The best golfer from every U.S. state

Missouri: Tom Watson

Payne Stewart, a native of Springfield, undoubtedly deserves recognition for his accomplishments throughout his career and life, which was tragically cut short at 42 years old when he died in a 1999 plane crash. Stewart won 11 times on the PGA Tour, including three major championships and one of the most unforgettable moments in U.S. Open history in 1999 as he sank a 15-footer on the 72nd hole to capture the win over Phil Mickelson. However, Stewart’s success fails to compare to that of Tom Watson.

Watson joined the PGA Tour in 1971 and it wasn’t long before he established himself as a player to watch, most notably at the 1974 U.S. Open where he held the 54-hole lead. Though he collapsed in that tournament, he registered his first win on tour just two weeks later as he won the Western Open. There was no stopping him once he got the monkey off his back.

One of the dominant figures of the 70s and 80s, Watson captured his first major championship the next year, winning the British Open in 1975. That would be the first of five victories for Watson at The Open Championship (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982 and 1983) and his first of eight total majors, winning The Masters in 1977 and 1981 and the U.S. Open in 1982. He almost captured the PGA Championship in 1978, but ultimately posted his best finish as he tied for second.

Overall, Watson won an incredible 39 times on the PGA Tour throughout his career, the 11th most all time. What’s more, he’s continued his success on the Champions Tour, winning 14 times since joining in 1999. There’s no question that he’s not just the best from Missouri, but one of the best overall to ever play the game.