Golf Power Rankings: The Top 10 Non-American Players of 2010
If you look at the Ryder Cup, you miss one key thing-- there are more outstanding golfers outside of Europe and the United States.
From Fiji to Canada, golf is played by the most elite players accumulated from, well, anywhere.
In 2010, the tournaments were mostly dominated by Europeans and Americans, but a few names slipped their way in the top 10 Non-American Players of 2010. Enjoy.
10. Graeme McDowell (North Ireland)
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Graeme McDowell has burst onto the golf scene in 2010. His name is mostly known by his victory in the US Open, where he withstood the downfall that every player that Sunday in June seemed to fight.
Heck, the guy who finished in second place--only one stroke behind McDowell--was the 391st ranked player in the world.
Graeme had an impressive 2010 season with two professional victories--The US Open, and the Celtic Manor Wales Open on the European Tour.
The main reason why Graeme slides into the 10th spot on the countdown is simple. He made a name for himself, and well, he won the freaking US Open.
We'll be seeing his name more in years to come as he is just beginning to come into his prime.
9. Geoff Ogilvy (Australia)
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Geoff Ogilvy is one of the finest tuned players in the world today, and that is why he falls on the countdown at number nine.
Ogilvy had a rocky season in 2010. He had one win on tour in the SBS Championship, but he creeps into the top ten because of his play towards the end of 2010 with a second-place finish at the Deutsche Bank Championship, a 24th-place finish at the BMW Championship, and then rounded the year out with a 13th place finish at the Tour Championship.
Ogilvy is a great player, a great ball-striker, and in 2010 showed glimpses of some great golf. If he can get his driving to be a little more consistent, look for him to be a really big threat in 2011.
8. Retief Goosen (South Africa)
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Retief is what some may argue, "The Other Big Easy." When I was real young and would watch golf with my dad, I would always get Retief and Ernie Els mixed up.
The one thing that I love, and always will love about this guy, is he stone-faced demeanor. He could be a stroke in the lead on a Sunday afternoon in the US Open, and triple-bogey a hole, and you would not see his face change whatsoever.
Retief takes the eighth spot this year simply because he never seems to shy away from being there in almost every tournament. He had an astonishing ten top 10's this season, without a single win.
If Goosen could pick up his iron play, he could be a real big threat to the rest of the field. He finished the season 119th in greens in regulation on the tour this year.
That right down near the worst, and to have ten top 10's in a season where your hitting 60 percent of the greens? Man, that is impressive.
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7. Ian Poulter (England)
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You either hate him or you love him. His fiery passion for the game of golf, and his absurd comments are certainly backed up by an impressive game in the Englishman. Poulter won the WGC Accenture Match play this year and had only two top 10's.
The reason Poulter makes it on the list at number seven is because he had a good showing in the Ryder Cup, and although that may seem biased or questionable, Poulter was there on Sunday in 12 of his 15 events.
To me, that is impressive with the big numbers he was putting up in terms of Driving Accuracy and GIR. Poulter is a competitor, and although he may not have the numbers or wins to say he made an impact on 2010, he did.
With how bad he hit the ball all year, he still managed to stay atop the best players in the world, and that says something.
#6: Paul Casey (England)
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Well, luckily Montgomerie pulled out the victory in the Ryder or else Casey could have made a great argument as to why he was not on the team. He sits at number eighth on the money list for 2010.
He did not accumulate a victory, although he was always there with seven top 10's out of his 17 events that he entered.
Paul is a great player, and when firing on all cylinders can be a real force. He has the ability to go really low with the birdies that he gets, but his driving accuracy can always catch up with him.
Some may look back on the choice that Monty made and think he was crazy for not taking Casey in the Ryder Cup; I am one of them.
#5: Ernie Els (South Africa)
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Ernie Els is a veteran of the game of golf. He has been there, done that, with almost everything in golf. He drops in the countdown at #5 simply because he makes a great argument to be the player of the year. Two wins on tour, and seven top 10's prove that Ernie had a good, solid year for himself.
Obviously, Els is to the point where he wants to be running' the table, winning most the tourneys, and a major or two. If he was asked how his year went, he would probably say mediocre.
But, in the eyes of the viewers Ernie is without a doubt worthy of being in contention for that POY. If he could drive it accurately, and find a few more saves per round, Ernie still has the potential to become the new No. 1 in golf.
4. Rory Mcllroy (North Ireland)
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Rory used to be known as the young kid who had a whole lot of potential to be great. He still does have that potential, but to me, Rory has established himself as one of the top dogs in the sport of golf.
He has flashes of brilliance and he has the power to run the table. Rory can birdie or eagle at any moment during a round, and as he has shown, he can drop in a low score out of the blue to keep himself in a tournament, or to possibly win one.
Rory had five top 10's this season, and played his way onto the Ryder Cup team, and even shouted a few words at Tiger along the way.
He won the Wells Fargo Championship when he scored a final round 62 on Sunday to take the win. He has the confidence of Tiger in his prime, and he game is headed that way as well.
3. Luke Donald (England)
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Luke Donald is one of my favorite players, and if his performance in the Ryder Cup was not enough of a reason why he is No. 3 on the countdown, then his seven top 10's and three second-place finishes will finish the argument.
He is arguably the best putter on the tour. He is absolutely relentless when it comes to draining long putts. If Luke Donald had a pin-point iron game, along with a decent driver in the bag, he would be an unstoppable force.
Luke has the ability to get up and down from practically anywhere around the green. He ranked first in sand saves this season, and 19th in putting average, and I would love to see that number outside of 20 feet!
Donald comes in at No. 3 on the list because if anybody wants to argue that he is not one of the best non-American players, bring it on!
2. Martin Kaymer (Germany)
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Where did Martin Kaymer come from? Apparently, he had his PGA Tour debut in 2008. He has burst onto the golf scene and Kaymer has proved to be one of the best players in golf in 2010.
Whether you look at his eighth-place finish at the US Open, or his seventh-place finish at the British Open, Kaymer has proven himself on the largest of stages.
Oh, and did I mention he poked in for a victory at the PGA Championship too? He is young, and has one of the best swings on tour.
Also, he made over $4 million this year. Holy moly, that is a lot of money for a 25-year-old. But hey, that is why Kaymer takes the second spot on the countdown. He is just extremely good.
1. Lee Westwood (England)
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To round off the top spot in the countdown, the one and only, Lee Westwood. Again, if anybody would like to argue why Westwood is not the best non-American player, please feel free to comment.
He is up there with Tiger and Phil in their own category. The top three players in the world, all trying to claim that No. 1 world ranking, and Westwood has had just as much of a shot as any of them.
He is a phenomenal player. Every aspect of his game is fine tuned at the moment, and if he had played the season of 2010 like he played in the Ryder Cup (with the exception of the last day), then he would have claimed the No. 1 world ranking easily.
Six top 10's in 2010. Winning the St. Jude Classic, and of course falling short in a close second-place finish at both the Masters and the British Open.
Westwood is by far the top non-American player in the world, and arguably the top player in the world with the state of Tiger Woods' game. Look out for Westwood to claim that top spot in 2011.
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