Our ‘Gades Open is almost here! Anyone who has swung a golf club, or at least attempted to, knows how difficult of a sport golf can be. It requires perfect and consistent technique. Here are a few guys who have mastered the technique and make it seem all too easy. This is a list of the top five ranked pro golfers of today according to the Official World Golf Ranking:
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#5: Matt Kuchar- This 35 year-old Georgia Tech graduate has found himself steadily ascending through the golfer rankings the past few years to earn a spot among the top five in the world. Matt has moved up five places in the rankings in the past three years as he was ranked number ten in the world in 2011. Before he was a pro, Kuchar won the U.S. Amateur Open in 1997 and was the U.S. top collegiate golfer in 1998 receiving the Fred Haskins Award. He earned his first PGA Tour win in 2002 at the Honda Classic. In 2010, Matt enjoyed one of his best years as he finished first in scoring average (69.61), finished first in all-around ranking, first in total money winning him the Arnold Palmer Award and had the most top 10 finishes. More recently, Kuchar had two big wins in 2013; one at the WGC Accenture-Match Play Championship and the other at The Memorial Tournament. Both victories added to his 8 top 10 finishes in 2013.
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#4: Bubba Watson- Bubba is known for his ability to make amazing shots, his colossal drives, his hot pink colored driver and his electric personality. This self-taught golfer only had one lesson as a child from his father and has not had any instruction or lessons since. After leading his Georgia Bulldogs to a SEC title in 2000 as a sophomore, Bubba decided to turn pro in 2001and went on to lead the PGA Tour in driving distance for several consecutive years. Since 2010, Watson has taken first in 6 PGA Tour events and has 23 top 10 finishes. His two Masters Championships in the last three years have cemented him as one of the game’s greats. From his humble beginnings to becoming a PGA champion, Bubba is well aware of what it takes to be successful at the highest level and he takes great pride in his performance on the course.
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#3: Henrik Stenson- Probably the best golfing talent ever to come from Sweden, Henrik has the highest ranking ever achieved by a Swede in the Official World Golf Ranking since he was placed at number 3 in 2013. Stenson turned pro in 1998 and just two years later in 2000 he won the Challenge Tour Order of Merit at the finals in Cuba and his first European Tour win was in 2001 at the Benson & Hedges Tournament. Over the next decade, he earned six more wins on tour including the Accenture World Match Play and the Players Championship at Sawgrass which was an absolutely dominating performance.
He also had top 10 finishes in the US Open and the PGA Championship which add to his 40 plus top 10 finishes to date. His win at the South African Open in 2012 was the start of a stellar 2013 campaign where he had three major victories; the Deutsche Bank Championship, and Tour Championship on the PGA Tour and DP World Championship on the European Tour. He became the first golfer in history to win the FedEx Cup and the Race To Dubai in the same season. It is safe to say that if Henrik continues to have such success on American Soil, he will remain as a force to be reckoned with.
He also had top 10 finishes in the US Open and the PGA Championship which add to his 40 plus top 10 finishes to date. His win at the South African Open in 2012 was the start of a stellar 2013 campaign where he had three major victories; the Deutsche Bank Championship, and Tour Championship on the PGA Tour and DP World Championship on the European Tour. He became the first golfer in history to win the FedEx Cup and the Race To Dubai in the same season. It is safe to say that if Henrik continues to have such success on American Soil, he will remain as a force to be reckoned with.
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#2: Adam Scott- With his thick facial scruff, curly head of hair and an athletic build, this Aussie appears to be more ready to hit the waves on his surf board than he is for a day on the green. However, Adam Scott is well on his way to one day reaching number one the ranking list. He has won golf
tournaments in eight different countries and won the Players Championship at just 23 years-old. Although he has been impressive so far in his young career, critics say that the only thing that eludes the golfer from down under is a Masters title. However, since joining the PGA Tour, Adam has achieved 10 first place finishes as well as finishing in the top 10 an outstanding 62 times. With so much of his career still to come, there is no reason he shouldn’t attain that Masters trophy he’s been waiting for and there is no telling how high his career numbers will get.
tournaments in eight different countries and won the Players Championship at just 23 years-old. Although he has been impressive so far in his young career, critics say that the only thing that eludes the golfer from down under is a Masters title. However, since joining the PGA Tour, Adam has achieved 10 first place finishes as well as finishing in the top 10 an outstanding 62 times. With so much of his career still to come, there is no reason he shouldn’t attain that Masters trophy he’s been waiting for and there is no telling how high his career numbers will get.
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#1: Tiger Woods- What can be said about this next golfer in a short paragraph that would give him justice? If you haven’t heard of him, my guess is that you have been living under a rock for the past 20 years. Tiger Woods is known by the sports world as the best golfer to ever play the game. His list of accolades and achievements is longer than a “Happy Gilmore” drive off the tee.
Ever since he could walk, Tiger has been swinging a golf club and has
proved to be the games ultimate prodigy. At the ripe age of 21, Tiger became the youngest Masters champion in history and the first golfer since 1976 to win the first major he ever played in. This 1997 Associated Press
Male Athlete of the Year hasn’t let up since the start, as his 79 career PGA
tour wins are only three behind Sam Snead’s 82 for most all-time. Tiger is also only 4 Major victories away from Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18. Now at age 39, Tiger still has plenty of years ahead of him and would not surprise anyone if he past both milestones in the next few years. It might be some time before any golfer knocks Woods off the top of the Official World Golf Ranking list.
Ever since he could walk, Tiger has been swinging a golf club and has
proved to be the games ultimate prodigy. At the ripe age of 21, Tiger became the youngest Masters champion in history and the first golfer since 1976 to win the first major he ever played in. This 1997 Associated Press
Male Athlete of the Year hasn’t let up since the start, as his 79 career PGA
tour wins are only three behind Sam Snead’s 82 for most all-time. Tiger is also only 4 Major victories away from Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18. Now at age 39, Tiger still has plenty of years ahead of him and would not surprise anyone if he past both milestones in the next few years. It might be some time before any golfer knocks Woods off the top of the Official World Golf Ranking list.
These five talented golfers have all earned their spot on the Official World Golf Ranking as their skills enabled them to ascend straight to the top five on the list. If you think that you have got what it takes to be the best golfer in the Hudson Valley, come out to our ’Gades Open on June 4th, at the Casperkill Golf Course for a fun and exciting round of golf! To register your foursome, call the Renegades Pitch For Kids office at 845-838-0096, or e-mail Zolz at [email protected].