Good day pals, and welcome to the Thanksgiving week version of the Rogers Report! I’m going to be doing issues just a little in another way right here at present. As an alternative of taking you all by means of the very best golf and golf-ish moments from the final week, I’m having a look again on the very best moments of the golf YEAR.
And talking of golf moments, my coworkers (and extra importantly, friends) and I’ll be speaking ALL about these on GOLF’s revamped “Drop Zone” podcast. Be certain to verify that out wherever you hearken to your podcasts.
Okay, so right here’s how this write-up goes to work. I took a handful of superlatives and awarded one or two golf moments to every from 2024. All of those — the candy, the hilarious and the completely ridiculous— earned a superlative due to their leisure worth. Take pleasure in.
The healthful
There’s one thing particular about golfers and their dads. In all probability as a result of fathers are normally those who introduce the sport to their youngsters, and positively as a result of mother and father are the largest cheerleaders. So excuse me for getting teary when Bob MacIntyre earned his first PGA Tour win the identical week he welcomed his father as his caddie. Discuss a dream come true.
So completely satisfied for Bob MacIntyre.
All yr he’d been struggling and desperately lacking residence, so he introduced residence to him.
Introduced his mother to the PGA for some residence cooking. Contended there.
Then had his dad caddie on the Canadian Open — and went forward and gained the entire rattling factor.
Again residence in Scotland ❤️ Because of my household & pals who’ve supported me from the start and sacrificed a lot. My group for placing up with me, followers residence and overseas and my sponsors for believing in me. To win my first @pgatour occasion alongside my Dad will likely be onerous to beat pic.twitter.com/sF4qiNWUpm
Tales like this one make me imagine there truly is magic on this recreation, and remind me how fortunate I’m to cowl golf for a residing. If I needed to decide a favourite story from this yr (despite the fact that I attempt my very hardest to not decide favorites right here on the Rogers Report), it will be this one.
The ridiculous
Bryson DeChambeau (A.Ok.A. the content material king) may have an entire column devoted to him, however I’ve determined to award him only one superlative this yr. These are the principles! It wasn’t straightforward to decide on only one second from DeChambeau. I believed in regards to the golf lesson he gave Johnson Wagner on air after successful the U.S. Open, his new sequence the place he hits wedges over his home in an effort to make an ace and, after all, when he tried out three totally different driver heads on the vary seconds earlier than teeing off within the last group on the U.S. Open. However in the long run, one second completely captures Bryson above all others.
After hitting into the timber, Bryson DeChambeau pulled a Masters route signal out of the bottom and moved it, so his second wouldn’t hit it alongside the thirteenth fairway. Guidelines officers stated no and it was changed. DeChambeau made birdie on thirteenth to go -8 pic.twitter.com/qOkaq49bMz
The content material king making a innocent ruckus at Augusta Nationwide is as on-brand because it will get for the 2024 U.S. Open champion. He’s in his Crushers gear, he’s exhibiting off his health club features by lifting up that huge signal, and he appears to be like like completely nothing out of the strange is occurring. It’s lovely, and it’s the proper DeChambeau second.
“And Bryson stood earlier than the inexperienced jackets: and the inexperienced jackets requested him, saying, Artwork thou the King of Crushers GC?” – Matthew 27:11 pic.twitter.com/1KpKmUd3S0
I’d be remiss to not point out Matt Kuchar’s stunt on the 18th fairway on the Wyndham Championship below this superlative. DeChambeau took the cake right here for apparent causes, together with the truth that his signal carry was innocent. The Kuchar factor was each completely ridiculous and confusingly bizarre, however it did make for social media gold.
I imply, it’s not daily you’ve got a compelled Monday end for somebody in twelfth place.
The funniest
Tyrrell Hatton may not comprehend it, however he’s the funniest skilled golfer alive. I say this despite the fact that I’ve had only a few interactions with the man. His mood on the golf course turns heads within the fallacious method at occasions, however a few of his moments are straight-up hilarious. Exhibit A: when he was enjoying so poorly on the Open Championship in July that he determined to hold his personal bag.
Why did Tyrrell Hatton carry his personal bag down the twelfth fairway at The Open?
“After that tee shot on 11, that is what I deserve,” he instructed on-course reporter Curt Byrum. pic.twitter.com/CR6feBMric
That is one thing you may count on to see at your native membership championship. However a serious? Extraordinary! Hatton merely doesn’t care, and that’s what makes him so humorous.
The runner-up award right here additionally goes to Hatton, who left himself a relatable reminder on his golf glove a number of weeks in the past.
The sweetest
There may be in the future per yr on the golf calendar that’s utterly excellent in each method: Wednesday on the Masters. The follow rounds are winding down and the preparation is completed. It’s the eve of main season and you’ll really feel the thrill within the early spring air.
As unbelievable as Masters match days are, Wednesday will all the time be my favourite day at Augusta Nationwide. There’s nothing like gamers stress-free with their households for some Par-3 Contest enjoyable, and it’s by far the sweetest day of the yr.
I’m probably not certain how all skilled golfers have such well-behaved youngsters, as a result of my siblings and I’d most likely have been bickering on reside tv if we have been within the highlight. There could be not less than one meltdown per gap, and somebody most likely would have stormed off in anger. However not the youngsters {of professional} golfers. They carry their A-game to this contest yearly.
I can’t in good religion award the sweetest second to 1 golf household right here, so I’m declaring that the entire day wins. Maya Fowler, Sammy Spieth, Iris Lowry, Frankie Fleetwood and Dakota Watson: Congratulations! You melted the chilly hearts of overworked adults all over the place for a short second in April.
JT and Jordan this! Cantlay and Schauffele that!
Let’s speak about the true finest friendship in golf: Iris Lowry and Frankie Fleetwood pic.twitter.com/xlkFpBSxRJ
I’m already trying ahead to the sweetest golf day of 2025.
The random off-course second
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry had the very best random off-course second of 2024 once they (I’m utilizing the time period “they” loosely right here, as a result of McIlroy did 95 % of the efficiency) joined forces and sang “Don’t Cease Believin’” after their win on the Zurich Basic.
This was, arms down, probably the most random and sudden golf second of the yr for me. Nothing prepares you to open Twitter anticipating to see a buttoned-up post-round press convention, and as an alternative discover skilled golfers doing … properly, this.
This jogs my memory that I really want to get the backstory right here. How on earth was McIlroy satisfied to do that? Why was there a karaoke get together occurring on the Zurich Basic? Can this please occur at extra occasions? Ought to different sports activities start to include a karaoke session into their award ceremony?
The non-public
I wished to mirror on a few of my favourite golf moments from 2024, and two instantly got here to thoughts. First was the Solheim Cup. The entire week was not like every other golf expertise I’ve had. It was intense. It was so enjoyable. And most significantly, it was full of golf followers of all ages. My favourite second of the week was watching Nelly Korda and Charley Hull arrive on the primary tee to kick off Sunday Singles matches. The power was insane as two of the preferred golfers on the planet made their strategy to the tee. I bear in mind being so excited for that match. I’d relive at the present time in a heartbeat!
My different favourite reminiscence from the 2024 golf season was the day I spent on the Masters with my dad and my sister Ellen. We had such a blast, and golf has performed such an enormous position in our relationship that it felt like a full-circle second on the most particular course on the earth.
The yr isn’t over but, and I’m absolutely anticipating a handful of memorable moments on the Grant Thornton Invitational and the PNC Championship. As all the time, I’ll make sure that to allow you to all find out about them right here.
