The Greatest Wins in Golf in 2019

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What a year 2019 has been in professional golf. Drama on the fairways and greens of some iconic courses around the world ensure the sport remains beloved by millions. There have been some historic results in major events this year. In celebration of those, check out our shortlist of three greatest wins in golf in 2019.

Tiger roars again as Woods end Major drought in Masters

If anyone had told you Tiger Woods would go over a decade without winning a Major back when he landed the US Open for the third time in his career in 2008, you would have thought them quite mad. Yet the break between Majors for this modern American great lasted almost 11 years. Woods had multiple surgeries on his back and his private life in the spotlight in the intervening period. Tiger finally rediscovered the form that had seen him hover up Majors like some remorseless winning machine, capturing a dozen in nine years between 2000 and 2008.

Redemption arcs are usually the stuff of Hollywood screenplays, but Woods’ wait for another triumph couldn’t be made up. He was no stranger to donning the famous Green Jacket, but his fifth success at Augusta National must have been the most satisfying.

Woods was hardly first-choice for tipsters giving US Masters golf betting tips, but his winning score of 13 under par gave him a one-stroke victory over compatriots Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele. The tale of Tiger and his 15th career success at the Majors reinforces that old sporting adage, form is temporary but class is permanent.

Lowry ensures Irish winner of The Open at Portrush

Rory McIlroy equals Tiger Woods record of two FedEx Cups

An Irishman won another of golf’s Majors – The Open Championship – just not the one the script was written for. Rory McIlroy held the course record at Royal Portrush and was a hot favourite in the betting, but put in one of the worst performances of his career.

His eight over par first round put him right up against it. McIlroy simply gave himself too much to do in his native Northern Ireland and he missed the cut on what was effectively his home course. Step forward, Shane Lowry. Born in Mullingar, County Westmeath – a town named for its infamous mill with sails that turned anti-clockwise – there was nothing wrong with his golf.

Lowry ran away with The Open, scoring by six strokes from Tommy Fleetwood on a final score of 15 under par. Again, he didn’t leap off the page among golf tips for the Majors but proved a popular winner in Portrush.

Europe snatch Solheim Cup

If last year’s Ryder Cup between the men of the USA and Europe turned out to be very one-sided in the end, then the lady golfers more than made up for it in the 2019 Solheim Cup.

The first two days of competition at Gleneagles ended with both teams tied. That meant everything hinged on the 12 singles matches on the third and final day. With the US taking the lead, Europe needed to win the last three matches in order to regain the Solheim Cup. They did just that and it made for one of the most exciting finishes in the competition’s history. It is just the sixth victory for Europe in 16 editions of the Solheim Cup. This is no small feat as the US won five of the previous seven.

 

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