The crowds have dispersed, the courses have gone quiet — the major championship season is over.
Three of this year’s four majors were packed with drama and for the first time, all four champions were under the age of 30 — more proof of the youth movement on the PGA Tour.
So let’s take a look back at what transpired at golf’s most important events.
The Masters:
Scottie Scheffler came into the season’s first major as the world’s No. 1 but was content to fly “under the radar” because this marked the return of You Know Who to championship golf. Tiger Woods made his comeback, to the surprise of many just 14 months following his single car accident in L.A. It’s still considered a minor miracle that he showed up and made the cut.
Scheffler opened with rounds of 69-67. Scoring was not very low as Augusta National has done well in defending itself against the distance issue in today’s game. By the time he walked up the 18th fairway, Scheffler had a five-shot lead so there wasn’t much drama down the stretch. Cameron Smith was in pursuit until he dunked his tee shot at the 12th into Rae’s Creek.
Sheffler shot 71-71 over the weekend, had a sloppy three-putt to wrap things up and was the only player in double-digits under par — 10.
With no pressure on him, Rory McIlroy blazed his way to a final round 64 that included a spectacular hole-out from the bunker right of the green for a final birdie. Rory finished second, three shots behind Scottie. Smith tied for third with Shane Lowry at five-under par.
As for Tiger, he finished 47th. After making the cut with rounds of 71-74, he was gassed and shot 78-78 over the weekend.
PGA Championship:
Unlike The Masters, the season’s second major was packed with drama. It looked like Mito Pereira would pull off a stunning upset until he made double-bogey at the final hole at Southern Hills. He shot 75, fell back to four-under and left it to Justin Thomas and Will Zalatoris to duke it out in a playoff. Justin Thomas prevailed to win his second PGA Championship. If only Will Zalatoris could putt.
Cameron Young made his presence known. With rounds of 71-67-67-71, he finished tied with Pereira at four-under and gave a preview of things to come from the rookie sensation.
Tiger Woods once again showed up, made the cut but withdrew before the final round and made the decision to skip the U.S. Open to prepare for St. Andrews.
The U.S. Open:
Scottie Scheffler was in the thick of it again, so was Will (if only he could putt) Zalatoris. But this one proved to be a familiar stage for England’s Matt Fitzpatrick, who won the 2013 U.S. Amateur at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., site of this season’s U.S. Open.
Fitzpatrick had fond memories of the course and it showed. He shot 68-70 and a pair of 68s over the weekend to step into the world of major champions. His defining shot for the championship came at the 72nd hole when he hit a tremendous bunker shot that clinched the championship. He finished five-under par as The Country Club proved to be a great test.
Sheffler shot 70-67-71-67 to finish a shot behind, tied with Zalatoris (if only he could putt).
Hideki Matsuyama had his best major finish of the season. A final round 65 earned him solo fourth at four-under par.
The 150th Open Championship:
The Old Course at St. Andrews was the stage for this one and what a week it was. Who would have thought that the best weather of the major season would be that week in Scotland where the elements didn’t show up and low scoring did.
After he went 66-68-66 — pre-tournament favorite Rory McIlroy was in position to earn his second Claret Jug and end his near eight-year winless streak in the majors. He went into the final 18 tied with Viktor Hovland at 16-under par. Cameron Smith and the other Cameron — Cameron Young — were four back at the start of the final round and played in the next-to-last pairing.
With McIlroy playing an extremely conservative game plan and Hovland stumbling, Smith did the unthinkable. He went out and birdied the first five holes of the inward nine then made a great par save at the famous 17th. He watched playing partner Young holed a 25-footer for eagle at 18 then calmly hit his approach putt from just off the green within three feet for the winning birdie and a 20-under total.
McIlroy took 36 putts on Sunday, three too many. He’ll look back and know that a par at the 14th doomed him. Rory had no choice but to try and pitch in for eagle at 18 and left himself making par, giving second place to Young at 19-under. Rory finished third at 18-under, closing with 70 and leaving the masses disappointed.
Tiger Woods showed up with a lot of hope and optimism but that went away after a first round 78. He followed it up with a 75 and his short game abandoned him and he missed the 36-hole cut badly.
Four majors — two had a lot of drama, one had some, The Masters — not so much.
Now it’s a long nine months to the 2023 Masters.
Good news — football season will soon be upon us!
10 Comments
baxter cepeda
First of all I’m increasingly over watching so much football. I’d rather watch smaller golf tournaments like on the pga tour and now have a whole other increasingly have to give time to a growing super golf tour —which could have been called PGA Tour Super Golf League if Monahan opened email and had positive negotiating skills and a personality.
For me Scheffler winning is significant because the guy is clearly a master, and he is one of the lucky ones to establish that jacket first and foremost, which is what the truest of golf masters usually do.
But the most memorable is between the other 3. JT basically cementing his hall of fame status by stealing his second pga at arguably the best pga championship site at Southern hills; with respects to Kiawah. Fitz repeating at the Country Club, aptly named as its the oldest club in America. And of course the super likeable and super player Cam Smith putting on a run for the ages on the super aptly named oldest of courses, the old course.
I almost can’t choose between the 3.
But I think years from now my boys at the usga will collective memory us Fitzpatricks two wins at the country club well ingrained. That really was such a special accomplishment in my book. Fitz double at the CC is what I think I’ll remember most about this year.
And of course LIv v Monahan.
Tom Edrington
It’s LIV vs. PGA Tour, DP World Tour, R&A — and soon to join the “hate LIV” movement — PGA of America, USGA and perhaps, just maybe ANGC. LIV just totally disrupted the Ryder Cup, which shows they are not just out to hurt PGA Tour but everyone else. Open your eyes, Baxter…..it’s a glorified Champions Tour, retirement city for Pat Perez, Phil, and the other codgers….only relevant guys are DJ and Bryson and playing on that Tour will eventually erode their skills….Brooks knows his body is failing him, that’s why he went.
baxter cepeda
Tom I’m gonna keep this one short:
I’m not the one that needs to open his eyes (on this one at least).
Tom Edrington
The R&A, a main governing body, disagrees with you, I’ll leave it at that…..they are Royal and Ancient and know what is and isn’t good for the game moreso than either you or I!!
baxter cepeda
I disagree greatly. Both you and I know what’s best for the game over these people. These people are powerful and filthy rich and have little reason to see their weaknesses and make changes. Especially anything they fear will diminish their value. It’s the definition of being fat cats.
Liv puts extreme pressure on the majors to raise their purses, and of course they don’t like that.
Tom all these people are extremely biased and fearful for themselves and not the sport.
The sport is absolutely fine. Golf is as healthy and strong as ever. The pga tour and the euro tour and even the majors may be under a lot of pressure. But the sport is all good baby. So are the players. So are the fans as these entities now have to battle for people attention.
This is such a great time for everyone in golf except the golf establishment.
Tom Edrington
No world ranking points equals slow death; No major television contract equals slow death…..simple as that.
baxter cepeda
Again if the owgr don’t acknowledge Lib they are only hurting themselves. They are going to have to. They will have no choice. Especially once those incentives kick in.
As for television:
First I think a deal is eventual.
But You know the Saudis are known for starting their own extremely successful channels and have incredible ability for those channels to reach the viewers they want to reach, right?
They have done this with soccer in America with that bein channel.
They can basically start a rival to golf channel tomorrow if they want.
Of course the established television channels in America —because of their biases for other sports— held soccer down for a long time in America. But since the Saudis started that channel, more and more have followed and soccer is now constantly increasing in coverage. Americans can now proudly say they love and watch soccer. Almost every channel and network works with soccer now.
Similar story with F1.
With the kind of money LIv has, none of these issues are issues.
Tom Edrington
I believe Lee Trevino disagrees with you, we’ll have some words from Lee this week for you to digest…..Lee stays up with everything these days and gives pretty informed opinions.
baxter cepeda
I heard Lees interview. Changes nothing.
Tom Edrington
LIV will simply be its own version of the Champions Tour — mostly old guys — 54 holes — an exhibition…..not serious golf.