The PGA Tour season has been in full swing since October, but most purists don’t really count the Fall Swing. Instead the golf calendar begins in January with the Tournament of Champions on the first week of the year.
In two weeks the West Coast Swing will begin, and many stars will begin their season there. With 2019 upon golf fans, OG looks at some issues that will probably surface at some point during the year.
Below are five questions we try and to give some answers to.
1. How Will Tiger Perform?
Tiger Woods had his best season since 2014, winning the Tour Championship after coming back from his fourth back surgery. Will Woods keep that momentum going?
Fellow tour player Ernie Els believes so. He has had a front seat for Woods’ brilliance and believes the 43-year-old will return to his No. 1 form.
“He’s got his body back, he’s got his talent back, like back in the day, and he’s doing what he’s doing,†Els said. “You know, talent don’t leave people. Talent and grit and determination, that comes from inside.â€
2. Who Will Have Breakout Year?
Marc Leishman is overdue for a strong 2019 and has shown signs that he is more than capable of doing it. He won the CIMB Classic in October and finished fourth in the Tournament of Champions last week. The 35-year-old Australian won multiple events in 2017, and is well on his way to do so this season. What he wants now is better performances in major championships. He lost in a playoff to Zach Johnson in the 2015 Open Championship, but since then has only two top-10 finishes in 13 appearances.
Another 30-something that could bust through this year is Charles Howell III. He won his first event in 11 years at the RSM Classic, and that has filled the 39-year-old with some much-needed confidence. The victory, which was his third top-5 finish in five events, also got him entry into to his hometown Masters Tournament. Can Howell take advantage of his first appearance at Augusta National since 2008.
3. Who Will Win Majors?
Last year Brooks Koepka won two of the four major championships. It was the first time a golfer had captured multiple majors since Jordan Spieth did it in 2015. Look for more diversity this season. Spieth, Dustin Johnson, and Rory McIlroy will all look to break their mini-major slump.
Justin Rose, McIlroy and Jordan Spieth are all 12/1 to win the Masters. Tiger Woods is also 12/1. Johnson, Koepka and Justin Thomas are right behind at 14/1.
There are other dark horses, such as Rickie Fowler (16/1) and John Rahm (18/1) that could also easily win their first major.
4. Who Will Struggle?
Sergio Garcia could have a rough 2019. The Spaniard won the Masters in 2017 has not finished higher than a tie for 21st in a major, and has missed the cut in the last four.
Phil Mickelson’s slide should continue. Lefty hasn’t won a tournament since 2013, and hasn’t challenged for a major since the Open Championship in the same year.
5. Will Anyone Dominate Top Spot?
Last year four golfers – Johnson, Rose, Koepka, and Thomas all reached the No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Rankings. Flip flopping at the top spot could happen again in 2019.
Rose is currently No. 1, but a host of golfers including, Koepka, Rahm, Johnson, Thomas and Bryson DeChambeau are all within striking distance. Xander Schauffele who began last week at No. 10, but his win at the Tournament of Champions shot him up four spots.
