Golf is a game built on confidence. But some players take that belief in themselves a little too far, ignoring missed cuts, ranking slides, and cold, complex reality like it’s just background noise.
These guys swore they were on the brink of a comeback, insisted they were “close,” and acted like the leaderboard was a temporary technical error. Here are the 15 most delusional golfers of all time—legends in their minds, even when the scorecard said otherwise.
15. Ian Poulter
Poulter has always carried himself like a major winner, even though he never won one. He’s got Ryder Cup magic, but the self-belief sometimes outpaces the résumé.
14. Patrick Reed
Reed once called himself one of the top five players in the world. That would’ve been bold even if he wasn’t constantly surrounded by controversy.
13. Anthony Kim
Kim was hyped as golf’s next superstar and leaned into it hard. Then he vanished, but the legend in his head never faded.
12. John Daly
Daly hits it far and lives even larger. He’s always believed his way was right—whether that involved diet soda, cigarettes, or skipping the practice range.
11. Rory Sabbatini
Sabbatini once said he was the best player chasing Tiger. Spoiler alert: he wasn’t, and Tiger probably didn’t even notice.
10. Bryson DeChambeau
Bryson tried to science his way to dominance—and told anyone who’d listen that he cracked the code. When it didn’t work, he still acted like it did.
9. David Duval
Duval hit world number one—and then convinced himself for years that his game hadn’t left him. Unfortunately, his scores said otherwise.
8. Sergio Garcia
Sergio used to say the golf gods were against him. It turns out that it was mostly just missed putts and self-inflicted drama.
7. Rickie Fowler
Rickie believed the breakthrough was always “right around the corner.” That corner took years to turn—and he still hasn’t quite caught up.
6. Grayson Murray
Murray often talked a bigger game than he played. From social media feuds to unearned swagger, he seemed more confident than his game ever justified.
5. Phil Mickelson
Phil has won a ton, but his confidence has often veered into fantasy land. Whether it’s insider trades or thinking he could beat Father Time, he’s never doubted himself for a second.
4. Vijay Singh
Vijay used to practice like a machine and talk like no one was on his level. He had the game to back it up for a while, but the ego never took a break.
3. Brooks Koepka
Brooks acted like majors were easy and everything else was beneath him. He might not say it out loud as much now, but the vibe is still there.
2. Jean Van de Velde
After his infamous collapse at Carnoustie, he still insisted it wasn’t that bad. Any man who thinks wading into a creek to hit a shot is a good call has entered a new realm of denial.
Read More: Ranking the 20 LEAST Clutch Golfers of All Time
1. Tiger Woods (in the 2010s)
We’re not talking peak Tiger—he earned that swagger. But during his injury-riddled comeback attempts, he insisted he was “close” for years… even when barely walking. Hey, at least he got that 2019 Masters.
Read More: 10 Golfers Who Were Born for the Spotlight
