Best Of The Best

If I told you there have only ever been 16 ‘Official World Number 1’ golfers, you’d assume the list would include Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Tom Watson, and the other greats of the post-war era.  You’d be mistaken, though, as the ‘Official World Golf Rankings’ only came into being in the spring of 1986 and were first topped by a meticulous German by the name of Bernhard Langer, before Seve Ballesteros took over just a few weeks later.  That was a period of great success for European golfers, which now seems…Read more …

In Search of the Portuguese Star

Germany had its Bernhard Langer, and more recently, Martin Kaymer.  Spain had, of course, the inimitable Seve, then Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia.  Sweden has been a conveyor-belt of Ryder Cup players, Denmark has Thomas Bjorn and even Italy, with its comparatively modest golfing pedigree, has had Costantino Rocca, and now the Molinari brothers and Matteo Mannassero.  France has perhaps underachieved, but has still delivered a list of established European Tour Pros and names that we all know, like Jean Van de Veld.  Northern Ireland punches well above its weight, boasting three…Read more …