Two golfers have dominated European golf because the European Tour was created within the early Nineteen Seventies.
Seve Ballesteros was the primary of these.
The Spaniard was a large of the expansion of the European Tour.
His wild mane of hair, darkish attractiveness, thrilling lengthy sport and magical quick sport grabbed European golf by the scruff of the neck.
The place Seve went, others adopted.
We will’t overlook the brilliance of Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam, Jose Maria Olazabal, Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood.
They have been excellent golfers who remodeled the Ryder Cup, dominated in Europe and contested majors (the primary 4 of these gained them).
However it’s Rory McIlroy who has actually gone to the subsequent stage.
He’s gained 4 majors (though none since 2014).
He has dominated each in Europe and within the States.
And he has that magic mud which Seve had.
However let’s use the pair of them to show simply how a lot European golf has modified.
First win
Ballesteros first tasted victory within the 1976 Dutch Open and gained €5,503.
McIlroy’s equal was the 2009 Dubai Desert Traditional and was value €323,514.
First BMW PGA Championship win
Ballesteros took some time to land this one and eventually did so in 1983 at Royal St George’s. He gained €21,000.
McIlroy additionally had his difficulties within the occasion and finally gained at Wentworth in 2014 successful €791,660.
First Open win
Ballesteros broke via the main stage with victory within the 1979 Open and banked €21,000.
McIlroy’s first Open triumph was in 2014 and value €1,223,449.
Simply the $1.2 million extra!
First World Match Play win
The outdated World Match Play was performed at Wentworth and Ballesteros was at all times related to it within the Eighties.
He first gained it in 1981 and landed €42,000. It was an enormous purse on the time.
McIlroy gained the fashionable World Match Play which was a really totally different beast however it’s value evaluating.
He was victorious in 2015 and earned €1,440,499.
First Order of Benefit win
Ballesteros first topped the European Tour Order of Benefit in 1976 with a grand whole of €29,812.
It was in 2012 that McIlroy first ended the yr on prime spot in Europe and his determine was €4,738,026.
Most up-to-date Order of Benefit win
Ballesteros lastly ended the yr ranked primary in Europe in 1991 with a tally of €763,495.
McIlroy gained final yr’s Race to Dubai with an infinite €9,170,631.
Profession Cash Checklist whole
McIlroy leads the profession cash checklist with a whopping whole of €60,237,119.
Ballesteros ranks 157th with a complete of €5,061,633.
READ MORE: From Rory to Seve: 4 astonishing revelations from the DP World Tour profession cash checklist
