(9) Henry Cotton
Born in 1907, Henry Cotton’s first love was cricket, and it was a suspension from his team that led him to take up golf. He turned pro at the age of 17 and finished ninth in his first Open Championship just three years later. In an unbelievable stretch of consistency from 1930 to 1948, Henry Cotton finished in the top ten of every Open Championship except one, recording three wins. This stretch included six years when the Open wasn’t held, due to the war, and it’s tempting to imagine that Vardon’s record may have gone had the event been held. Henry was mentored by the great Tommy Armour, and inherited a liking for the high life from the Scot. As a side note, Armour took American citizenship and thus missed out making it on to this list. Many tales are told of Cotton and his liking for caviar, Champagne and a Rolls Royce lifestyle. Less remarked upon was his relentless dedication to his golf game, often practicing until his hands bled, or his nurturing of young professionals. In his autobiography, Life Swings, Nick Faldo writes fondly of the support Cotton gave him when he first joined the pro ranks.
