Some Theories On Seven Straight First Time Major Winners And Why We May Get Another This Week

In the July issue of Golfweek I took a crack at why we have had seven straight first-time major winners and suggest that because of money, technology and increased risk of injury, we need to get used to more players not dominating.

As we prepare for the 146th Open at Birkdale after a Wimbledon that featured geezers Roger Federer and Venus Williams in the finals, Derek Lawrenson of the Daily Mail offered thoughts on why golf has gone the opposite direction of tennis, where a small group still dominates.

Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Seve Ballesteros and Tom Watson also won 11 between 1970 and 1984, but a clean sweep of all 15? How on earth can the two pastimes be so far apart? If truth be told, such domination shouldn't happen in a popular individual sport.

During all his years at the top, it's amazing to think Federer has met only two high-calibre players from America in Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi and two from Australia in Mark Philippoussis and Lleyton Hewitt, and none at all from South Africa. Contrast that to the picture in golf.

Indeed, Tiger Woods's unwitting gift to Federer for his dotage must be the fact he turned so many impressionable sporting teenagers in his own nation and others away from tennis and into golf. Hence the reason why the queue of talented twentysomethings at Birkdale this week stretches down the corridor and out the door while in tennis you could count them on the fingers of one hand.

Jordan Spieth was asked about the matter Tuesday at Birkdale. John Huggan analyzes the answer for GolfDigest.com and wasn't impressed.

Spieth took the field depth angle:

“I think it's a really impressive stat and it speaks to the state of the game. There are a lot of tremendous young players right now. And then you've got guys like Henrik (Stenson) and Dustin (Johnson). They are still young, but they have been around in contention many, many times - and sooner or later it was going to happen for them. And it did. It was just a matter of time for them.”