Ranking the Top 5 FSU Golfers of All Time
Today, the Masters was supposed to start in Augusta, GA, but it was postponed like all sports, let alone most commerce, around the globe. En lieu of what would be the start to a highly competitive major season in which Florida State's own Brooks Koepka would compete to earn his fifth major championship and avenge last year's close loss to a certain golfer you may have heard of, we are bringing you the top five 'Nole golfers of all time.
Like the college game, five golfers have been chosen and seeded from fifth to first. We'll site a handful of hard facts and then give a brief summary as to why each golfer deserves that seed. We've also pooled a handful of remaining FSU golfers worthy of consideration.
With the help of fellow golf writer (and all around Renaissance Man), Jay Revell, we have compiled our list. We took turns writing about why each golfer deserves a spot on the team.
Courtesy: FSU Golf
5. Nolan Henke (0 Majors, 3 PGA Tour Wins, 1 Other Professional Win, 3 Amateur Wins)
Henke was an outstanding amateur, winning three times in college and being named an All-American three years year in a row, from 1985-1987. He joined the Tour in 1988, and like most pros, found a three to five year window when he peaked. From 1990-1993, Henke won three times on the Tour. In that time period, he also had his best finishes in major championships, with two sixth place and two seventh place finishes coming at the Masters, US Open, and Open Championship.
4. Jeff Sluman (1 Major, 6 PGA Tour Wins, 6 Other Professional Wins)
Sluman’s career in professional golf has been one of unconventional success. Since turning professional after graduating from FSU in 1980, he has amassed an impressive resume, including six wins on the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions.
Amazingly, his first and most significant tour win was a major: the 1988 PGA Championship. Contested at Oak Tree National in Edmond, Oklahoma, Sluman fired a blistering Sunday 65 to win by an impressive three shots over fellow FSU alum Paul Azinger. Despite having a major on his resume, Sluman did not win again for nearly a decade. However, he caught fire in the backend of his Tour career, winning five more titles between 1997 and 2002.
After graduating to the PGA Tour Champions, Sluman had a decorated run on the senior circuit, including winning the First Tee Open at Pebble Beach three times. Sluman’s career might be even more impressive with a better playoff record; between the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions, he is a combined 1-9 when extra holes were needed.
3. Paul Azinger (1 Major, 12 PGA Tour Wins, 4 Other Professional Wins)
'Zinger is probably the most outspoken of all the former FSU golfers. It helps that it’s his job to provide analysis for NBC. Azinger started his collegiate career at Brevard Community College before transferring to Florida State. He won 12 times on the Tour, including one major, the 1993 PGA Championship, and the 1992 Tour Championship. Additionally, he posted 10 top-tens in majors throughout his career. He participated in five Ryder Cups, four as a player and one as Captain, winning three.
Courtesy: FSU Golf
2. Hubert Green (2 Majors, 19 PGA Tour Wins, 12 Other Professional Wins, 4 Amateur Wins)
Hubert Green was the first ever golfer enshrined in the FSU Hall of Fame, and rightfully so. His career on the PGA Tour was among one of the most impressive of his era. The 1971 Rookie of the Year, Green went on to win 19 times on the Tour, including two major championships.
His first major title was the 1977 US Open at Southern Hills, where he played through a death threat in the final holes to win by one stroke over Lou Graham. The following year, Green came painstakingly close to capturing the Masters, missing a three-foot putt on the final hole that would have put him in a playoff with Gary Player. He cemented his incredible career with a second major at the 1985 PGA Championship at Cherry Hills, edging out Lee Trevino in the final group.
Green was a three-time Ryder Cup player and never lost a singles match. He also added four titles on the PGA Tour Champions. In 2007, Green became a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, a distinction no other FSU golf alum has achieved.
1. Brooks Koepka (4 Majors, 7 PGA Tour Wins, 12 Other Professional Wins)
In less than 24 months, Brooks Koepka won four majors and went from a somewhat unknown Tour golfer to the most dominant player on the planet. He was the strong, silent type-- until he started talking. Now he calls out golfers for slow play and stares them down on the putting green.
The most fascinating angle of Koepka's run was that he has more majors than he does non-major Tour wins. He cares so little for the weekly grind that he treats the tournaments as tune ups. It’s a bit of a misnomer that he doesn’t care, though he says he’d rather be fishing, playing professional baseball, or posing in the Body Issue.
He cares enough to have spent a year grinding on The Challenge Tour (2012), the Euro Tour’s minor league, and two years on the Euro before earning his card with a fourth-place finish at the US Open. Even then, in 2014, he was a killer in the majors. The beginning of 2020 was not promising, as he recovered from a knee injury-- one, by his own admission, that was much more painful than he let on. He’s 30, so his body takes more time to heal and maintain. Perhaps this layoff is a silver lining to a season that could have spelled the end of two of the best years of golf the Tour has ever seen.
The Rest of the Team
Downing Gray: Perhaps the least known among great FSU golf alumni, Downing Gray was one of the most heralded amateur players of his generation. Gray, a 1961 graduate of Florida State, once won seven consecutive collegiate tournaments. He was a three-time Walker Cup player and went on to serve as captain of the team on two occasions.
Qualifying for the US Amateur 19 times, Gray’s best finish there was a runner-up finish in 1962. His most impressive feat, however, is more than likely the seven appearances he made in the Masters-- twice winning the low amateur award. Gray is a member of the FSU Hall of Fame and is widely regarded as one of the best lifelong amateur golfers of the 20th century.
Daniel Berger: A native Floridian, Berger’s unique swing comes from learning to play tennis with his father, a teaching pro in Plantation, FL. Berger was a two-time first-team All-American who turned pro after his sophomore year at Florida State.
From late 2013 to 2015, Berger played his way onto the PGA Tour via the Web.com Tour. In '15, he didn’t win on the Tour but was the only rookie to make the Tour Championship, with six top-tens, including two runner ups. He finished 11th in the FEDEX Cup standings and 25th on the money list. Those accolades earned him Rookie of the Year honors. He has two Tour victories, both at TPC Southwind in Memphis in back-to-back years. His best major finish is a tie for sixth at the 2018 US Open, behind his former FSU teammate Koepka, who took home the hardware.
George McNeil: During the late 1990s while FSU was among the best football programs in America, George McNeil brought relevance to the Seminole golf program, helping the men reach the NCAA tournament twice. McNeil earned both All-ACC and All-American selections while wearing the garnet and gold. He earned his playing privileges on the PGA Tour in 2006 and won his first title in 2007, his first full season on the tour. McNeil captured a second win at the 2012 Puerto Rico Open. He has recorded 21 top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour and still holds his card today.
Jonas Blixt: Blixt, a two-time All-American at FSU, was a more decorated collegiate golfer than many on this list. His time on the Tour has been a steady, successful career. From 2008-2011, Blixt played the Challenge Tour and the Nationwide Tour. He earned his card in 2012 and has won three times since-- once each in '12, '13, and '17. His best major finish came at the Masters, where he tied Jordan Spieth for second in 2014.
