Golf: Ranking The Top Golfer From All 50 States
Few had the charisma and skill to galvanize the galleries like Seattle’s own “Boom Boom” could
Virginia
Sam Snead
To rationalize this choice, all you’d have to say is “82 PGA Tour wins” and drop the mic. But an illustrious career deserves more courtesy. “Slammin’ Sammy” had a swing that is still studied and admired several decades after his prime. That sweet swing from the pride of Ashwood won seven majors, and was Phil Mickelson before there was Phil Mickelson with four runner-ups at the US Open, one of the few voids on his résumé. Known as an intelligent, innovative player, Snead’s longevity has been unmatched. He owns a variety of records: oldest player to win a PGA Tour event (52 years, 10 months, 8 days), oldest player to make a cut in a major and in a PGA Tour event (both at over 67 years and two months old) and the only player to place in the top 10 in a major in five decades. Internationally, he played on seven Ryder Cup teams and captained three. He passed away in 2002.
Washington
Fred Couples
Nicknamed “Boom Boom,” Couples laidback demeanor and sense of cool enamored himself to a large fanbase. Despite back ailments that gave him fits across much of his career, few were as good as Couples when he was on top of his game. The Seattle native was a two-time PGA Tour Player of the year in 1991 and ’92, earning six of his 15 career wins in that span, including the 1991 Masters. Ironically with his injury history, Couples is still enjoying success as he approaches his 60th birthday. He’s won 11 times on the PGA Tour Champions and had a five-year cut streak after turning at Augusta snapped in 2016. With only one major championship, Couples’ induction into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2013 was called into question by golf purists. He had his chances to earn more, finishing with 11 top-fives in majors that didn’t end in victory.
West Virginia
William Campbell
If you play in enough US Amateurs, you’re bound to win one of them, right? At least that might have been the logic of Huntington’s William Campbell. He teed it up 37 times beginning in 1941, finally breaking through in ’64. He played on eight Walker Cup teams (before it was passé to be on the team after your mid 20s), where he was as tough of an out as any, capping his career with a 7-0-1 singles record. In his elder days, two US Senior Amateur titles came along with a runner-up finish at the US Senior Open. A golf lifer, he was also on the USGA’s Executive Committee for several years and was just the third American to hold the position of Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. In today’s era of widespread professionalism in golf, Campbell will stand the test of time as one of the best amateurs.
Wisconsin
Andy North
Two of Andy North’s three career PGA Tour wins are at US Opens, leaving the Monona native with one of golf’s more confounding résumés. He joined the tour in 1972, finding moderate success to keep his card on Tour until his first win came at the 1977 American Express Westchester Classic. A nice feather in his cap, but what came next surely wasn’t expected. He won his country’s top tournament twice, first in 1978 and again in 1985. In between and after that stretch? No wins. Not even on the PGA Tour Champions. Two majors seems to be one of the requisites to make the World Golf Hall of Fame, but a little more meat on the bone is required, too, which North lacks. Nonetheless, two majors his hard to beat among Wisconsites, giving him the nod over Steve Stricker to be the big cheese in the state.
Wyoming
Jim Benepe
The pride of Sheridan seemed on his way to becoming a fixture on the PGA Tour. He won several times in amateur events around the state in the early 1980s on his way to earning a golf scholarship at Northwestern. There, he helped the Wildcats to a Big 10 Championship and All-American honors in his senior season. His steady linear progression continued to trend upward. He won Rookie of the Year and Order of Merit honors on the Canadian Tour and won in Australia before heading to the PGA Tour. In his first event, he beat out Peter Jacobson to win the 1988 Western Open. It was all happening for Benepe before his promising career was cut short just three years later due to constant back issues. He gave it a go again in the late ’90s on the Web.com Tour and abroad, but couldn’t fully revive the magic against a few high finishes.
Next: How Adam Hadwin Joined Golf's Elite
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