Thought for the Day
If you can’t remember if you scored five or six, it’s always six
Round-up of 2016
Worst selection of the Year: Darren Clarke
In choosing his wild card picks for the Ryder Cup, Darren opted for experience rather than form, and went for best mate Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer – they scored one point out of seven. The man he picked on form, Thomas Pieters, made the best debut ever by a rookie
Dinosaur of the Year: Muirfield
The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, to give the club its proper name, had the chance to finally allow women members but the vote fell short of the two-thirds majority needed. The R&A promptly removed the East Lothian links from the Open rota so the club announced it would hold another ballot in the New Year. Time to get it right, guys
Necessary result of the Year: America winning the Ryder Cup
To be exciting we need uncertainty about the outcome, and if one side dominates, as Europe has recently, that drama is missing. And the Americans deserved the victory because team Europe was comprehensively outplayed
Rules cock-up of the Year: The USGA
On the 5th green on the final day of the US Open, Dustin Johnson sought a ruling because his ball moved a micro-fraction back from the hole. As he had not grounded his club he was told by the rules official he was not responsible, no penalty. Seven holes later he was told there might be a penalty and a decision would be made when he finished his round. He was then penalised a stroke. Johnson saved the USGA considerable embarrassment by winning at a canter so the outcome was not affected
Greatest loss of the Year: Arnold Palmer
Arnold was a great champion but an even better man, never forgetting the fans who adored his cavalier, often breathtaking style of play. Fortunate to have the start of his career coincide with the advent of colour TV, his charisma shone through the screen and much of golf’s popularity can be attributed to him.
And let us not forget Christy O’Connor Jr, who we lost in January at far too young an age
Misjudged opinion of the Year: Peter Willett
In the week of the Ryder Cup, he wrote an article in which he lambasted American golf fans in highly offensive terms. It painted a huge target on the back of his brother, Danny, and the fact that some of the gallery lived down to Peter’s low opinion of them didn’t justify the timing of his piece
Cringeful moment of the Year 1
On the first hole of the Masters, Ernie Els six-putted. Anyone with a heart turned away in order not to witness the agonies of this great champion
Cringeful moment of the Year 2
Brittany Lang won the US Women’s Open – surely the greatest triumph of all for an American woman. Some of the shine of her victory was erased, however, by Diane Murphy, president of the USGA, repeatedly called her ‘Bethany’ during the presentation ceremony
Cringeful moment of the Year 3
Jordan Spieth started 2016 as he finished 2015 and after three rounds of the Masters was cruising to another major title. But then came the par three 12th. Seeing his tee shot fall back in to the water was not too great a surprise – it has happened to many of the world’s best. But he then chunked a routine wedge from the dropping zone in a shot that would embarrass a 20-handicap golfer. He never recovered
Major of the Year: The Open
Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson went head-to-head over the last round at Royal Troon. In any other year, against any other opponent, Phil’s six-under par 65 would be good enough to lift the claret jug but Henrik was unstoppable, shooting 63
Dumb quote of the Year 1: Rory McIlroy
Having elected not to take part in the Olympic Games, along with many of the world’s best players, Rory was asked if he would watch the golf from Rio and said he’d probably forego the pleasure and instead watch ‘stuff that matters’. When Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose went toe-to-toe for the gold medal, creating a great final round, Rory at least had the grace to admit he was: ‘Somewhat proven wrong.’
Dumb quote of the Year 2: Donald Trump
The Trumpster landed in the UK on the day the Brexit vote was announced and tweeted: ‘Just arrived in Scotland. Place is going wild over the vote.’ Except it wasn’t – Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU
Saddest sounds of the Year
American Ryder Cup fans, shouting vile and moronic insults at European golfers throughout three days of competition
Absentee of the Year: Tiger Woods
We still don’t know when he will tee it up again in competition and, while the world of pro golf spins happily along without him, it would be good to see him back, even if his major winning days are over
Depressing stat of the Year
In February the top-four golfers in the world (Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler) were, for the first time since rankings began, all under the age of 30, with an average age of 26. Age and guile have given way to youth
Birdie of the Year: Matthew Fitzpatrick
In the European Tour’s last, and most lucrative, event – the DP World Tour Championship – the young Englishman needed to birdie the last to avoid a playoff. He splashed out of a greenside bunker and then holed a five-foot putt to do exactly that. Not a bad way to end a season
Just wanted to thank you for the excellent service, you really do deserve to do commended.