It is easy to claim that the game of golf originated in the United Kingdom. The game was born there, evolved, and honed into what it is now. So, it’s only natural that some of the greatest golfers in history have come from the United Kingdom.
Over the years, great British stars have delighted us with thrilling triumphs after the dramatic win. While players from countries other than the United Kingdom have made significant contributions to the sport, it’s interesting to reduce the scope of achievements in the sport based on where players are from.
So, without further ado, and in no particular order or ranking, here are the best British golfers of all time.
Ian Poulter
Ian James Poulter is a member of LIV golf and an English professional golfer. He has previously been ranked as high as fifth in the world. Poulter’s two world golf championship victories to date have come at the 2010 WGC Accenture match play championship and the 2012 WGC-HSBC champions. He is the woburn golf and country club’s touring professional.
Luke Donald
Luke Campbell Donald MBE is a former world number one English professional golfer. He mostly competes on the PGA tour in the United States, although he is also a member of the European tour. In 2011, Donald won several tournaments and accolades. He won the PGA Tour money list as well as the European race to Dubai to clinch a historic double, becoming the first player to win both the PGA and European Tour money lists in the same year.
A good year such as this is also a good year for people betting on golf. As such, bookmakers in UK also did have good business every time a hyped-up tour is on.
In 2012, he received an MBE for his contributions to golf. Donald has eight top-10 major championship results, including two third-place finishes. He is one of only two players to hold the world’s number one position without having won a major championship, the other being Lee Westwood.
Graeme McDowell
Graeme McDowell MBE is a Northern Irish professional golfer who competes on the European Tour and for LIV Golf. He is well-known for his victory in the 2010 U.S. He won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, breaking a 40-year drought for Europeans. He has featured in the top ten of the official world golf placing, with a peak ranking of fourth in 2011.
Rory McIlroy
Rory Daniel McIlroy is a former world number one in the official world golf ranking, having held that position for more than 100 weeks during his career. He has four major titles, including the 2011 U.S. open. The Open, the PGA Championship in 2012, the open championship in 2014, and the PGA Championship in 2014. He is one of three players, along with Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, to have won four majors by the age of 25.
Nick Faldo
The golfing world was ready for a new champion after the intense competition between Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros in the 1980s. That’s when Nick Faldo shot to fame. He won his first Master’s tournament in 1990 and dominated the decade till its conclusion.
He has won nine PGA tour championships, including six majors. He is still one of Europe’s most decorated players. Aside from winning his formal accomplishments on the course, Faldo can also brag about dominating the World Golf Rankings for an incredible 98 weeks.
Nick Faldo was knighted in his home in England in 2009 for his services to the game of golf.