Ranking this year’s Major Championships

Wyndham Clark capped off a remarkable career renaissance with his wire-to-wire triumph at Shinnecock, claiming his 2^nd US Open title in the process.  You then had two complete surprise packages in Aaron Rai and Ryan Fox, who both upset the golfing establishment with their respective wins at Aronimink and Royal Birkdale.

4. US Open- Wyndham Clark wins at Shinnecock Hills

This year’s US Open felt like a damp squib for a variety of reasons.  Wyndham Clark, the new bad boy of men’s golf, was never going to be a popular winner.  The combustible Clark went low early, barely needing to get out of 2^nd gear to win in wire-to-wire fashion.  That’s the thing about a brute of a course like Shinnecock; players aren’t going to be making gluts of birdies to chase you down.  It also felt like a regular tour event, with many spectators opting not to brave the New York traffic over the course of the weekend.  I also think that the event was overshadowed by the FIFA World Cup (which had started just a week prior).  The group stage of that tournament is like Taylor Swift at the Grammys, hogging all the attention and leaving very little oxygen for anything else. 

3. PGA Championship- Aaron Rai wins at Aronimink

This was certainly the weirdest of all the year’s majors.  The PGA of America took a leaf out of the sadistic USGA’s playbook this year, taking Aronimink to the brink of unplayability (particularly in the early rounds).  The setup committee opted for some wild pin placements, with steep runoff areas and undulations making it nigh on impossible to be aggressive.  It was slightly jarring because the PGA Championship usually encourages relatively low scoring.  The exacting layout led to a strange final leaderboard, with the likes of Maverick McNealy, Alex Smalley and Matthias Schmid gatecrashing the party.  Big names such as McIlroy and Rahm flirted with contention, but it was ultimately Steady Eddie Aaron Rai who would catch fire down the stretch.  The unassuming Englishman blitzed the back-nine in a performance that evoked Mickelson’s victory at Muirfield.  And all of this while donning two gloves! 

2. The Masters- Rory wins at Augusta

This year’s Masters truly had something for everyone.  The big story was obviously Rory McIlroy making it back-to-back Green Jackets.  McIlroy looked like he was set for another Augusta meltdown after relinquishing a six-shot halfway lead.  He started the final day terribly but just kept plugging away, using his intimate knowledge of the Georgian masterpiece to his advantage.  Scottie Scheffler pushed him all the way while the likes of Cameron Young and Russell Henley flirted with major breakthroughs.  There were also some juicy, controversial moments, with Sergio destroying a tee-box and Robert McIntyre caught flipping the bird on camera (the ‘patrons’ must have been aghast).  I just wish that ‘Rosie’ would have held on.  Ever-popular Englishman Justin Rose was in prime position to finally win on a course that he plays oh so well.  A Rose victory may have pushed this over the edge and into the No.1 spot. 

1.The Open Championship- Ryan Fox wins at Royal Birkdale

But Ryan Fox’s startling late rally at Birkdale was the piece de resistance of this year’s major roster.  Royal Birkdale lived up to its pre-tournament billing, offering a tough but fair test of links golf.  It had several compelling narratives that developed throughout the week (think Bryson’s controversy or hometown hero Fleetwood’s title push).  Sam Burns and Si Woo Kim both toyed with a first major title, but it was Cameron Young who looked set to claim his elusive first major after storming home with a final-round 64.  But New Zealander Ryan Fox showed nerves of steel down the straight, birdying the last to pip Young to the Claret Jug by just one stroke.  Ranked 56^th in the world, Fox became the lowest-ranked winner since Darren Clarke in 2011 (Clarke was ranked 111^th).  A PGA Tour rookie at the age of 37, this was just the cheery on top in Fox’s late-career Cinderella story.