Bernhard Langer
German ‘machine’ Bernhard Langer is among the golden gems in European golf, being the first player to be ranked world No.1 after the OWGR’s introduction in 1986. Langer boasts a whopping 121 professional wins, including two Masters trophies, 42 European Tour victories, and 45 PGA Tour Champions titles. The star is credited for leading Team Europe to the greatest Ryder Cup victory in 2004.
Jose Maria Olazabal
Two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal aka ‘Chemma’ proved to be a true gentleman, a prolific winner, and a formidable competitor in golf. The Spaniard is fondly remembered for his Ryder Cup partnership with countryman Seve Ballesteros, where they won 12 points in 15 matches. Olazabal boasts over 30 professional wins, including 23 on the European Tour and 6 on the PGA Tour.
Sergio Garcia
Another of Spain’s greatest golf exports, Sergio Garcia, is a loved child by Mother Europe, having cumulatively earned 28.5 points for the ten Ryder Cup teams he participated in. Known for his strong iron play and accuracy, the 2017 Masters champion has spent over 450 weeks in the top 10 of the OWGR. Garcia has 36 professional wins to his name, including 11 on the PGA Tour and 16 on the European Tour.
Ian Woosnam
Welshman Ian Woosnam dominated the eighties and early nineties as part of the “Big Five” generation of European golfers, which also included Sandy Lyle, Bernhard Langer, Nick Faldo, and Seve Ballesteros. The 1991 Masters winner recorded 52 professional wins in his career, including 29 European Tour wins. Most notably, Ian captained Team Europe to beat Team USA in the 2006 Ryder Cup.
Sandy Lyle
Seve Ballesteros once described Sandy Lyle as the “greatest God-given talent” in golf. True to the remarks, Lyle made history as the first British golfer to win the Masters in 1988, just three years after winning The Open Championship. The star bagged a total of 30 professional wins and became a World Golf Hall of Fame inductee in May 2012.
Parting Shot
Europe is a great place to grow up and develop as an athlete, and the continent’s love for golf is guaranteed to grow even fonder going forward. Our list of the most talented European golfers of all-time have made their continent proud by playing at golf’s most elite level, and we cannot wait to see how new talents like will match up compared to these greats.