Perspective On Recent Run Of Major Winners

Reader J. Michael Kenyon has noticed golf "commentators" are "making a big deal out of how many different guys have won the past 10 or more majors."

And he did a little homework and emailed this:

--Beginning with 2008 PGA (Harrington), 11 different guys have won 11 consecutive majors: Harrington, Cabrera, Glover, Cink, Y.E. Yang, Mickelson, McDowell, Oosthuizen, Kaymer, Schwartzel, McRory (2011 US Open)

But this is not unusual; there have been nine (9) other similar skeins of 11 OR MORE tournaments since the Masters became (albeit retroactively) the fourth major in 1934 (Another column idea for you: why not count Hagen's Western Open wins from when the Western was the 4th major -- and, by the way, when did it cease to have such a distinction? Yup, Tiger is chasing BOTH Nicklaus and Hagen).

Anyhow ... back to the original head's-up where we learn, once again -- voila! -- history REPEATS itself!

--Last time it happened … beginning with 2002 US Open (Woods), 11 different guys won 11 consecutive majors: Woods, Els, Beem, Weir, Curtis, Micheel, Mickelson, Goosen, Hamilton, Singh (2004 PGA)

--Last time it happened … beginning with 1994 PGA (Price), 11 different guys won 11 consecutive majors: Price, Crenshaw, Pavin, Daly, Elkington, Faldo, Jones, Lehman, Brooks, Woods, Els, Leonard, Love, O'Meara, Jantzen (1998 U.S. Open)

--Last time it happened … beginning with 1990 PGA (Grady), 15 different guys won 15 consecutive majors: Grady, Woosnam, Stewart, Baker-Finch, Daly, Couples, Kite, Faldo, Price, Langer, Jantzen, Norman, Azinger, Olazabal, Els (1994 US Open)

--Last time it happened … beginning with 1977 US Open (Green), 11 different guys won 11 consecutive majors: Green, Watson, Wadkins, Player, North, Nicklaus, Mahaffey, Zoeller, Irwin, Ballesteros, Graham (1979 PGA)

--Last time it happened … beginning with 1966 PGA (Geiberger), 14 different guys won 14 consecutive majors: Geinberger, Brewer, Nicklaus, DeVicenzo, January, Goalby, Trevino, Player, Boros, Archer, Moody, Jacklin, Floyd, Casper (1970 Masters)

--Last time it happened … beginning with 1956 PGA (Burke Jr.), 13 different guys won 13 consecutive majors: Burke Jr., Ford, Mayer, Locke, L. Hebert, Palmer, Bolt, Thomson, Finsterwald, Wall, Casper, Player, Rosburg (1959 PGA)

--Last time it happened … beginning with 1944 PGA (Hamilton), 11 different guys won 11 consecutive majors: Hamilton, Nelson, Keiser, Mangrum, Snead, Hogan, Demaret, Worsham, Daley, Ferrier, Harmon (1948 Masters)

--Last time it happened … beginning with 1934 US Open (Dutra), 13 different guys won 13 consecutive majors: Dutra, Cotton, Runyan, Sarazen, Parks, Perry, Revolta, H. Smith, Manero, Padgham, Shute, Nelson, Guldahl (1937 US Open)