The PGA TOUR schedule kicked off the new year in Hawaii with the Sentry Tournament of Champions. 2019 was a spectacular year of golf on the men’s tour and 2020 promises to be just as intense and exciting.
Here are a few questions we are following
Can Tiger win another Major?
Tiger Woods turned 44 last month, but he proved beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he can win more major titles. In just 12 events last year, he won a fifth Green Jacket, collected four top-10 finishes and only missed two cuts. He added another win in Japan in October and was clearly the best player on the Presidents Cup Team in December.
The next three years will be critical for Woods to add at least three more majors to his career total to catch Jack Nicklaus. If his aging body will allow, he could possibly win the Masters, until he is in his 50’s.
Will Brooks Koepka Keep Winning Majors?
In October number-one-ranked Brooks Koepka revealed that he had a stem-cell procedure on the same knee that he had surgically repaired previously. He was forced to miss the Presidents Cup, to rest and rehabilitate.
With the extreme force golfers use today and the compressed schedule, injuries have become a constant issue in golf. The way Koepka has been collecting major hardware, injury is the only thing that can stop him from adding to his trophy case.
Will Jordan Spieth regain World-Class form?
Jordan Spieth electrified the golf world by winning the John Deere Classic in 2013. He added 10 more titles, including three major championships, but has not won since that memorable finish at the 2017 Open Championship.
In 23 starts last year, his best finish was a tie for third at the PGA Championship and ended the year 44th in the FedEx Cup Standings. Erratic driving puts too much pressure on his short game and seemingly every week he posts one round that takes him out of contention.
Golf needs a competitive Jordan Spieth, to do battle with Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka.
What will Patrick Reed do next?
After Patrick Reed’s explosion after the 2018 Ryder Cup, one would have thought he would have been on his best behavior last year. That was not necessarily the case for Golf’s Bad Boy. His obvious movement of sand behind his ball at the Hero World Championship earned him penalty stokes, plus the wrath of hardline golf fans. His appearance at the Presidents Cup in Australia was a complete and utter flop. Stay tuned in 2020 for the continuing series, “What will Patrick do next?”
What American Lady will step up in 2020?
Yes, South Koreans still dominate, but there are a couple of young American women that could make a statement on the LPGA in 2020.
Lexi Thompson ended the year at No. 10 in the world ranking. She will turn 25 in February and has seen the ups and downs of golf. Could this be the year she becomes a dominate force in women’s golf?
Another good bet for top American in 2020 is Nelly Korda. Jessica’s littler sister won twice last year and had 12 top-10 finishes. She ended the year at No. 3 in the world and seems to have the fire to reach even higher.
A few others that deserve watching. Danielle Kang had an excellent 2019 campaign and is No. 4 on the Rolex Rankings. Brittany Altomare seems to be putting it together. She lost a playoff at the Evian Championship and was a bright spot on the U.S. Solheim Cup team.
What affect will LET/LPGA Joint Venture have?
LPGA Commissioner, Michael Whan announced a Joint Venture with the Ladies European Tour (LET) last year. The LET was in dire need of assistance and we can think of no one better than Commissioner Whan to help grow a struggling women’s golf tour.
The joint venture should entice more American women to play in LET events, which would attract more sponsors. More sponsors mean bigger purses, but more importantly more television coverage for LET Tour events.
What will Keith Pelly do next?
Since Keith Pelly took over the reigns of the European Tour, he has not been afraid to try new ideas and shake up the golf establishment. The European Tour’s eight-event Rolex Series offers big purses, but has still failed to draw the established European stars away from the PGA TOUR on a consistent basis.
Most big names sat out two of the three tournaments in the Race to Dubai Final Series, which Pelley wants to be a major focus of that tour. Tournaments spread around the world, plus bigger purses and brighter lights in the United States continue to be his biggest problems with drawing quality fields every week.
What will on-site gambling look like on PGA TOUR?
With the Supreme Court ruling in favor of legalized sports gambling last year, the PGA TOUR is gearing up to offer on-site wagering at certain tournaments this year.
If you would like to place a few bucks on Tiger getting to 20 majors, Brooks Koepka winning more majors, or if and when Jordan Spieth becomes competitive again, the friendly odds makers will gladly take your wagers.
Golf fans will be able to grab a beer, sidle up to the betting window, and place a bet on their favorite to win, place, show, or even make the cut. How about the over/under on how many birdies, bogies, or holes-in-one that will be made that week? My personal favorites, how many bunkers will Sergio destroy, or will Patrick Reed be disqualified?
Inquiring minds want to know, Will the players have to wear numbers, just like the dog track?
