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 Southern California has produced some great golfers. Two can stake a legitimate claim as the top male and female golfers of our time: Tiger Woods and Mickey Wright. While golf is strictly a numbers game, selecting the top players also can be subjective. Since this issue's theme is about picking the best, we teed it up and gave it our best shot choosing the top 20 players with Southland connections. Tiger Woods Southern California connection: Born in Cypress. Graduated from Western High School in Anaheim. Launched the Tiger Woods Learning Center in Anaheim in 2006. Notable accomplishments: Please. Thirteen major championships. Sixty-four PGA Tour victories, including five in a row in the past six months. Three consecutive U.S. Amateur championships. Six Junior World titles. PGA Tour Player of the Year nine times. Billy Casper Southern California connection: Grew up in Chula Vista. Caddied at San Diego Country Club, where he perfected the short game that made him a legendary player. Notable accomplishments: Fifty-one PGA Tour titles, including three majors. A member of eight Ryder Cup teams; his 23.5 points remains the most by any American. Inducted into World Golf Hall of Fame in 1978. Gene Littler Southern California connection: Born in San Diego and grew up in La Jolla. Longtime resident of Rancho Santa Fe. Notable accomplishments: Twenty-nine PGA Tour victories, including the 1961 U.S. Open. His first PGA Tour victory was in 1954, his last in 1977 at the age of 47. Eight Champions Tour titles and a 14-5-8 record in seven Ryder Cups. Inducted into World Golf Hall of Fame in 1990. Phil Mickelson Southern California connection: Born in San Diego, lives in Rancho Santa Fe. Notable accomplishments: Thirty-three PGA Tour wins, including three majors. He has six Ryder Cup appearances and is the only American to appear in all seven Presidents Cups. Won 32 San Diego junior titles, the 1990 U.S. Amateur and three NCAA individual titles at Arizona State University. Mark O'Meara Southern California connection: Grew up in Mission Viejo, attended Long Beach State. Notable accomplishments: Won the U.S. Amateur in 1979, 16 PGA Tour events, including the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am five times, and the 1998 Masters and British Open titles. Scott Simpson Southern California connection: Born in San Diego, attended USC. Notable accomplishments: Won the 1987 U.S. Open and finished second at the 1991 Masters. Has six PGA Tour victories and one on the Champions Tour since joining the senior circuit in 2005. Corey Pavin Southern California connection: Born in Oxnard, attended UCLA. Notable accomplishments: Fifteen PGA Tour victories, including the 1995 U.S. Open. Also posted 11 other top-10 finishes in major championships. In 2006, he set the PGA Tour record for fewest strokes needed (26) over a nine-hole stretch. John Cook Southern California connection: Grew up in San Diego, has a home in Corona del Mar. Notable accomplishments: Eleven PGA Tour victories. Also won the U.S. Amateur in 1978 and his first Champions Tour event in 2007. Craig Stadler Southern California connection: Grew up in La Jolla, attended USC. Notable accomplishments: Thirteen PGA Tour victories, including the 1982 Masters. He also has 10 victories on the Champions Tour, and in 2004 he joined Lee Trevino and Tom Watson as the only players to win money titles on both circuits. Won the 1973 U.S. Amateur. Dave Stockton Southern California connection: Born in San Bernardino, attended USC. Notable accomplishments: Eleven PGA Tour victories, including the PGA Championship in 1970 and 1976. Also has 14 Champions Tour titles, including the 1996 U.S. Senior Open. Captained the 1991 U.S. team to victory at the Ryder Cup. Al Geiberger Southern California connection: Moved to Santa Barbara as a teenager and attended USC. Head pro emeritus at Stone Eagle Country Club in Palm Desert. Notable accomplishments: Eleven PGA Tour victories, including the 1966 PGA Championship. Also has 10 victories on the Champions Tour. In 1977 he became the first player to shoot a 59 during a PGA Tour event. Duffy Waldorf Southern California connection: Born in Los Angeles, graduated from UCLA. Notable accomplishments: Four PGA Tour victories and three top-10 finishes in majors. Won the 1984 California Amateur and was named NCAA golfer of the year in 1985. Morris Hatalsky Southern California connection: Born in San Diego. Notable accomplishments: San Diego high school player of year in 1969. Won four PGA Tour titles and three Champions Tour events. Amy Alcott Southern California connection: Grew up in Santa Monica. Notable accomplishments: Twenty-nine LPGA Tour titles, including five majors. Also won the 1973 California Women's Amateur and 1973 U.S. Girls Junior Golf Champ-ionship. Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1999. Mickey Wright Southern California connection: Born in San Diego. Notable accomplishments: Won 82 LPGA Tour titles, including 13 major championships. Won the 1952 U.S. Girls Junior Golf Championship and the 1954 World Amateur. Inducted into World Golf Hall of Fame in 1964. Laura Baugh Southern California connection: Grew up in Long Beach, attended Wilson High School. Notable accomplishments: Won the U.S. Women's Amateur in 1971 and the California Junior Girls State Championship in 1971 and 1972. Sixty-six top-10 finishes on the LPGA Tour. Johnny Dawson Southern California connection: Longtime Southern California resident and member of Lakeside Country Club. Notable accomplishments: Won the 1942 California Amateur and four SCGA Amateur titles. Designed O'Donnell Golf Club and kick-started country club life in Palm Springs with the opening of the Thunderbird Country Club in 1951. Kemp Richardson Southern California connection: Founding member of El Niguel Country Club, attended USC. Notable accomplishments: Won the U.S. Senior Amateur in 2001 and 2003. Won the British Senior Amateur in 2001 and was low amateur in 1999 and 2000 at the U.S. Senior Open. Paul Hunter Southern California connection: Former longtime member of Annandale Country Club in Pasadena. Notable accomplishments: Only five-time winner of the SCGA Amateur Championship. Won first title in 1908 and last in 1926. Two-time winner of the California State Amateur. Marge Cryan Southern California connection: Lives in La Mirada, member at Hacienda Country Club. Notable accomplishments: Won the California Super Senior Women's Amateur title 10 times in the past 13 years. Her 10th came in 2007 at the age of 82. |
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