Golf's Biggest Underdogs

By Alex Myers

May 03, 2016

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Photo By: AP

Photo By: Associated Press

Photo By: AP

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Photo By: Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

Photo By: Getty Images

Photo By: Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

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Francis Ouimet (1913 U.S. Open)

A former caddie at The Country Club in Brookline, Ouimet shocked the golf world with his win at the 1913 U.S. Open there. The 20-year-old amateur beat British stars Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in an 18-hole playoff, an event which was documented by a book and a movie called The Greatest Game Ever Played.

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Jack Fleck (1955 U.S. Open)

Another U.S. Open playoff with a stunning result, Fleck beat Ben Hogan to deny the legend of a record fifth national championship and a 10th major. Fleck idolized Hogan and even used Hogan-brand clubs in the victory at Olympic Club. He would win just two more PGA Tour events, while Hogan would never win another major.

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Catherine Lacoste (1967 U.S. Women's Open)

Playing in just her third professional event, the 22-year-old amateur won at The Homestead. The daughter of tennis player and Lacoste clothing founder Rene Lacoste, Catherine remains the only amateur to win this title. She never won another LPGA Tour event.

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Orville Moody (1969 U.S. Open)

After a 14-year stint in the Army in which he rose to the rank of sergeant, Moody joined the PGA Tour in 1967. Two years later, he made his lone win count in a major way at the Champions Golf Club in Houston.

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Larry Mize (1987 Masters)

The Augusta native pulled off one of the most surprising wins in golf history with arguably the most unlikely shot. Mize took down a pair of legends, Greg Norman and Seve Ballesteros, in a sudden-death playoff that ended thanks to him holing a 140-foot chip at the 11th hole for birdie. Mize didn't win again for six years and finished his PGA Tour career with just four titles.

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John Daly (1991 PGA Championship)

The ninth alternate into the field that week at Crooked Stick, Daly burst into golf lore with his long-shot victory and his long drives. He'd add another major four years later at the Open Championship at St. Andrews.

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Hillary Lunke (2003 U.S. Women's Open)

After making it through both local and sectional qualifying, Lunke defeated Kelly Robbins and Angela Stanford in an 18-hole playoff at Pumpkin Ridge. That wound up being the lone LPGA win of Lunke's career, and she never finished better than T-37 in another major. She's also probably the only major champion to carry an 11-wood in her bag.

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Ben Curtis (2003 British Open)

Curtis became the first male golfer since Francis Ouiment 90 years prior to win his first start in a major. The 396th-ranked player in the world at the time held off the likes of Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Davis Love III at Royal St. George's. Curtis has added three more PGA Tour titles since.

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Shaun Micheel (2003 PGA Championship)

A month after Curtis' stunning victory, Micheel authored one of his own at Oak Hills. The 169th-ranked player in the world at the time battled with Chad Campbell down the stretch before putting him away with an approach shot to within inches on the finishing hole. It remains Micheel's lone PGA Tour title.

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Todd Hamilton (2004 British Open)

A longtime player on the Japan Golf Tour, Hamilton finally earned his PGA Tour card at 38 for the 2004 season. He made up for lost time with a win at the Honda Classic before his major triumph at Royal Troon, where he beat Ernie Els in a playoff. Hamilton never won again on the PGA Tour.

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Michael Campbell (2005 U.S. Open)

Campbell took advantage of the first year of sectional qualifying abroad to earn his spot in the field at Pinehurst. Then, the New Zealander shot the round of his life, a Sunday 69 (all three other players in the final two pairings failed to break 80) to hold off Tiger Woods and claim his only major as well as his only PGA Tour title.

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Y.E. Yang (2009 PGA Championship)

With a two-shot edge through 54 holes and a perfect 14-0 record when leading entering the final round of a major championship, Tiger Woods seemed like a lock to win his 15th major. But Y.E. Yang proved golf's dominant force could be beat on Sunday, outplaying him by five shots at Hazeltine for a three-shot win. Yang hasn't won on the PGA Tour since and Woods is still in search of major No. 15.

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PGA Championship

Golf's Biggest Underdogs

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Francis Ouimet (1913 U.S. Open)

Jack Fleck (1955 U.S. Open)

Catherine Lacoste (1967 U.S. Women's Open)

Orville Moody (1969 U.S. Open)

Larry Mize (1987 Masters)

John Daly (1991 PGA Championship)

Hillary Lunke (2003 U.S. Women's Open)

Ben Curtis (2003 British Open)

Shaun Micheel (2003 PGA Championship)

Todd Hamilton (2004 British Open)

Michael Campbell (2005 U.S. Open)

Y.E. Yang (2009 PGA Championship)

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