7 Jack Fleck
At the US Open in 1955, Ben Hogan was coming off a second place in the Masters and it had been less than two years since his “Hogan Slam”. He was still without question the world’s leading player and looked to have posted the winning score, however, his thunder was stolen by a complete unknown called Jack Fleck, who birdied the last to get into an 18-hole play-off.
Fleck had come from a very poor background and had been in action on D-Day off the coast of Utah Beach. He had never won before and was in his first six months as a full-time professional, but unbelievably the following day, he beat Hogan by three strokes.
Fleck claimed afterwards that he had heard the voice of God telling him he would win, while he was also using clubs which Hogan had specially made for him.
As with many on this list, Fleck won almost nothing else of note, and in financial difficulty sold his winners medal in 1993.
