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Best Golfers: Ranking the 10 greatest short games all-time

By Christopher O'Day

AUCHTERARDER, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 26: Phil Mickelson (L) of the United States talks with captain Tom Watson on the 6th tee during the Morning Fourballs of the 2014 Ryder Cup on the PGA Centenary course at the Gleneagles Hotel on September 26, 2014 in Auchterarder, Scotland. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
AUCHTERARDER, SCOTLAND - SEPTEMBER 26: Phil Mickelson (L) of the United States talks with captain Tom Watson on the 6th tee during the Morning Fourballs of the 2014 Ryder Cup on the PGA Centenary course at the Gleneagles Hotel on September 26, 2014 in Auchterarder, Scotland. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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6 Mar 1998: Ben Crenshaw in action during the Doral Ryder Open at the Doral Resort and Spa in Miami, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport
6 Mar 1998: Ben Crenshaw in action during the Doral Ryder Open at the Doral Resort and Spa in Miami, Florida. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Allsport /

Best Golfers #10: Ben Crenshaw

Ben Crenshaw is the one guy who makes this list based not solely on his short game, but including his putting as well. I know that I just said this article would be mostly about how they were off the green, but Crenshaw was so good that if he got himself in position anywhere near or on the green, you knew he was going to be putting up a good score from there.

Playing at the Masters in 2006, at the young age of 54, Crenshaw shot 12 over for the tournament. If not for his incredible short game, the score would’ve been much worse.

Flashback to Crenshaw at Augusta still, 22 years prior. He has yet to win a major, coming agonizingly closer at the U.S. Open, the Open, and the PGA Championship.

Heading to the 10th hole, Crenshaw had already birdied two straight. Facing a 60-foot putt that would make most pro’s go week in the knees, he stepped up confidently. What ended up happening was making one of the longest putts in Master’s history, as he drained it.

This isn’t the putt that stands out though, at least according to Nick Faldo. Crenshaw was facing a 12 footer for par, and Faldo knew what was at stake. “It’s one of the quickest putts because it goes up over a very subtle ridge, and then there is nothing left to stop it. It just goes.”

Breaking from the right, Crenshaw did what he did so often on the green, and made the putt. He ended up winning by two over Tom Watson (spoiler, he is ahead on the list). This ended up being his first major win, and one of his 19 wins on tour. Although he was great around the green, it was his incredible work on the green that gets him on our list of the best golfers of all-time.

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