While golf‘s world rankings tend to be dominated by the United States, Europe’s output of outstanding golfers continues to provide competition for the sport’s leading nation. Since the turn of the century, Europe has won eight of the last 11 Ryder Cups, underlining the depth and breadth of talent across the continent.

To celebrate the rich history of European golfing success, Bunkered decided to name and rank the greatest 50 golfers of all time from said continent, and without further ado, here’s who was named in the top 20.

20 greatest European golfers of all time (20-11)
Rank	Golfer	Best Major result
20.	Peter Alliss	The Open (8th)
19.	Christy O’Connor Jr	The Open (T3)
18.	Ian Poulter	The Open (2nd)
17.	Bernard Gallacher	The Open (T18)
16.	Sam Torrance	The Open (5th)
15.	Henrik Stenson	The Open (W)
14.	Justin Rose	US Open (W)
13.	Darren Clarke	The Open (W)
12.	Padraig Harrington	PGA Championship & The Open (W)
11.	Tony Jacklin	US Open & The Open (W)

10

Sandy Lyle

Majors: 2

Winner of two Majors – The Open Championship in 1985 and the Masters in 1988 – Sandy Lyle was one of the most prominent golfers of the 1980s. His Masters victory holds historic significance, as Lyle was the first British golfer to achieve this feat. Lyle underlined his consistency and quality during his peak period, topping the European Tour Order of Merit three times, in 1979, 1980, and 1985. He also finished in the top 10 a further nine times between 1979 and 1992.

9

Ian Woosnam

Majors: 1

The first Welshman to win a Major, like Lyle before him, Ian Woosnam was a dominant force throughout the 1980s. Woosnam held the no.1 spot for 50 weeks throughout his career, capturing 29 titles on the European Tour, landing him at sixth on the all-time list. Accumulating 10 top 10 finishes at Majors during his career, Woosnam is also remembered for his successes in the Ryder Cup. From 1983 to 1997, Woosnam was a member of eight consecutive European teams, winning the Ryder Cup five times in that period. He also memorably captained Europe to victory on home soil in 2006.

8

Sergio Garcia

Majors: 1

Sergio Garcia is an impressive golfer in his own right, but it is his personality, passion, and grit that have endeared him to fans around the world. Garcia made headlines in 1999, when, aged only 19, he nearly upset Tiger Woods at the PGA Championship. Finishing one stroke behind, it was a sign of things to come for the promising Spaniard. Garcia would finish in the top 10 of Majors a staggering 22 times before he finally claimed his sole win at the 2017 Masters. Garcia is also an all-time great in Ryder Cup competition, having featured in 10 different editions. He currently holds the record for all-time points scored in the competition with 28½.

7

Jose Maria Olazabal

Majors: 2

Another Spaniard with an impressive Ryder Cup history. Jose Maria Olazabal formed one of the most dominant Ryder Cup partnerships with Seve Ballesteros, winning 12 points from 15 matches together. They remain the most successful partnership in Ryder Cup history. As a singles competitor, Olazabal won two Majors – both at the Masters – in 1994 and 1999. In 2012, Olazabal added to his Ryder Cup story when he captained Europe to the greatest comeback victory in Ryder Cup history. Trailing 10-6 going into the final day, Europe overcame America to win 14½–13½ in what is now commonly known as the “Miracle at Medinah.”

6

Bernhard Langer

Majors: 2

The German golfer holds the distinction of being the first no.1 ranked player on the OWGR system. Like Olazabal before him, Langer also won his two Majors at the Masters in 1985 and 1993, respectively. Langer also has a notable slice of Ryder Cup history in his biography too. Captain of Europe in 2004, he led the team to their biggest ever winning margin of nine points, with an 18½ to 9½ point victory. Langer continues to be a force on the PGA Tour Champions. He is currently the most successful player on the tour, having won 12 senior Majors and topped the money list 11 times.

5

Colin Montgomerie

Majors: 0

Monty may have never got that elusive Major, but he remains one of Britain’s most successful golfers to date. He has won more European Tour Order of Merits than any other golfer, with eight. Montgomerie also accumulated 31 wins on the European Tour, surpassed only by Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, and Tiger Woods. He also captained Europe to a Ryder Cup victory, winning in 2010 on home soil. However, he cemented his legacy as a player. Monty secured the 1997 win with the match-winning half-point and also made the winning putt in the 2004 edition. Remarkably, Montgomerie was never beaten in singles during his eight Ryder Cup appearances.

4

Lee Westwood

Majors: 0

Another stellar British golfer with no Major to his name but plenty of achievements to shout about. Westwood has finished in the top three of a Major an agonising nine times, but he still has a career that most golfers should be envious of. World no.1 for 22 weeks, Westwood holds the record for the most appearances made by a European golfer at the Ryder Cup, with 11. Westwood remains the second-highest earner on the European Tour, surpassed only by Rory McIlroy.

3

Sir Nick Faldo

Majors: 6

A world no.1 for almost 100 weeks and a winner of six Majors, few have achieved more than Nick Faldo in golf. A six-time Ryder Cup winner, including a captain’s victory in 2008, Faldo is the second-all-time highest points scorer and match winner, behind only Sergio Garcia. Viewed by many as the greatest English golfer of all time, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1998 and knighted in 2009.

2

Rory McIlroy

Majors: 5

Following the recent completion of the Grand Slam, if he wasn’t already there, Rory McIlroy is definitely now among the sport’s all-time greats. A five-time Major winner, McIlroy is one of six golfers and the only European to have completed the Grand Slam. He is the only golfer to have won the FedEx Cup three times and one of only five golfers to have spent more than 100 weeks at no.1. In the Ryder Cup, McIlroy has featured in every edition since his debut in 2010, winning five times along the way. He is also the biggest European Tour earner in history, leading second-placed Lee Westwood by over $11 million.

1

Seve Ballesteros

Majors: 5

Seve won several Majors, made it to no.1, and still tops the European Tour wins list today, but his legacy extends far beyond that. A highly charismatic and popular golfer, Seve was a leading figure in European golf from the 1970s to the 1990s. He is often credited with reestablishing the prominence of European golf. Noted for his unmatched partnership with Jose Maria Olazabal, Seve was a key figure in the transformation of the Ryder Cup. While his sporting achievements still qualify him as an all-time great in the sport, he surpasses his peers with his desire to better the position of gold within the wider context of international sport. Sadly succumbing to a brain tumour in 2011, Seve Ballesteros continues to live on in the hearts and minds of players and fans alike.