green jacket, triumphed at the Players Championship and currently sits in the top-10 in career earnings at the age of 40.
Maybe he should have won more, but to call him golf’s biggest underachiever is a gross exaggeration.
Golf is one of the toughest sports out there, and there are several extremely skilled players that at one stage looked to have the world at their feet, and who it just never happened for – the real underachievers of the game.
Here are five players, loaded with talent yet trapped in golf no man’s land, who I sincerely hope can all showcase their best game again on the biggest stages.
Anthony Kim
Let’s deal with the elephant in the room right off the bat. AK broke onto the scene over a decade ago finishing in a tie for second on his very first start. He wowed fans with his swashbuckling style that led him to three PGA Tour victories and a record 11 birdies in a single round at Augusta – all before the age of 25.
Speaking in 2010 on his runner-up finish on his debut, the party-loving Kim said
“Worst thing that could’ve happened to me. When I jumped out on Tour, I was attracted to shiny things, shiny people. I got sucked into a whole different world. I don’t know if things ever got out of control, but they were moving way too fast.”
Nostalgia is powerful, and when it comes to Kim, golf fans are not prepared to let him go, with his legend seemingly growing the longer he stays away from the sport. AK hasn’t played since 2012, where due to poor form and injuries he was only able to play four consecutive rounds at an event twice out of 10 attempts.
He remains away from the sport and away from the spotlight.
Sean O’Hair
An entirely different character to AK, yet their career paths were eerily similar back in the day. At the end of 2010, the 20-something O’Hair had won 3 times on Tour – like Kim. O’Hair had finished in the top-20 at majors 35% of the time – like Kim. O’Hair had dismantled one of the sport’s greats (Els) at the Presidents Cup 6&4, just like Kim had destroyed Garcia a year earlier at the Ryder Cup.
Yet the Texan was a different beast altogether. There has always been a quiet, philosophical and almost melancholic nature to O’Hair – likely owing to his tough upbringing. By the age of 30, the family man had put family life first – living in his wife’s home state of Pennsylvania where practice during winter months wasn’t possible. Naturally his game suffered.
O’Hair, now ranked 618th in the world, has since relocated and has shown flashes of the supreme talent he possesses since then, such as when he pushed Spieth and Reed all the way in a playoff at the 2015 Valspar.
At just 37, O’Hair has time on his side, and he’s also just about the easiest guy to root for.
Andres Romero
Anthony Kim made 11 birdies in a single round at The Masters, and people still talk about it. Andres Romero fired 10 birdies on a Sunday at Carnoustie at The Open while in contention, and nobody seems to recognize the achievement.
The Argentine stood on the 17th at Carnoustie in 2007 with a 2-shot lead before spectacularly blowing up, playing his last two holes in three over par to toss away the Claret Jug.
In 2015, Romero, who is known for enjoying the finer things in life, teed off with his putter to finish a round at the Barracuda after breaking his hand punching a sign. Then, in 2017, he missed four straight cuts to start the year, turned up to the European Tour’s BMW International Open on a sponsor’s invite ranked 837th in the world and won. A true maverick.
As far as mercurial talents go, Romero is a beauty with a bunch of talent undoubtedly unfulfilled – which probably makes him so interesting a character.
Nick Watney
A man well and truly stuck in golf’s twilight zone.
Everyone knows how talented Nick Watney is; he showed us all pre-2013. At the age of 31, the American had won 5 times on tour, including a WGC, and had threatened at multiple major championships – most notably at the 2010 PGA Championship where he had a three-shot lead after 54 holes.
Post-2012 Watney has never been able to recapture that form. One of the main reasons may be his ill-fated club switch to Nike at the time, followed soon after by his split with coach Butch Harmon after the legendary swing instructor regrettably tweeted: “Wow N Watney +15, didn’t see this coming. Must be having some personal problems.” following Watney’s rounds of 82 and 77 at the 2013 Memorial.
Once ranked as high as ninth in the world, Watney now languishes at 229th – seemingly unable to cash in on his immense talent.
Ryo Ishikawa
A decade ago Ryo Ishikawa was destined to become Japan’s first-ever major champion – now he struggles to get into the events. Ryo is still just 28, the same age as Hideki Matsuyama, but unlike his fellow countryman, he has continuously failed to make any impression stateside.
Matsuyama earned his PGA Tour card in 2014, and by then Hideki had won five times in Japan – half the number of wins Ryo had achieved. Since then it’s been the complete opposite. Matsuyama has recorded five victories on the PGA Tour and is a mainstay at the majors, while Ryo hasn’t qualified for a major in five years and has made one appearance stateside since 2017.
The strangest part about Ishikawa? He still remains prodigious on the Japanese Tour, winning three times last year.
Nicknamed ‘The Bashful Prince’, there’s more than a good chance Ryo’s introversion is stifling his immense ability, which going by his final round 58 to win in Japan in 2010 on the same weekend McIlroy was winning at Quail Hollow, is bordering on a gift.
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19th Hole
LET pro gives detailed financial breakdown of first week on tour…and the net result may shock you
On Friday morning, Ladies European Tour player, Hannah Gregg, took to social media to share her weekly expenses playing on the LET.
Expenses of my first week on Ladies European Tour:
Flights: $2600
Work Visa: $350
Food: $377
Caddie: $0 because I have an amazing Fiancé
Hotel: $0 because @GregChalmersPGA sorted me host housing for the week! ?
Rental Car: +0 because the Tour Tee guys GAVE me their car ??…— Hannah Gregg (@hannahbggg) April 26, 2024
“Expenses of my first week on Ladies European Tour: Flights: $2600 Work Visa: $350
- Food: $377
- Caddie: $0 because I have an amazing Fiancé
- Hotel: $0 because @GregChalmersPGA sorted me host housing for the week!
- Rental Car: +0 because the Tour Tee guys GAVE me their car
- Gas: $165
- Entry Fee: $130
- Lounge Pass for caddie: $50
- Gym: $0
- Yardage book: $0
- Total expenses: $3672
Made cut, finished 54th, total earned: $1244 Factor in 35% tax on earnings. To break even, needed to finish 24th. To make money, 21st. Guess we have our goals laid out for next event!”
When factoring in Gregg’s free housing, free caddie and free rental car, it’s evident that most LET players would have to finish well inside of the top-20 to make any money.
With ridiculous amounts of money being thrown around in professional golf these days, it’s important to remember the other side of the coin as well. There are countless professionals out there who struggle to get by on their golf salary.
More from the 19th Hole
- The wild reason why Mark Wahlberg was initially denied entry to an Australian golf club
- 2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
- Edoardo Molinari reveals the latest PGA Tour golfer to turn down ‘good offer’ from LIV Golf
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19th Hole
54-hole golf tour deemed eligible for OWGR points…but it’s not LIV
After a seventeen-month application process, a 54-hole golf tour was deemed eligible for OWGR points.
Unfortunately, for LIV Golf and their fans, it was the Clutch Pro Tour.
After the decision, which is effective immediately, OWGR chairman Peter Dawson issued a statement.
“This is a significant milestone for golf, and OWGR is deeply encouraged by the achievement and the continued efforts in developing the sport of golf in the United Kingdom.”
“We look forward to watching the progress of the Clutch Pro Tour as it continues to play a key role in the development of players from the region,” Dawson added.
OWGR Announcement
Read more here – https://t.co/7J4bFpawqv#OWGR#OfficialWorldGolfRanking pic.twitter.com/ZfBJWCFAm8— OWGR (@OWGRltd) April 25, 2024
The Clutch Pro Tour operates in the United Kingdom and features a 36-hole cut. It also has an open qualifying school.
More from the 19th Hole
- The wild reason why Mark Wahlberg was initially denied entry to an Australian golf club
- 2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
- Edoardo Molinari reveals the latest PGA Tour golfer to turn down ‘good offer’ from LIV Golf
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19th Hole
Charlie Woods attempting to qualify for spot at 2024 U.S. Open
As first reported by Bob Harig of Sports Illustrated, Charlie Woods will be attempting to qualify for this year’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.
The first stage of qualifying for this year’s tournament will be an 18-hole local event on Thursday, April 25th, in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
There will be 84 players in the field, five of which will reach the 36-hole qualifier that will take place in June.
Earlier this season, Charlie attempted to qualify for the Cognizant Classic, and struggled, shooting an 86.
If the younger Woods is able to qualify, he will tee it up in the same field as his father in a few months at one of the more historic U.S. Open venues.
More from the 19th Hole
- The wild reason why Mark Wahlberg was initially denied entry to an Australian golf club
- 2-time major champ announces shock retirement from the sport at age of 33
- Edoardo Molinari reveals the latest PGA Tour golfer to turn down ‘good offer’ from LIV Golf
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