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It’s honest
to say golf loved a wholesome bounce-back in 2022 after the last few
years had been mired by you-know-what.
With issues now again to regular on this planet of sport (a minimum of on the face of it), it’s time to take inventory and mirror on the final twelve months and what 2023 has in retailer for golf.
We sat down with eight-time Ryder Cup participant, three-time European Ryder Cup captain, and Golf Care ambassador Bernard Gallacher to speak via the highs and lows of 2022, and what he thinks we’ll see within the yr forward.
Right here’s what he needed to say…
Bernard’s 2022 golf highlights
Rory McIlroy was the standout performer in 2022, regardless of not profitable a Main. His very good, constant play all through the season and his Tour Championship win nonetheless meant he completed up the main cash winner on the PGA Tour. He additionally completed primary on the DP World Tour from solely 10 begins and received the much-coveted Vardon Trophy for the fourth time. He at the moment sits prime of the world golf rankings and is unlikely to maneuver any time quickly.
Scottie Scheffler had a incredible season which noticed him win The Masters, the WGC-Dell Match Play, and end tied in second place on the US Open, only one stroke behind Matt Fitzpatrick. Tour colleagues additionally voted Scheffler the 2022 Tour Participant of the 12 months.
Justin Thomas received his second PGA Championship in 2022, on the robust Southern Hills Golf Course in Oklahoma—beating Will Zalatoris in a play-off. Thomas’ low profitable rating of -5 was an actual reflection of the problem of the course, which had slim fairways, thick tough, quick greens, and was performed in fairly robust wind.
Sheffield’s Matt Fitzpatrick lifted the nation’s spirits when he received the US Open, following within the footsteps of Tony Jacklin and Justin Rose. He clenched victory on the Nation Membership in Brooklyn—the identical venue the place he received the US Amateurs in 2013. Matt has , no-nonsense approach, a superb temperament, and among the best caddies round in Billy Foster. I predict extra Main wins forward.
Cameron Smith received the landmark 150th Open at St Andrews in 2022. He additionally received the Tour Championship at Sawgrass and The Sentry Match of Champions in Hawaii with a PGA Tour document rating of 34 underneath par! He additionally received the Australian PGA in his residence nation, however his deflection to the LIV Tour means it’s troublesome to foretell the longer term.
John Rahm is one other golfer who had an excellent season regardless of not profitable a Main. Nonetheless, he recorded two runners-up on the US Tour earlier than profitable the Mexican Open to say his seventh win on the PGA Tour. Over on the DP World Tour, Rahm received the Spanish Open for the third time at Membership de Campo in Madrid, earlier than profitable the season-ending DP World Championship in Dubai—not dangerous!
Twenty-five-year-old Cameron Younger solely turned professional in 2019 however is an excellent prospect. A product of the Korn Ferry Tour, he first got here to consideration when he completed third within the USPGA Championship and was runner-up to Cameron Smith on the Open.
Tom Kim is barely 20 however was the main cash winner on the 2021/22 Asian Tour. He completed third within the co-sanctioned Scottish Open, which received him ‘Particular Momentary Membership’ on the PGA Tour, which he received twice on—on the Wyndham Championship and the Shriners Youngsters’s Open in Las Vegas. He turns into solely the second-ever participant to win twice on the PGA Tour earlier than age 21—the primary was Tiger Woods!
Lydia Ko has been a prodigious expertise even from an early age. She was the primary ranked ladies’s professional golfer at simply 17. Nonetheless simply 25, she was received 19 tournaments thus far on the LPGA and an extra 12 tournaments around the globe. She completed the 2022 season by profitable the Women Tour Championship and the LPGA Participant of the 12 months.
Charley Hull performs on each the LPGA Tour and the Women European Tour. She’s been one to look at ever since she turned skilled in 2013, profitable the 2014 Order of Advantage and Participant of the 12 months. Hull has represented Europe on the Solheim Cup 5 instances, and received the Ascendant LPGA in Texas in September. I notably admire her swing, however her normal angle additionally means she has the potential to win Majors sooner or later.
24-year-old Nelly Korda has one Main
win to her title at current, and has received a powerful eight instances on the LPGA and
twice in Europe. She’s additionally a reigning Olympic champion, at the moment sitting
quantity two on this planet rankings behind Lydia Ko, having beforehand held the
primary place. It’ll be battle between the 2 to see who comes
out on prime in 2023.
What didn’t go so nicely for golf in 2022?
How can we not discuss LIV Golf?
Greg
Norman’s tour continues to disrupt the sport and trigger main points to the
conventional, well-established Main tournaments. The PGA Tour, specifically,
sees LIV Golf as an actual existential menace.
Personally,
I’m in no way assured that the continued points can or can be resolved in
courtroom, purely as a result of there’s such ailing feeling on either side of the argument.
Gamers like Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Brooks Koepka, Bubba Watson, Matthew Wolff and Martin Kaymer all had fairly nameless seasons by their requirements, and LIV’s supposed star participant Dustin Johnson seemed approach off the tempo when he dropped right down to a tie for sixth place on the Open in July.
The fact
is that enjoying simply eight tournaments a yr is solely not sufficient to take care of
aggressive sport. In 2023, nevertheless, LIV says it is going to encompass 14
tournaments—however even that’s nonetheless wanting ultimate.
The Masters has already confirmed it will allow LIV golfers to compete in 2023, however we’ve no affirmation concerning the opposite Majors but. Time will inform.
Associated: Bernard Gallacher fears Greg Norman will not reach a compromise over LIV Golf
Looking forward to golf in 2023
2023 is Ryder Cup yr, which provides Europe an opportunity to redeem themselves after the humiliating 10-point loss at Whistling Straits in 2021.
The European facet can have enormous partisan help in Rome—one thing which was, after all, lacking within the US as a consequence of COVID journey restrictions.
I absolutely
anticipate Europe to placed on a a lot better show than in 2021, however they might have
to play with out the likes of Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Paul Casey and Ian
Poulter as issues stand. Captain Luke Donald can have a number of sleepless nights
when he involves choosing his wild playing cards, that’s for certain.
The Solheim
Cup can be happening in Spain in September. Suzann Petterson, who holed the
profitable putt at Gleneagles in 2019, is the European captain, whereas Stacy Lewis
captains the American facet.
Europe received the final day trip within the US, and I anticipate an equally-exciting match between two fairly evenly-matched sides this time, too.
2023 additionally
sees the phasing in of varied adjustments to the Guidelines of Golf. The foundations are
considerably complicated, however maybe essentially the most notable adjustments to say are the brand new modifications
for gamers with disabilities.
From January, a brand new Rule 25 consisting of a number of provisions for these dwelling with disabilities will routinely apply to all competitions and all types of play, as an alternative of it being right down to particular person competitors committees deciding whether or not to undertake such guidelines and provisions on a tournament-by-tournament foundation. This could solely be factor so far as inclusivity in golf is anxious.
We also needs to acknowledge Tiger Woods as we sit up for 2023. The veteran golfer has vowed to compete in the four Major tournaments regardless of his ongoing harm issues, and I sincerely hope he does. It’s exhausting to think about the large tournaments with out him.
Up and coming golfers to look out for in 2023—Bernard’s prime picks
In fact,
one of the best golfers on this planet are all well-established and well-known. However what
about these extra ‘on the fringes’, because it had been, with thrilling futures forward?
We requested Bernard that actual query.
Jordan Smith
Massive issues had been anticipated from Jordan Smith after he received the celebrated Porsche Open in 2017, however his kind has dipped since. Nonetheless, he secured an emotional win on the Portuguese Open extra lately, so right here’s hoping he can now kick on along with his profession.
Richard Mansell
Richard Mansell is a product of the Problem Tour, and gained his full standing on the European Tour again in 2020. With one skilled win and a second-place end within the 2020 Andalusia Open underneath his belt thus far, he additionally led the 2021 Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship by 4 strokes going into the final 4. He fell away in the long run however will nonetheless have learnt heaps from the general expertise.
Nicolai & Rasmus Højgaard
These younger Danish twins had been the primary brothers to win back-to-back tournaments on the European Tour in 2021. They’re each excellent prospects with a shiny future in golf for certain.
Adrian Meronk
Adrian Meronk turned the first-ever Polish golfer to win on the European Tour when he received the Horizon Irish Open in 2022. Much more lately, he held off Adam Scott to win the Australian Open by a powerful 5 strokes. He stands at an almighty 6’6 and is one other I anticipate to go on to attain massive issues in golf.
Connor Syme
Scottish golfer Connor Syme turned professional in 2017 after a stellar newbie profession, and featured within the Walker Cup the identical yr. He’s bought no wins to date on the DP World Tour however is greater than prepared to interrupt via in 2023.
Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra
The 22-year-old Spaniard was ranked quantity two on the Novice World Rankings earlier than turning professional in 2021. He at the moment performs on the LIV Tour, the place he received the Bangkok Invitational this yr. It nonetheless stays to be seen whether or not he’ll attain his full potential enjoying on the LIV Tour, however the capability is undoubtedly there.
Linn Grant
Linn Grant is a Swedish golfer of Scottish heritage via her grandfather. She turned professional in 2021 after an excellent newbie profession, and already has 9 skilled wins underneath her belt, together with the Volvo Automotive Scandinavian Blended on the DP World Tour—making her the primary girl to win on a males’s Tour. She received the 2022 Women European Tour Order of Advantage and can be certified to play on the LPGA. She has the potential to emulate her compatriot Annika Sörenstam—arguably among the best ladies’s golfers of all time.
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