To the victors go the spoils of shiny trophies, historical recognition, endorsement deals and lengthy exemptions on the richest tours in the world.
To the vanquished goes the Summative Slam title for 2014.
It might not be much of a consolation prize, but for Rickie Fowler, at least it is something.
The American easily won honours among the 13 players who made the cut at all four majors this year, finishing 32 under for the year, the third-best cumulative total since golf’s grand slam was popularly coined in 1960.
Yet while Fowler became only the third player in modern majors history to post top-five finishes at all four in the same season – joining Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, who each did it twice while winning at least one major title during those seasons – he did not win a major in 2014.
Which means So Fowler established a first in that regard, too. Even though Rory McIlroy won the last two majors of the year in impressive fashion and finished 27 under for the year, Fowler beat him by five strokes over the 16 major-championship rounds.
That wins nothing on paper, but we are here to herald consistency at the game’s cornerstone events.
Fowler extended a historical oddity, too. He became the third player in as many seasons to finish with at least a share of the Summative Slam seasonal title without winning a major, joining Australians Adam Scott (2012) and Jason Day (2013).
Fowler’s stroke total of 1,108 ranks third historically since 1960, one stroke behind the cumulative score of David Duval in 2001, the season the latter won the British Open.
The record tally will come as no surprise – Woods slaughtered the competition when he won three majors in 2000 and shot 1,095, a whopping 35 strokes better than the next player, Ernie Els.
A few other odds and ends: Scott has become a rock at the majors, finishing fifth in the Summative Slam chase this year after shooting the lowest cumulative score in 2012 and 2013. He shared the title with countryman Day last year
Phil Mickelson missed the cut at the US Masters and has never been known as a rock of consistency, but he has topped the Summative Slam chart three times in the past decade, the most of any player. Woods has led the list twice in the last decade and five times in his 19 professional seasons.
Woods made the cut at one major this year, reinforcing the notion that there is yet another Nicklaus record he will never break – the Golden Bear topped the Summative Slam chart a record 10 times.
Summative Slam
Players who made the cut in all four 2014 majors:
1. Rickie Fowler, USA, -32
2. Rory McIlroy, NIR, -27
3. Jim Furyk, USA, -21
4. Adam Scott, AUS, -18
5. Jimmy Walker, USA, -13
5. Henrik Stenson, SWE, -13
7. Justin Rose, ENG, -9
8. Jason Day, AUS, -3
9. Louis Oosthuizen, SAF, +1
10. Brandt Snedeker, USA, +2
11. Bill Haas, USA, +5
12. Francesco Molinari, ITA, +9
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