The end of the year is here, and it’s time to take a personal look back at some of the biggest stories and events, including the two biggest names in golf… Tiger Woods and Brooks Koepka.
This isn’t going to be your average biggest stories of the year article. This is more of a personal/opinionated article. Its mostly going to focus on Tiger Woods and Brooks Koepka, but I am going to touch on a couple of other instances and golfers through the year that jumped out to me.
I wanna start off with the early part of the 2020 season, the “fall-swing” as it is commonly called. It encapsulates about 25% of the PGA Tour season, and a lot of people do not pay a lot of attention to it, or at least treat it as spring training, to borrow a term from the baseball world.
A lot of warmups, and matches that don’t matter. The top level players taking it easy, and only showing up once in a while.
That works in baseball… not so much in golf. These events have the same points available, and there is still a lot of money that can be made. Take a look at the early FedEx Cup Standings and you can see that there are a handful of guys that have already secured a spot in the second round of the playoffs.
Even when you look at the list of money leaders, there are a few guys that have already had quite the season. Rory McIlroy is over $2 million already, and there are 19 players who have already made over $1 million, including early multi-winner Brendon Todd who sits right behind Rory McIlroy on the leaderboard.
Then we have Brooks Koepka. He has been in the news a lot this year, and for a multitude of reasons.
Going full robot and ignoring his girlfriend on the walkup to the final round at a major.
Taking aim at Bryson DeChambeau and all the slow players that are on tour.
Dominating the world at the majors, finishing T-2nd, 1st, T-2nd, and 4th this year. That is so insane that it is almost hard to comprehend.
Being a part of social media videos in the gym where guys are lifting light weights, and Brooks is over on the wide looking like an NFL Linebacker.
Then, most recently, he bowed out of the Presidents Cup, unable to play because of surgery in preparation for the remainder of the 2020 season. Seems like someone is focused on repeating his 2019 finishes at majors.
Brooks Koepka had an incredible 2018, and he followed it up with a 2019 that was just as impressive, if not more so… even though he only won one major.
Then, there is the GOAT.
Tiger Woods. There is just something about watching him. Whenever he is on TV, it’s impossible not to watch. I don’t know if it is from being a kid in the Tiger heyday, but i just get this feeling when I see him on TV. I’m drawn in, and it makes you feel that rare way that only a child can truly feel.
I think I am in a small age group of people that got to grow up and see the primes of Michael Jordan, Ken Griffey Jr, and Tiger Woods, all while being an impressionable kid. Not only were they good, but they all hold arguments as the GOAT. Griffey has the weakest, but with the smile, and what he did for the game, Seattle, and the social appeal, all the while being one of the greatest to ever do it was incredible.
Disclaimer. I have a group text with some friends. It is a solely Tiger Woods group text. Whenever he plays, we talk about him. This April though… that was a whole different ballgame.
Tiger Woods won the Masters.
It’s still hard to comprehend. It’s been so long since it happened. Well, since he won a major. Not just a major either. The Major (Imagine it in the way that people say “The” Ohio State university.)
He was able to stay strong while others faltered. This late in his career, and after all that he has been through, it just didn’t seem like it was going to be possible anymore.
He did it though, and took one more step, and got the true comeback started, on the path to Jack and 18.
Brooks Koepka was hot on his tail, and almost put together another stunning major performance. Luckily for us all, Tiger was able to hold him off. If 2019 was a sign of whats to come, we are in for an incredible 2020.