The 50 Greatest European Male Golfers

1. Seve Ballesteros

Spain | April 9, 1957 | TP 1974

Like it could be anybody else, right? One of a small and distinguished group of athletes who is identifiable by their first name alone, Seve might not have won as many majors as other players (five), or won as much money, or been at the top of the world rankings as long. However, his career cannot be accurately measured by stats and numbers alone. Instead, it needs to account for intangibles, such as influence, charisma and the like. He almost single-handedly transformed the Ryder Cup and paved the way for a new generation of golfers from continental Europe to make their mark on the game. A fiery genius, he tragically succumbed to a brain tumour in 2011 but his memory and his importance to the game lives on, and likely always will.