Golf Hall of Fame: Rating Tiger Woods and the other candidates
By Bill Felber
Peak performance
A player’s peak performance rating is calculated by averaging the standard deviations of their performances in their 10-best major tournaments over a period of five consecutive seasons. Since golf scores are better when they are lower, the idea is to drive your standard deviation as much to the minus side as possible.
In all of men’s and women’s golf history, only 21 players have achieved a peak rating in excess of -2.00. Ninety-three players have achieved a peak score of -1.50 or better, and that’s a pretty good guideline for Hall membership. There have been 76 eligible inductees with a peak rating of -1.49 or better; all but six (92 percent) have been inducted.
With a peak rating of -2.68, Woods not only has the best peak rating among the nominees, but he also has the best peak rating of all time. That’s one more reason why his induction is a no-brainer. Among the other seven, the best peak rating belongs to Weiskopf. His -1.85 achieved between 1973 and 1977 is tied for 34th all-time with two LPGA players, Hall of Famer Beth Daniel and Suzanne Pettersen, who Is not yet eligible for induction.
Three of the other nominees are above that -1.50 cutoff. Farrell, at -1.57, is tied with Hall of Famer Retief Goosen for 82nd. Palmer is tied with Jim Ferrier at -1.54, and Pepper is tied with Billy Casper and Lee Westwood at -1.53.
For peak performance, the credentials of the remaining three are suspect. Hanson’s peak rating of -1.30 is tied with Ed Dudley, Lanny Wadkins and Bob Rosburg for 138th all-time. Wadkins is a Hall of Famer; the others are not.
Maxwell-Berning’s peak of -1.19 is tied with Johnny Bulla and Brittany Lincicome for 159th. Bulla Is not a Hall of Famer and Lincicome Is not yet eligible.
Harrington’s -1.15 peak rating is tied with former LPGA player Jeong Jang for 168th all-time.
Based solely on peak performance, then, the logical honorees, aside from Woods, are Weiskopf plus one or two from among Farrell, Palmer, and Pepper.