Worst Golfers to Win The Masters

The "worst" Masters champs? That's a little harsh, isn't it? Yes, it is, so let me quickly say that the five golfers on our list were (or are) among the best golfers in the world. After all, they were (with one exception) PGA Tour members, making them, by definition, among the best golfers in the world. But when you look down the list of Masters champions, these are the golfers whose presence is most surprising.

Counting down the Top 5 Worst Golfers to Win the Masters:

5. Larry Mize
Mize's win in 1987 was one of the most dramatic. He birdied the final hole to force his way into a 3-way playoff with Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros. Ballesteros was eliminated on the first hole. On the second playoff hole, Mize chipped in from 140 feet to beat Norman and win the Green Jacket.

Mize has been a journeyman over his PGA Tour career. He had won once prior to his Masters victory, and in 1994 won twice. That gives Mize four career tour wins.

4. Tommy Aaron
Aaron's accomplishments never quite matched his talent ... except for that 1973 Masters championship. It was one of just two tour victories for Aaron, the other coming at the 1970 Atlanta Classic.

But Aaron did show his talent in several other ways: there was a runner-up finish in another major, the 1972 PGA; he was named to two U.S. Ryder Cup teams; he finished in the Top 10 at The Masters five times. In his career, Aaron finished second so many times that he came to be known as "The Bridesmaid."

3. Charles Coody
Coody won just three PGA Tour titles: the 1964 Dallas Open, the 1969 Cleveland Open, and the 1971 Masters. That Masters title came in style. Coody birdied two of his last four holes to beat Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller by two strokes.

While The Masters was his final PGA Tour win, Coody would go on to post five more victories on the Senior Tour.

2. Herman Keiser
Keiser posted just five PGA Tour victories in his career, although he did lose several prime years to World War II. He won once before the war, and four times following the war, including his 1946 Masters victory.

Keiser approached the final green of that '46 Masters with a one shot lead over Ben Hogan, who was playing in a group behind Keiser's. Keiser proceeded to 3-putt ... but not to worry, because when Hogan reached the last green, he 3-putted, too. Keiser won by a stroke.

1. Claude Harmon
Harmon won exactly once on the PGA Tour. But, hey, if you're only going to win once, you might as well make it The Masters! Harmon, a club professional when he won in 1948, earned it, too. His winning score matched the then-tournament record of 9-under 279. He beat runner-up Cary Middlecoff by five shots, a record at the time.

Harmon went on to much greater fame as a golf instructor, and patriarch of the Harmon dynasty of golf instructors. His sons Butch Harmon, Craig Harmon, Bill Harmon and Dick Harmon all became acclaimed instructors, each appearing regularly on lists of the Top 100 golf instructors in the U.S.

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