It’s that point of yr once more after we sit down, take inventory,
and look again at every thing that’s occurred in golf during the last 12 months.
And we’ve completed simply that. We caught up with three-time European Ryder Cup captain and Golf Care ambassador Bernard Gallacher to speak by way of all issues golf in 2024.
From the yr’s ups and downs, stand-out performers, and every thing we will anticipate for 2025—he had lots to say. Learn on for extra.
Scottie Scheffler: The Masters
For me, the stand-out participant was Scottie Scheffler, who completed the yr prime of the World Golf Rankings and was the primary participant on the PGA Tour. He had an excellent season, profitable eight instances, 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 hitch 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
probably the most constant participant on this planet, so he deserves all of the plaudits. He
performed in 19 occasions this yr and completed within the prime 10 in 16 of them!
His recreation has no weaknesses, and he works laborious on his health throughout the shut season, too. Surely, there’s much more to come back from him.
Xander Schauffele: The Open & USPGA Championship
In every other yr, Xander Schauffele would have fairly
rightfully anticipated to be topped participant of the yr after his Open win at
Royal Troon in July.
His flawless 65 last spherical enthralled the galleries, and his last 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 checklist as a result of he’s an thrilling,
charismatic participant. In fact, he additionally gained the US Open at Pinehurst this yr.
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 properly he would fare if he performed a full schedule. There’s a powerful case for LIV and the PGA Tour to agree on a deal simply in order that we will see Bryson DeChambeau extra typically!
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.
However, 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 dwelling 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 similar time, he picked up his sixth Race to Dubai title and equalled Seve Ballesteros’ report, which he was clearly emotional about. Nevertheless, extra importantly, he completed his yr off with a confidence-boosting win from a really robust area. He can now sit up for 2025 after a well-earned break.
Bernhard Langer
Bernhard Langer is likely 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 instances Ryder Cup
participant, 2004 Ryder Cup captain— the checklist goes on. However since turning 50 and
becoming a member of the Champions Tour, he’s arguably exceeded every thing 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, most likely pondering at 67 that his
profession is perhaps over. Nevertheless, he by some means received 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.
Girls’s golf: my 3 stand-out performers
Nelly Korda is well the stand-out participant in ladies’s
golf this yr. 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 prime
singles on this yr’s Solheim Cup. She has come near profitable Majors within the
previous, so there’s no motive she will’t take her recreation up a stage 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 Girls’s Open at St Andrews, making it 3 Main wins now on her CV.
She additionally gained Girls’s Gold on the Olympics and completed the yr by being inducted into the LPGA Corridor of Fame. At 27, she’s the youngest participant to be inducted. It’s honest to say there’s a lot extra to come back from this exceptional participant.
Solheim Cup
The 2024 Solheim Cup noticed Europe making an attempt (however sadly failing) to
retain the cup on American soil.
In recent times, I’ve discovered the matches rather more thrilling
to look at than a number of 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 look at on TV (higher nonetheless for those who will be there in particular person!)
This yr was no completely different. Though the Europeans have been behind going into the Singles, they staged a fightback led by Charley Hull, who beat Nelly Korda within the prime match. Sadly, they ran out of steam and finally misplaced by three factors. However, it was nice to look at, and I sit up for the Netherlands in 2026.
{Golfing} disappointments in 2024
The most important disappointment in golf this yr, for me, was
the failure (to this point) of the PGA Tour and LIV find an answer to their
points and reaching some kind of deal that enables the most effective gamers on this planet
to play in opposition to one another extra typically.
With TV golf rankings dropping considerably, we ideally have to see gamers from all Excursions teeing up in opposition to one another extra often—not simply on the Majors.
What can we anticipate in 2025?
For me, 2025 is all in regards to 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 believe it’s incorrect on an ethical stage (as all cash generated from the
event goes again into enhancing 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 crew. Both means, it ought to assist the Europeans.
For my part, if a participant must be paid to characterize their nation within the Ryder Cup, they’re not the proper selection, and different gamers will at all times be keen to step ahead.
Benefit from the low season, and right here’s to a fantastic yr of golf in
2025!
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