Golf Continues Steady Growth Pattern
Golf benefitted greatly from the COVID pandemic, but the numbers of golfers have continued to increase well after the major threat has dissipated.
According to the National Golf Foundation year-to-date rounds played were 3% above 2022. Public courses have seen an increase of 3.7%, while private club’s rounds increased by 1.6% for the year.
These increases can also be seen in gains in the sales of golf-related equipment. Total golf equipment sales in 2022 was $8.37 billion. The numbers for this year are on track to reach $8.74 billion, up 4.4%.
Golf is now more than ever a global sport and the wars in various parts of the world are affecting international growth. Still, sales of golf equipment worldwide are projected to reach nearly $10 billion by 2028.
As the ranks of golfers continue to grow, albeit at a slow rate, the numbers of Juniors and Women taking up the game are increasing rapidly, accounting for 60% of the overall increase.
Golf’s continued growth around the world was definitely one of the biggest stories in golf last year.
Ryder Cup
The highly anticipated 2023 Ryder Cup was held in the Italy and there were the normal players who were overlooked.
One of the reasons for allowing six Captain’s picks was to assure the hottest players, could be granted spots on the team. No one, except for Viktor Hovland, was playing better than Lucas Glover, who won two consecutive events in August. He won the final event of the regular season, the Wyndham Championship and then added the first FedEx Cup Playoff tournament, the FedEx St. Jude Championship, for back-to-back victories.
Glover ended the season just shy of the number of points necessary to automatically qualify for the team and was not chosen as a Captain’s pick by Zach Johnson. Instead, Johnson chose Justin Thomas, who had a less than spectacular year. Thomas was not much of a factor in the Ryder Cup earning a grand total of 1.5 points for the American Team.
Patrick Cantlay created more drama and disruption during Ryder Cup week by complaining about not receiving compensation for his Ryder Cup participation. He actively demonstrated by refusing to wear a cap during play and many feel his actions created a huge rift in the team dynamic.
With all the drama surrounding Team USA, the European Team did what they always do, they bonded and beat the Americans handily. Led by Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland they swept the first session 4-0. Team USA only managed three halves in the afternoon session. The Europeans led by 3.5 points after the first day and never looked back.
For the eighth time in the last 11 Ryder Cups, the Americans were vanquished by a final score 16.5-11.5.
Rory McIlroy keeps up the Good Fight
When the LIV began luring top players like, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed and later Cam Smith to the rival tour with gigantic monetary guarantees, Rory McIlroy remained loyal to the PGA Tour and led the fight against the LIV.
When the secret agreement, between Jay Monahan and PIF’s Yasir Al-Rumayyan was announced, Rory was displeased with the overall deal, plus the fact that as a member of the PGA Tour Policy Board, he was only given two-hour’s notice before the deal was made public.
It is the custom to keep Policy Board members, who represent the rank and file of the PGA Tour, abreast of issues confronting the tour and seek their feedback.
Rory had led the charge in the media and was completely faithful to the corporate line. He felt betrayed by Monahan’s actions and lost faith in the PGA Tour.
He resigned his seat on the Policy Board and is even making plans to move back to Ireland.
The PGA Tour seems to have lost the faith and support of one of its biggest remaining stars.
Tiger Woods Has More Surgery
Everyone knows that Tiger Woods is the main focus in golf, even when he is not playing. He only competed in two events in the 2022-23 season. He finished T-45 at the Genesis Invitational and after two rounds of 74-73 missed the cut at The Masters.
Woods was in obvious pain during The Masters and underwent ankle surgery in April. He has been in recovery since, but is scheduled to compete in the Hero World Challenge and the PNC Parent/Child in December.
Hopefully he has recovered enough to be competitive and we will see more of him in 2024.
PGA Tour & PIF strike Secret Deal
With attorney’s fees draining the PGA Tour’s coffers and the Saudi PIF with a seemingly endless bank account, PGA Tour Commissioner, Jay Monahan struck a deal with Yasir Al-Rumayyan to stop the litigation and form a merger agreement.
With a large investment into the PGA Tour, the agreement would place Al-Rumayyan as the head of a new world golf entity that would oversee the PGA and DP World Tours, as well as the LIV. Monahan would remain as CEO and run the everyday operations.
This new deal did not sit well with a number of players on the PGA Tour that had remained loyal to the brand. With a December 31st deadline looming to complete the proposed deal with the PIF, it is becoming unlikely that it will actually come to fruition.
2023 Major Champions
The four major championships are always the highlight of every golf season and 2023 was no different. Although LIV players had limited access to qualify for the majors, a couple of LIV players performed well.
The Masters
LIV player Brooks Koepka seemed to be in complete control for 54 holes at Augusta, but on Sunday he faltered and Jon Rahm passed him to win his second major title and first Green Jacket. This was one of four wins for Rahm in 2023. He has become one of the most dominant players on tour.
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship was played at historic Oak Hill Golf Club and Brooks Koepka overcame his collapse at Augusta to win his fifth major championship title.
The victory earned him a spot on the Ryder Cup Team and guarantees Koepka a spot in all the majors through the 2028 season.
U.S. Open Championship
Wyndham Clark has been a solid player on the PGA Tour. His first win came in May at the Wells Fargo Championship and followed that by winning the U.S. Open at L.A. Country Club in June.
His year included 25 made cuts, eight top ten finishes with over $10 million in earnings. He has esconsed himself as one of the best players on tour, but will be hard pressed to improve over last year’s performance.
The OPEN Championship
Short-hitting journeyman professional, Brian Harman used a dynamite short game to capture The OPEN Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.
Harman used a second round 65 to jump into the lead that he never relinquished. Missing greens in regulation, he calmly displayed his mastery of chipping and putting to hoist the Claret Jug.
Harman gives hope to short hitters everywhere.
Victor Hovland Reaches Elite Status With FedEx Cup Win
After winning the 2018 U.S. Amateur, Viktor Hovland quickly earned his PGA Tour membership for 2019. He quickly gained his maiden PGA Tour victory in February, 2020 in Puerto Rico. With just 98 events played on tour, Viktor has six wins and 20 Top Five finishes.
In August he won both the BMW Championship and The Tour Championship to finish out the FedEx Cup Playoffs and pocket the $18 million bonus.
He finished out the year helping the Europeans soundly defeat the Americans in the Ryder Cup.
Hovland has yet to win a major championship, but with top ten finishes in three of the four majors, including a runner up at the 2023 PGA Championship, don’t be surprised to see the Norwegian hoisting a major trophy sooner than later.
