The start of a new year brings to the forefront a number of compelling storylines. How will the results from 2024 lay the groundwork for what lies ahead in 2025?
The globalization of golf is rapidly happening. New younger players are now looking to make themselves an ongoing presence on leaderboards. The competition to reach the highest levels has only intensified.
Past assumptions are no longer certainties in being continued.
The organizational structure of golf is also evolving with even more shake-ups likely to take place in 2025.
The popularity of golf is still ascending, but clear challenges could very much disrupt that momentum and cause unforeseen outcomes.
Can Scheffler and Korda Continue Dominance in 2025?
Scottie Scheffler won his 2nd major at the Masters and had 9 total wins in 21 starts. The 28-year-old is firmly ensconced as the sport’s top male player. Securing major titles is now his prime target. When on all cylinders, Scheffler’s game is second to none.
Nelly Korda showed fine form in winning seven times, but her play was uneven with only one major win at the very start of 2024 and having two missed cuts back to back—one in the U.S. Women’s Open and the other in the Women’s PGA Championship
Reaching the mountaintop has been achieved by both—remaining there and separating themselves even more in the major events remains the challenge in the year ahead.
Can Rory McIlroy End Winless Major Streak?
Rory McIlroy will have a golden opportunity when Quail Hollow hosts the PGA Championship, where he has won several times via the Wells Fargo event, and at the Open Championship, where the game’s oldest event returns to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland for the second time.Who Is the Next LPGA Tour Commissioner?
Mollie Marcoux Samaan’s exit was not entirely unexpected. The glaring debacle of fans left standing for buses to get into the Solheim Cup likely sealed her departure.Women’s sports moved quickly up the attention ladder, but the LPGA remains in a frozen space with little to show for its successes. The word floundering is becoming more and more embedded in the storyline.
Overall exposure on television in concert with scheduling and a lack of on-site attendance are just three of the pivotal areas of concern.
Purses did grow, but that growth came only in a handful of select major events. The LPGA’s 75th year of existence is marked by 2025. A true savior in the commissioner’s chair is needed for a clear resurrection. Given past regressions, the climb upward will be an arduous one.
Can Spieth Return to Form and Has Anyone Seen Johnson?
Two mainstays in professional golf went missing in 2024. Jordan Spieth opted for season-ending wrist surgery, and Dustin Johnson has not been a factor in major events since winning the Masters in 2020.Spieth has only two wins on the PGA Tour since 2017, and Johnson, while winning on the LIV Golf circuit, has been unable to demonstrate the form that had him ranked number one in the sport for 135 weeks.
Is a Merger Possible Between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf?
A framework agreement was announced in June 2023 with a deadline of Dec. 31, 2023. That time frame was extended, but nothing has been finalized to date.The earliest anything can actually be put into motion is 2026, as schedules for 2025 have already been announced by each organization.
A number of related questions remain to be answered. Will players who left the PGA Tour be able to return? Will there be any penalties assessed? Is team golf likely to remain? How much of an equity stake is LIV Golf seeking?
And, more importantly, even with a proposed agreement—will the U.S. Justice Department sign off on it?
Is LIV Golf Headed to Fox Sports?
Having a critical mass media partner has been a long-time challenge for the upstart organization. The failure to plan properly speaks to the poor planning before LIV Golf actually launched in 2022.The CW network is woefully small and ineffectual in providing a wider visibility platform.
A move to Fox Sports, should that be finalized, will need to align a workable schedule so golf does not compete against football telecasts. This was the same issue faced by the PGA Tour in getting marquee tournaments away from that specific conflict.
Does Golf Remain in the Tortoise Lane?
All of the major golf organizations have stated the importance of playing without undue delays, but golf rounds have drifted closer to five hours rather than heading toward four hours or less.LPGA rounds have even reached six-plus hours at various tournaments.
Golf courses have hired outside companies to assist in such efforts, and where due diligence and impactful follow-ups have been carried out, the results have proven effective.
The future of the game hinges on being in alignment with the daily lives of those playing. Continued inattention and inaction are still happening. Far too many facilities see slow play simply as a talking point rather than an actual action item.
When Does Morikawa Return to Victory Lane?
In 22 events in 2024, 27-year-old Collin Morikawa finished with eight top 10 finishes and 16 in the top 25. The one constant dimension? No wins.In the four majors, his worst finish was 16th. He also had two top-five placements. The fourth-ranked played in the world has demonstrated a remarkable consistency and is a fixture in the final round.
However, contending is one thing, while winning is quite another.
Is Exit Door Likely for Monahan as Commissioner of the PGA Tour?
Trust from the rank-and-file shattered when Jay Monahan did a complete turnaround from his original position in opposition to LIV Golf. When someone is being paid $23 million a year, the need for trust and confidence are critical ingredients in demonstrating relevance and continued support.The 53-year-old has been at the helm of the PGA Tour since 2017, and the turbulent waves have subsided, but the pro golf ocean is hardly calm.
How the resolution of the talks between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf pan out could well determine if Monahan secures a life preserver or is permanently lost at sea.
