Have you ever had that famous clubhouse debate about creating the perfect golfer? The one that lets you choose a player to crush your tee shot, another to nail your approach, a wizard with the wedges to get you onto the green and a prolific putter to propel you to glory. Well, if you find yourself embroiled in such a dispute on your next visit to the 19th hole, we might be able to help.
Datagolf.com have collated over 20 years of stats to give us the best golfer in each major strokes gained category in that time period. You can probably predict certain members of the elite line-up we are about to unveil, but be warned, there could be a few surprise omissions ahead...
Strokes Gained: Off the tee
When you consider the sheer volume of absolute crushers we've had in world golf over the past 20 years, narrowing it down to one player would usually take some real deliberation.
When it comes to the data, however, there is only one winner. Enter, Rory McIlroy.
The Northern-Irishman narrowly pips Jon Rahm to top spot in this category, gaining over a stroke on average in the 1353 measured rounds that Data Golf tracked. His consistency and power is quite frankly frightening, ranking 3rd for driving distance – marginally behind Dustin Johnson and Bubba Watson – and 1st for Strokes Gained: Tee to green.
Strokes Gained: Approach
How far did you really think we would get down this list without mentioning him? Tiger Woods stole the show on approach, making up 1.2 strokes on average in 855 measured rounds.
If the 15-time Major Champion found the fairway in his prime (and most of the time if he didn't) it was almost inevitable that he was going to stick it in close to the pin. Tiger accumulated 82 PGA Tour wins, in a career which arguably places him as the greatest golfer of all time, and I am only surprised he isn't vying for contention in every category.
The chasing pack in this category are led by Collin Morikawa, Paul Casey and 2024 President's Cup Captain Jim Furyk.
Strokes Gained: Around the green
There are plenty of names you might expect to see in this section, perhaps most notably the six-time Major Champion and short game sorcerer, Phil Mickelson. But perhaps, like me, you will be shocked to find he didn't rank in the top-20!
The top-ranked player to get us out of trouble with a wedge in hand is in fact the Spanish sensation Jose Maria Olazabal, who outperformed a stellar list including Steve Stricker, Corey Pavin and Mike Weir.
Gaining almost half a stroke on average over 926 measured rounds, the two-time Masters Champion was able to maintain an almost mesmeric control over the golf ball from anywhere around the green.
While you might not expect to have many shots around the green if Tiger is hitting your approach shots, on the odd occasion that we do, Olazabal is our go-to guy!
Strokes Gained: Putting
'Drive for show, putt for dough' as the old saying goes, but who do we want standing over that awful right to left downhill slider on the 18th green?
According to the data, Brad Faxon is your man. Conjuring almost three-quarters of a stroke on average over 515 measured rounds, the eight-time PGA Tour winner wielded the flat stick like no other.
This was the closest category to call, with the top-11 separated by just 0.2 strokes on average. The notable names on the also-ran list include Ryder Cup captains Luke Donald and Steve Stricker, along with another predictable entry for Tiger Woods.
