DogLeg’s Superlatives and Not-So-Superlatives From 2020

With 2020 in the rear view mirror, we’ll take some time today to name some of our DogLegNews Superlatives from the golf year unlike any other.

So let’s get right to it!

NEWSMAKER OF THE YEAR:

This one was easy — Bryson DeChambeau himself.  He made headlines in so many ways and stirred up a lot of controversy and he is a different cat.  Can’t think of anyone in the history of the game who peeled the layers off the onion that is the game of golf and applied STEM to it — that’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.  Also can’t think of any player in the history of the game who casually announced that he was going to put on 30-40 pounds of muscle and that his goal was to get on the tee box and just hit the living crap out of a golf ball.

Thing is — for the most part, it has worked quite well for the one we call the “Mad Scientist.”  It was unforgettable how he totally dismantled Winged Foot, a U.S. Open layout that has left players wounded and groaning in its wake over the years.  But not Bryson.  He basically clubbed it into submission, finished 72-holes at six-under par and easily won his first major championship.  He was a half-dozen shots better than runner-up Matt Wolff, who finished at even par.  Before the start of the U.S. Open, a lot of players said they’d take a score of even par and probably win.

With his other-worldly distance off the tee, he’s created a lot of angst for the ruling bodies of golf — the United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient.  The distance debate goes on and Bryson is the poster boy.

He also found himself entwined in other controversies, particularly when it came to the rules as he challenged PGA Tour rules officials on more than one occasion.  He also found himself under fire after giving some grief to a television camera operator who was recording his struggles at one point.

He was easily the most talked-about and garnered the most attention on a regular basis and for that, he’s our Newsmaker Of The Year.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

No contest here — Dustin Johnson by a mile.  Four wins and $23,954,307 in money won.  One of those victories came in November at The Masters, his second major championship.

He’s the No. 1 player in the world by a pretty wide margin over No. 2 Jon Rahm.  After such a spectacular year, we wonder what D.J. will do for an encore season.  We’ll have to wait a while as he’s on extended vacation after The Masters victory.

You can also add the fact that he accomplished so much and even tested positive for the CoronaVirus.

WOMEN’S PLAYER(S) OF THE YEAR:

We have co-winners for the ladies — World’s No. 1 Jin Young Ko and No. 2 Sei Young Kim.  They are dominate!

SHOT OF THE YEAR:

Easy one here as well.  Has to be Collin Morikawa’s drive at the 16th hole on Sunday at the PGA Championship at Harding Park.  He drove the green on the testy little 293-yard hole and saw that shot stop just seven feet from the hole.  Ice cream on top of his pie was that he made the eagle putt.  At one time there were seven players tied for the lead on the back nine and that eagle gave Collin a two-shot lead and paved the way for his first major championship.

IRONMAN OF THE YEAR:

No brainer here — Sungjae Im.  He plays in so many events that he basically has lived in hotels.  Sungjae teed it up in 29 events in 2020 and it would have been more had a bunch of tournaments not been cancelled due to the COVID pandemic.  Sungjae would have easily been well in to the 30s for events played.

Good news is that he is finally establishing a home base.  He bought a house outside Atlanta.  Congrats, Sungjae!

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Easy, peasy — Lee Westwood.  At age 47 he won the Race To Dubai and was also voted Europe’s Player Of The Year.  He’s been a stalwart of the European Tour and it was remarkable to see him resurrect his golf game.

SLUMPERS OF THE YEAR:

Have three names for you — Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and Justin Rose.  The first two were easy.  Spieth continues to fall into oblivion but Rickie is close to joining him.  Rickie has fallen out of the world’s top 50 and hasn’t qualified for the 2021 Masters as of yet.

Justin Rose registered just three top 10 finishes in 2020 and has tumbled from No. 8 in the world to No. 35.

BEST NON-WINNER OF THE YEAR:

Scottie Scheffler.  This guy has insane game.  He should win in 2021.  If he doesn’t something’s not right in the universe.

BEST PLAYERS UNDER 25:

Rasmus Hojgaard (19, European Tour), Matthew Wolff (21), Sungjae Im (22), Joaquin Niemann (22), Viktor Hovland (23) and Collin Morikawa (23).

UNDERACHIEVER OF THE YEAR:

Rory McIlroy.  No one else came  close.

BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR:

Tyrrell Hatton.  We knew he had game but now he’s proving it as he played his way into the world’s  Top 10 for the first time in his career.

We could go on and on with this list but it’s time to bid adieu to 2020.

Things will get better in 2021, won’t they?

Happy New Year!