2014 Annual
The Year In Retrospect
Contributor: Doug Ferguson
In a year of so many golfing highlights, it took feats of brilliance and historic proportions to stand out. Adam Scott produced both as he became the first Australian to win the masters and wear a green jacket at Augusta, but only after defeating Angel Cabrera in a thrilling sudden death play-off. All this and more are included in the 48th edition of the annual founded by Mark H McCormack, Rolex presents the world of golf Professional Golf 2014. Mr McCormack, the founder and chairman of IMG, passed away in 2003 at the age of 72, but this publication continues in his memory.
Scott had to share the limelight with a number of other players, not least Phil Mickelson who won the Open Championship at the 20th attempt. A month after a heart-breaking 6th runner up finish at the US Open, the American produced a stunning burst of four birdies in the last six holes at Muirfield to claim his fifth major title. Tiger Woods won five times, including two World Golf Championships and the Players Championship, but could not win a major. In winning the Tour Championships on both the PGA and European Tours, Henrik Stenson became the first player to claim both the FedExCup and the Race to Dubai titles, a remarkable upsurge in form after the Swede ranked outside the world’s top 200 in 2012.
There were three new major winners in Scott, Justin Rose and Jason Dufner who equalled the major record of 63 in winning the PGA Championship at Oak Hill. Rose produced a wonderful finish Merion to pip Mickelson and become the first Englishman to win the US Open in 43 years, and any major since Nick Faldo won the 1996 Masters. Away from the majors, Jordan Spieth became the first teenager in 82 years to win on the PGA Tour, going on to help America to victory in the Presidents Cup, while Hideki Matsuyama won four times in his rookie season in Japan.
Inbee Park dominated the women’s game, winning three major championships in a row and six times in all, but Stacy Lewis won the British Open at St. Andrews and Suzann Pettersen the inaugural Evian Championship, while 16-year-old Lydia Ko retained her Canadian Open title and finished runner up in a major even before turning professional. And there were joyous scenes as Europe won the Solheim Cup for the first time on American soil.