It’s that point of 12 months once more once we sit down, take inventory,
and look again at all the things that’s occurred in golf during the last 12 months.
And we’ve performed simply that. We caught up with three-time European Ryder Cup captain and Golf Care ambassador Bernard Gallacher to talk by means of all issues golf in 2024.
From the 12 months’s ups and downs, stand-out performers, and all the things we will anticipate for 2025—he had rather a lot to say. Learn on for extra.
Scottie Scheffler: The Masters
For me, the stand-out participant was Scottie Scheffler, who completed the 12 months high of the World Golf Rankings and was the primary participant on the PGA Tour. He had an outstanding season, profitable eight occasions, together with The Masters, The Gamers, and the end-of-season Tour Championship. That’s a complete winnings of round $62 million, so there’s clearly no want for him to affix LIV simply but!
He additionally took every week off from the PGA Tour to win Olympic
Gold for the US at Le Golf Nationwide in Paris. Week in and week out, he’s
essentially the most constant participant on this planet, so he deserves all of the plaudits. He
performed in 19 occasions this 12 months and completed within the high 10 in 16 of them!
His recreation has no weaknesses, and he works arduous on his health throughout the shut season, too. Indisputably, there’s much more to return from him.
Xander Schauffele: The Open & USPGA Championship
In every other 12 months, Xander Schauffele would have fairly
rightfully anticipated to be topped participant of the 12 months after his Open win at
Royal Troon in July.
His flawless 65 closing spherical enthralled the galleries, and his closing gap birdie held off Bryson DeChambeau to win the USPGA at Valhalla in Might, too—however Scheffler trumps him for me. It was a really shut name, although.
Bryson DeChambeau: US Open
DeChambeau is excessive on my record as a result of he’s an thrilling,
charismatic participant. After all, he additionally gained the US Open at Pinehurst this 12 months.
He at all times appears to be smiling and hits it monumental distances
off the tee, which the galleries at all times like. He was additionally runner-up on the
USPGA Championship and completed a reputable T6th at The Masters.
For somebody who plies his commerce on the LIV Tour—the place you play 54 holes, and there are solely 13 occasions on the calendar—it does make you surprise how effectively he would fare if he performed a full schedule. There’s a robust case for LIV and the PGA Tour to agree on a deal simply in order that we will see Bryson DeChambeau extra usually!
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy measures his success when it comes to Majors, however
which may be a tad harsh. He’s nonetheless had a fantastic 2024 regardless of his slip-up on the
US Open.
Nonetheless, he gained twice on the PGA Tour, completed third on the finish of the season within the FedEx rankings, and is now sitting third within the World Golf Rankings. He helps his residence Tour, the DP World Tour, and
completed runner-up within the Irish Open at Royal County Down.
He then gained the season-ending DP World Tour Championships in Dubai—on the identical time, he picked up his sixth Race to Dubai title and equalled Seve Ballesteros’ document, which he was clearly emotional about. Nevertheless, extra importantly, he completed his 12 months off with a confidence-boosting win from a really sturdy discipline. He can now sit up for 2025 after a well-earned break.
Bernhard Langer
Bernhard Langer is without doubt one of the most exceptional gamers of all
time. He clearly had a extremely profitable taking part in profession: two Masters
wins, 42 wins on the European Tour, World Golf Corridor of Fame, 10 occasions Ryder Cup
participant, 2004 Ryder Cup captain— the record goes on. However since turning 50 and
becoming a member of the Champions Tour, he’s arguably exceeded all the things he did earlier than!
Langer has dominated the Champions Tour, profitable yearly
since he joined in 2007—that’s 47 wins! He tore his Achilles early on in 2024
and spent numerous time away from the sport, in all probability considering at 67 that his
profession is perhaps over. Nevertheless, he someway obtained himself again to health and gained
the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup, holing a 30-foot putt on the ultimate gap to
prolong his wins to 48.
What a participant. He’s the consummate skilled on and off the golf course and has carried out himself excellently all through his lengthy profession. I really feel very privileged to know him.
Ladies’s golf: my 3 stand-out performers
Nelly Korda is well the stand-out participant in girls’s
golf this 12 months. She’s already primary on the World Golf Rankings and quantity
one participant on the LPGA Tour. She had an excellent 2024 season, profitable 6 in 7
and clinching the LPGA Participant of the Yr trophy. Her easy, rhythmical
swing makes the sport look simple.
Charley Hull performs on the LPGA Tour and the Women
European Tour. She’s a preferred participant who beat Nelly Korda 6/4 within the high
singles on this 12 months’s Solheim Cup. She has come near profitable Majors within the
previous, so there’s no motive she will be able to’t take her recreation up a degree in 2025.
New Zealand’s Lydia Ko has been profitable golf tournaments since she turned skilled as a 16-year-old in 2013—that’s 30 tournaments worldwide, together with 22 of them on the LPGA. Ko’s success continued in 2024 when she did one thing very particular: she gained the Ladies’s Open at St Andrews, making it 3 Main wins now on her CV.
She additionally gained Ladies’s Gold on the Olympics and completed the 12 months by being inducted into the LPGA Corridor of Fame. At 27, she’s the youngest participant to be inducted. It’s truthful to say there’s a lot extra to return from this exceptional participant.
Solheim Cup
The 2024 Solheim Cup noticed Europe attempting (however sadly failing) to
retain the cup on American soil.
Lately, I’ve discovered the matches rather more thrilling
to observe than among the one-sided Ryder Cup ones. Since 2015, there has by no means
been greater than two factors separating the groups, which makes it an thrilling final
day of Singles to observe on TV (higher nonetheless if you happen to could be there in individual!)
This 12 months was no totally different. Though the Europeans had been behind going into the Singles, they staged a fightback led by Charley Hull, who beat Nelly Korda within the high match. Sadly, they ran out of steam and ultimately misplaced by three factors. Nonetheless, it was nice to observe, and I sit up for the Netherlands in 2026.
{Golfing} disappointments in 2024
The largest disappointment in golf this 12 months, for me, was
the failure (to date) of the PGA Tour and LIV find an answer to their
points and reaching some form of deal that permits the most effective gamers on this planet
to play in opposition to one another extra usually.
With TV golf scores dropping considerably, we ideally must see gamers from all Excursions teeing up in opposition to one another extra usually—not simply on the Majors.
What can we anticipate in 2025?
For me, 2025 is all concerning the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
I can’t assist feeling that the US gamers have considerably shot
themselves within the foot by asking to be paid to play within the Ryder Cup. Not solely
do I feel it’s fallacious on an ethical degree (as all cash generated from the
event goes again into bettering grassroots golf), however I can see a state of affairs whereby
if issues don’t go their means, the American public could even be hostile to their
personal group. Both means, it ought to assist the Europeans.
In my view, if a participant must be paid to signify their nation within the Ryder Cup, they’re not the best alternative, and different gamers will at all times be keen to step ahead.
Benefit from the low season, and right here’s to a fantastic 12 months of golf in
2025!
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