With the four men’s major tournaments now done and dusted, you could be forgiven for thinking golf fans have nothing to look forward to over the next few months.
Brian Harman’s impressive victory at The Open in July put the seal on this season’s majors on the men’s circuit, but there is a still a ton of top-class action to come.
With the women’s golf schedule also packed with some unmissable events, we take a look at what is on the agenda over the next few months.
Team Europe Eyeing More Solheim Cup Glory
The AIG Women’s Open in August kicks off an exciting run for women’s golf which is headlined by the 18th edition of the Solheim Cup the following month.
The first three majors this year have all been claimed by first time champions, highlighting the depth of talent in the women’s game.
Ireland’s Leona Maguire finished tied for fourth position last year and will fancy her chances of winning a major for the first time in her career.
Maguire will also be part of Team Europe’s bid to win the Solheim Cup for the third consecutive time at Finca Cortesin in Spain during September.
Europe triumphed 15-13 in 2021 and are the marginal favourites with the bookmakers to become the first team ever to win the competition three times in a row.
However, there is nothing to choose between the two sides according to the leading online bookies and another close encounter is on the cards.
Both teams are a best-priced 11/10 to win the Solheim Cup, while the draw can be backed at 12/1. The two teams have never previously tied, but it may happen this year.
Male Stars Chasing FedExCup Success
There is plenty of prize money up for grabs in men’s golf during August, with the FedEx St Jude Championship and BMW Championship boasting a collective prize pool of $40 million.
The two tournaments will see the top 70 players in the season standings whittled down to a final field of 30 who will battle for the FedExCup at the Tour Championship.
In addition to chasing a record fourth victory, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is aiming to become the first player to go back-to-back in the event.
McIlroy went into the 2022 Tour Championship seventh in the standings and six strokes behind Scottie Scheffler, but produced a masterful performance to win the title.
He played his first two holes in four over par before battling back to beat the American by a shot to claim the whopping $18m prize money.
McIlroy’s final score of 263 was the joint-second best in Tour Championship history, with Tiger Woods (2007) the only man to beat it with 257.
After finishing tied for sixth place at The Open, McIlroy will head into the chase for FedExCup glory in a confident frame of mind.
All Roads Lead to Rome for Epic Ryder Cup Clash
Team Europe will be gunning for revenge when the 44th edition of the Ryder Cup gets underway Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome on September 29.
The 2021 Ryder Cup was a chastening experience for Europe, with Team USA roaring to an emphatic 19-9 victory at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
The record-breaking defeat will undoubtedly be used to inspire this year’s European team by first-time captain Luke Donald.
McIlroy and Jon Rahm will be the standout names in the team, while Robert MacIntyre looks likely to feature following his excellent run of form.
Juston Rose’s recent performances are a cause for concern and he will need to up his game if he is to feature in the line-up this year.
While Team USA captain Zach Johnson will have world number one Scottie Scheffler and three current major champions at his disposal, victory is far from assured.
The USA have not triumphed on European soil since a 15-13 success at The Belfry in 1993 and they are unlikely to find things easy playing in front of a partisan crowd in Rome.
The post Golf Fans Set for a Stellar End to 2023 appeared first on Golf News.
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