The golf world has been as interesting as ever for yet another season. Also, the incredible year was consistently controversial due to board-level major decisions, golfers making headlines, goofy PGA tour maneuvers, and legal battles. All these amalgamated interesting stories are just part of the on-course game.
So, let’s take a short recall of all those captivating events that kept the audience engaged, before this year draws to an end.
A Merger Between Rivals
The signing of the PGAT-LIV-DP World Tour merger, under the table, was the biggest shocker of 2023. So much so that big time PGA Tour loyalists like Rory McIlroy felt like ‘sacrificial lambs’ in the entire ruckus. Since LIV’s inclusion on the roster, a battle for supremacy has been ongoing between the PGA Tour and the Saudi-backed league. June 2023 proved to be a turning point in the sport’s history, which would change the future of golf forever.
Even so, the situation escalated, with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan being called out by some players to resign, given that the commissioner acted without the consent of the golfers. Then, to keep things transparent, Tiger Woods was installed as the sixth player director on the PGA Tour Policy Board, and now the negotiations for the framework agreement between the PGA and LIV are underway to rush it into completion before December 31st.
Bryson DeChambeau Achieves a Record Feat at LIV Golf Greenbrier
Bryson DeChambeau made an evident comeback to the greens following his injury. However, the most stellar sight of his performance was in the third round of the LIV event in Greenbrier, where he scored 58 and created a record round in his career. His total score over three days was 23-under-187.
After this feat, he was rumored to be playing for the US Ryder Cup team but that didn’t happen. His stellar run continued on in Chicago where he grabbed his second LIV victory, and he even aided his team, Crushers GC, to win the Team Championship in Miami.
The Sensational HatGate
This year’s Ryder Cup was as erratic as ever for Team US. The confidence of the team was not only shattered by Marco Simone due to sub-par performances, but there were also reports of a fracture within the team, playing in the locker room.
There were stories regarding Patrick Cantlay allegedly denying wearing the Ryder Cup hat because he allegedly wanted to get paid for playing in the prestigious tournament. The international tournament follows the tradition of non-payment. But later, he dismissed all these allegations stating that they were “complete lies”. But this wasn’t the only controversy surrounding the Ryder Cup.
Joe LaCava’s Fierce Altercation with Rory McIlroy
Although Friday’s round was a disaster for the Americans, on Saturday, they went head-to-head in four balls. In this match, Patrick played a huge role alongside Wyndham Clark. Against them were Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick.
Things escalated when caddie Joe LaCava waved his hat to cheer Cantlay after a marvelous shot. This incident infuriated Rory, who engaged in a heated talk with the bagman. Later, the caddie apologized to McIlroy for his behavior.
World No. 1 Golfer’s Weep Fest on the Course
On the Saturday foursomes, the second match was played between Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka from the American side, and Ludvig Aberg and Viktor Hovland from the European side. But as the match went on, Aberg played much better than Scheffler, landing the score at a record defeat of 9–7.
After the conclusion of the round, Scheffler was seen crying on the shores of the course. The European Ryder Cup team ended up clinching the trophy with 16.5–11.5.
LIV Golf’s OWGR Claim Gets Denied
The one thing that has been holding back LIV is the race to get OWGR points for its players. As the last ditch try, they signed a petition by some of the league’s golfers and sent it to Peter Dawson as a plea. Later, they were denied their request and to back the decision, the authorities stating that LIV doesn’t have the right format for OWGR. This rejection led LIV to introduce a transfer window thereby regulating who plays and who doesn’t in its off-season.
LIV Golf Introduces a Promotional Event
LIV Golf has been reluctant to take up golfers without checking their performances. But that has changed. Following an off-season trading format, golfers who didn’t perform well throughout the season were put in the drop zone. This would follow relegation and the golfers will have a chance to return to the tour through a promotional event.
This event also welcomes other international golfers who are interested in getting into LIV. This is the first qualifying event that the league has proposed since its inception.
Jon Rahm Defects to LIV Golf
Perhaps the biggest news after the shocking merger was Jon Rahm’s defection to LIV Golf. After weeks of speculation, Rahm finally signed a deal with the Saudi-backed league that promised him his own team and the highest signing amount in golf history.
It was a shock for the entire golf world and a huge loss for the PGA Tour, which stands at the juncture of having final talks with LIV. Rahm further backed his decision by asserting that he did this for his family, further asserting the fact that golf can be a very unpredictable sport to follow.
Tiger Woods Makes His Comeback After a Nine-Month Hiatus
Midway through the third round at the Augusta National, Tiger Woods withdrew from the Masters Tournament due to worsened plantar fasciitis. But after around nine months of rehabilitation, Woods made a return to professional golf through the Hero World Challenge. He showed no signs of weakness on the course and finished at T18.
Later, he stated that he shook off all the mental rust at the event and that physically, he was well. He then went on to participate in the PNC Championship with Charlie, and brought in his daughter Sam as his caddie. They finished at T5, better than last year’s T8. But this year wasn’t good business wise for Woods.
Tiger Woods’ TGL Gets Postponed to 2025
The much-awaited tech-based league of Tiger Woods and Irishman Rory McIlroy was sadly postponed to 2025 following to a disaster at the location. The league was all set to start in January but a storm led to collapse of the dome of the stadium where it was to be played. This created a massacre at the SoFi Center, and the venue renovation will take time.
The Golf Rollback Policy Kicks In
The bifurcation of the golf rollback rule was not approved by professional golf tours and golf manufacturers. Thus, a universal rule has been declared in December, where both professional and recreational golf will be affected and both will see a decrease in the ball’s distance.
The measures will differ depending on the event but this has been decided by the USGA and R&A for the sustainability of golf in the future.
Rory McIlroy Backs off From the PGA Tour Policy Board
One of the viral stories in the fall season of the PGA Tour was PGA Tour loyalist Rory McIlroy leaving the policy board. Some sources stated that he was frustrated with the merger and felt that he was being used as a tool during the rivalry. But McIlroy didn’t address these issues; rather, he stated ‘professional and personal‘ reasons for the decision.
He said in an interview that he’d like to invest the time to focus on his game and not serve the board for long hours. Whether or not he admits the underlying reasons, it is quite evident that he was disappointed with the shady ventures of the tour. Now, let’s take a look at the LPGA tour moments that picked up the peak.
Rose Zhang Becomes a Golf Prodigy by Clinching First LPGA Victory
Rose Zhang has reached the pinnacle of World No. 1 in her amateur career. She carried a stardom legacy even after she turned pro. In May, the golfer received professional status and in the same year, she clinched her first LPGA victory at the Mizuho Americas Open. Rose Zhang also represented her country at the Solheim Cup but to her dismay, the American squad entered into a hat-trick year of defeat.
The European Solheim Cup Team Comes out Victorious Yet Again
The American Solheim Cup squad has had a patriotic drought since the last two editions. The team was quite hopeful with Stacy Lewis that this year might be different. Even after round one, 4-0, the game looked in favor of the American team. After Sunday singles, the score stood at 14-14 and Americans failed to redeem themselves as Europeans retained the cup as past winners.
LPGA Tour Golfer Plays in a PGA Tour event
Lexi Thompson received quite the hype for being the seventh woman to play on the PGA Tour. She participated in the Shriner’s Open. But she couldn’t make the cut and was out after two rounds.
These were a few glimpses of some remarkable moments in 2023, it is to see what happens to golf in 2024. Will the framework agreement pan out? Will there be other big names joining LIV Golf? Only time will tell.
