Best player without a major win: Anthony Kim

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Anthony Kim's third season on TOUR has been hampered by injuries and inconsistent play.

Who is the best active golfer who has yet to break through with a major victory? We asked eight PGATOUR.COM writers to each pick a different player and make the argument why that player deserves (or perhaps is stuck with) the label as best player without a major. Read the argument below and click here to see the arguments for seven other players.
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The conversation about the best player yet to win a major is always entertaining if not conclusive. Over the last 20 years that player would have to be Colin Montgomerie -- and I don't even think there is a close second.

But regardless of what Tom Watson might say the sand has effectively run out of Monty's hourglass. That leaves us with a host of contenders to a throne no one wants to occupy, though.

It is probably too early in young Anthony Kim's career to tag him with the title of best player never to have won a major. After all he is only playing in his ninth this week at the PGA Championship. His best finish was a tie for seventh at the 2008 British Open. Earlier this year he made his Masters debut finishing in a tie for 20th. At just 24 there will be a lot more Masters and majors to come.

Kim has shown that he plays his best golf on the toughest courses on the PGA TOUR His second career win came at Congressional Country Club in last year's AT&T National. Congressional will host the U.S. Open in 2011. Beyond winning twice in his sophomore season Kim got a taste of the grandest and perhaps most pressure-packed stage in the game, the Ryder Cup, and he certainly rose to the occasion at Valhalla last year.

While Kim has not added his third PGA TOUR title to his resume this year he has played very well of late. He has two third-place finishes in his last two starts -- including one in his defense at Congressional where he played with host and winner, Tiger Woods in the final group on Sunday.

Kim handled the situation well although it can't be said that he pushed the world's No. 1 that day. Unlike so many who have come before, though, he managed to play a solid round of golf under all that scrutiny.

If Kim didn't seize that situation in July, you get the feeling that he will the next time around. He is brash enough to believe that he can not only take down Tiger head-to-head he is bold enough to believe that he can do it consistently. That is a good thing because it seems very likely in this era that if he is going to capture his first major anytime soon he is going to have to go through Tiger to do it.