Lanny Wadkins in 1988 (AP/Peter Southwick)

6. Lanny Wadkins

PGA Tour victories in 1980s: 11 (of 21 total)

Major titles in 1980s: zero (of one total)

An extremely aggressive and confident player, Wadkins started winning on Tour in the early ’70s but took it to another level in the ’80s. He had multiple-win seasons in ’82 (three wins), ’83 (two), ’85 (three) and ’88 (two) and several close losses in the majors during the decade.

His style perhaps was best suited to the Ryder Cup, where he won 21 and a half points in eight appearances for the U.S. side. He was the Tour’s Player of the Year in 1985, and he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2009.