Golf in 2017: Five things that would be cool to see in the new year
2016 brought us many exciting moments in golf on and off the tours. But here are five things that would cool to see in 2017 and beyond. Some things will happen, and others are just ideas, but whatever the case, golf will be awesome once again.
Golf in 2016 was one to remember, and for numerous reasons. We witnessed four first-time winners at the majors among other things.
First, we saw Jordan Spieth become so close to defending his title at the Masters, but it was Danny Willett who would come out victorious for his first major. Next, one of the most infamous major droughts was broken, when Dustin Johnson won his first major at the U.S. Open at Oakmont.
It didn’t come without controversy however as the USGA penalized Johnson because they believed his ball moved on the green. Johnson would still go on to win the major.
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Then, we came to one of the greatest duels in history of professional golf, the Open Championship at Royal Troon. Here, we saw two veterans in Phil Mickelson and Henrik Stenson duking it out for the bright and shiny Claret Jug, Mickelson looking for his sixth major, while Stenson was looking for his first.
Both of these warriors got birdie after birdie and eventually pulled away from the field. That was the moment when we realized that one of greatest head-to-head showdowns was upon us.
In the end, it was Stenson breaking through, and finally getting his first major title. Perhaps he may have even punched his ticket into the Hall of Fame with 19 worldwide wins and a major to his credit.
Finally, the PGA Championship highlighted a classic charge from defending champion Jason Day, who hit one of the most memorable eagle putts in the major’s history on the final hole. However, Jimmy Walker, one of golf’s most underrated players, a guy who fans were questioning if he’d ever break through, did just that, and won his first major.
Miraculously, he won it while being ranked in the 50s in strokes gained (putting) after being top-five the last couple of seasons. This was due to clutch recovery skills on his part and timely putting.
Among other events, the Ryder Cup was a dandy, where team USA finally won its first title since 2008 (!) making captain Davis Love III, an American golf hero. Another U.S. team shined in the Olympic Games in Rio, where Matt Kuchar shredded the course to earn a bronze medal. Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson did much of the same to earn the silver and gold medals respectively.
With all of these amazing things that have happened in golf in 2016, what are some of ways the sport can improve in 2017 both on and off tour? There are several ways to do this, and thanks to golf’s rich depth and versatility, the door can be wide open for opportunity.