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Instead, several other key characters and upcoming fixtures
figure to shape the narrative of the new year. Here are golf's
five prevailing storylines to follow in 2022:
1. Tiger Watch
Ten-plus months after a single-car accident nearly required a
partial leg amputation, Tiger Woods has returned to the golf
course, and for that much fans should be grateful. He and
12-year-old son Charlie pulled off 11 straight birdies while
playing a scramble during the final round of the PNC
Championship. During the course of the weekend, Tiger spent as
much time shooting down whispers of a full-time PGA Tour return
as he spent introducing Charlie to the Lee Trevinos of the
world.
"I'm not at that level," Woods said. "I can't compete against
these guys right now, no."
The key to remember is Woods was able to use a golf cart at the
PNC, a no-no on Tour. It still pains him to walk moderate
distances, never mind the terrain of Augusta National. Woods
will be selective about the events he plays going forward; we
should brace for the likelihood that his return to actual
competition is several months away.
2. The Open's return to St. Andrews
In fact, wouldn't St. Andrews be the perfect setting for Woods'
return to Tour? He lifted the Claret Jug at the Old Course in
both 2000 and 2005. Woods or no Woods, The Open's return to the
most storied venue in the sport for its 150th anniversary will
be the jewel of the golf calendar in 2022.
More Americans than usual might choose to spend an extra week in
Scotland to prepare. As part of the PGA Tour's expanded
partnership with the newly renamed DP World Tour, the Scottish
Open will be co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour for the first time,
so its players can earn FedEx Cup points while they give links
golf a test run.
Rising star and two-time major champion Collin Morikawa will
defend his 2021 title. South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen, who
keeps coming tantalizing close to his first win since 2018, will
return to the site of his 2010 victory, which remains his only
major victory.
3. The "bubbling under" class
Morikawa, Koepka and Dustin Johnson are the only multiple major
winners over the past six years. The rest of that time has
featured extreme parity, naturally leading to the question,
"Who's up next?"
Japan's Hideki Matsuyama (Masters) and Spain's Jon Rahm (U.S.
Open) broke through in 2021 for their first major titles.
Patrick Cantlay was the name on everybody's lips in September,
when he won the FedExCup title in dramatic fashion and shone on
the Ryder Cup stage. But he's still in search of his first
major, as are Norway's Viktor Hovland and Tokyo Olympics gold
medalist Xander Schauffele.
Then there are the guys trying to make a comeback. Jordan Spieth
gave his best performance at a major in ages at The Open, coming
agonizingly close on Sunday. What about Englishmen Tommy
Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton, two Brits mired in rough patches?
4. Rule changes and new competition
The USGA and R&A approved so-called "local rules" for tournament
play that come into effect in 2022: Green-reading books cannot
show detailed depictions of slopes and breaks, and driver length
must be capped at 46 inches. Phil Mickelson, who used a
47.9-inch driver when he won the 2021 PGA Championship, has put
the latter rule on blast every chance he's gotten. "During our
1st golf boom in 40 years, our amateur gov body keeps trying to
make it less fun," he argued on Twitter.
But the biggest rulings the PGA Tour has to make in 2022 may
deal with the interest some of its players have in leaving for a
rival "Super Golf League," fronted by Greg Norman and backed by
Saudi financing.
Reports said the league wants to begin play as soon as 2022, but
to date, it hasn't actually landed any players. Golfers who want
to defect could be punished by the PGA Tour. Several big names
voiced opposition to the idea during 2021, but one who seemed
intrigued was... Mickelson.
5. Ko vs. Korda
The LPGA had one heck of a year in 2021, and most of that can be
chalked up to the dominance of two women. Current world No. 1
Nelly Korda was on fire for much of the season, winning her
first major and an Olympic gold medal to boot. But South Korea's
Jin-Young Ko's record-busting end to the season earned her the
Race to the CME Globe and her second career Player of the Year
award.
The two budding stars shared a final-round pairing at the CME
Group Tour Championship, and Ko straight-up outplayed Korda,
holding off the rest of the field in the process. "It was
definitely the Jin-Young Ko Show today," Korda said.
A budding rivalry between two extremely talented women? A dash
of a little competitive jealousy? It's the most marketable
moment the LPGA has had in a long time.
--By Adam Zielonka, Field Level Media
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