Despite growing purses and ample tournaments, this year was a great mix of dramatic leaderboard developments, close finishes, and a deserving champion. I hope it’s made following golf a bit more rewarding for you in 2025, though honestly it’s been quite the all time year.
A Scripted Season
Satisfying conclusions, one after another. If you’ll recall, notable performances in 2024 for anyone not named Scottie Scheffler tended to get overshadowed and for good reason. Though Scottie’s dominance continues, this year avoided feeling one dimensional and saw a number of satisfying storyline finales years in the making, often surrounding some of the game’s most compelling players. I feel spoiled as I recall the phenomenal list of winners we had this year:
A Scripted Season
Satisfying conclusions, one after another. If you’ll recall, notable performances in 2024 for anyone not named Scottie Scheffler tended to get overshadowed and for good reason. Though Scottie’s dominance continues, this year avoided feeling one dimensional and saw a number of satisfying storyline finales years in the making, often surrounding some of the game’s most compelling players. I feel spoiled as I recall the phenomenal list of winners we had this year:
Tommy Fleetwood. Cam Young. Not least of all, Rory McIlroy.
All three managed to dismiss about a decade of history failing to clutch out career defining victories. I could practically see the monkeys jumping off of players’ backs! Is the best golfer in the world without a PGA tour victory now Denny McCarthy? Jackson Koivun? One thing for certain is that the conversation has definitely changed.
Rory at the Masters is a rare on-course performance that managed to transcend golf and become a cultural moment. I’m amazed how many non-golf fans were converted after tuning in that week to see history. He becomes only the 6th player to win the Grand Slam of golf’s modern major championships.
Wild that we’d also be talking about 2-time-major-winner Harris English if Scottie’s ravioli wound had taken him out for the rest of the season. Tiger-Scottie comparisons are officially on the table after his last 24 months of unchallenged supremacy (he even finally managed a win sans caddy Ted Scott). Insane that he might follow Rory and become the 7th Career Grand Slam winner as early as next June at Shinnecock.
A rain delay threatened to dampen the conclusion of the U.S. Open, however J.J. Spaun sunk a highlight reel 64 foot birdie putt to be the only player to finish under par at Oakmont this year. With two other runner-up finishes J.J. now has the chance to become an unexpected household name with a standout performance at the Ryder cup next month.
How about Justin Thomas climbing out of a terrible two year slump to beat Novak in a playoff at Harbourtown? Speaking of comparisons, Thomas’s cumulative career accomplishments are starting to rival Speith’s, and I don’t see this trend reversing anytime soon.
I could go on: Hideki’s scoring record at Kapalua; Rosie’s redemption after two near major misses; Ludvig going from vomit to victory at the same course; and did I mention that most of these names are facing off at the Ryder Cup shortly.
However, I digress in order to note a few sour conclusions from the year as well:
Mid-season medicals from Tiger and Will Zalatoris are likely both nail-in-the-coffin surgeries that represent the conclusion of their competitive careers.
LIV is officially a non-factor. Aside from Bryson (whose youtube accomplishments continue to dwarf his LIV accolades) and a flash of brilliance from Rahm at the PGA it’s essentially a dead tour.
Which is still better than being dead on arrival: remember the TGL? Maybe it’s targeted at the younger generation, but I don’t see that epileptic sim golf league growing quickly.
Plans for 2026
Thanks again for taking part in the second inaugural Columbus Cup. You can lookout for details regarding the 3rd iteration around the holidays. There’s no formal survey, but feedback and suggestions are encouraged. In the meantime, the heat has broken in Ohio and fall golf in the midwest is on the horizon. I hope you can also manage enough tee times to tide yourself over the winter.
And as always, best of luck with your picks.
Jonathan
Thanks again for taking part in the second inaugural Columbus Cup. You can lookout for details regarding the 3rd iteration around the holidays. There’s no formal survey, but feedback and suggestions are encouraged. In the meantime, the heat has broken in Ohio and fall golf in the midwest is on the horizon. I hope you can also manage enough tee times to tide yourself over the winter.
And as always, best of luck with your picks.
Jonathan
