Photo: The Canadian Press
TROON, Scotland (AP) — Europeans first took over Augusta National when Sandy Lyle of Scotland won the Masters in 1988, the start of seven European winners in a span of nine years.
Padraig Harrington kicked off Irish golf's big run of winning majors in five of six years.
He won the British Open in 2007 and 2008, and the PGA Championship in 2008. Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland won the U.S. Open in 2010, and then Rory McIlroy won the U.S. Open and Darren Clarke won the British Open in 2011.
Now the Americans are back in charge.
They have won the last seven majors, their longest streak since Americans won 13 straight majors from Lee Trevino in the 1974 PGA Championship through Lanny Wadkins in the 1977 PGA Championship at Pebble Beach. Gary Player ended that run in the 1978 Masters.
That also was an era when Europeans didn't have easy access to the U.S. majors.
Now it's a global game, and for the first time since 1982, the Americans have a clean sweep of all four majors. They all won all the majors in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the British Open was not held that year.
Scottie Scheffler won the Masters, Xander Schauffele won the PGA Championship and British Open and Bryson DeChambeau won the U.S. Open. The 1982 sweep featured Craig Stadler (Masters), Tom Watson (U.S. Open and British Open) and Raymond Floyd (PGA Championship).
Lowry memories
Adam Scott recalls the time he was just starting out his pro career and Sergio Garcia would not let him pay for a dinner until Scott had a tour card.
Add Shane Lowry to that list.
Laurie Canter of England recalled his first year on the European tour in 2016. He had already missed nine cuts that year and money was tight when he played the Portugal Masters.
“I was in there with Gary Hurley, another guy in a similar position,” Canter said. "We were having dinner together at a pizzeria, and end of the meal the bill came. The lady said, ‘Your bill has been settled by that gentleman over there.’ And it was Shane. So there you go. I barely knew him, barely said a word to him at that point.
“I think he recognized a couple of rookies and he thought, ‘Throw those lads a bone.’ I have not forgotten that. It was a really nice gesture.”
Back to LIV
The LIV Golf League returns this week outside London, and then three more events before it wraps up its third season with the team championship.
But it will be nearly nine months before LIV players like Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau mix it up with the rest of the best in golf at the next majors.
And it wasn't a great year, except for DeChambeau, at this year's majors.
Koepka has the distinction of being the only LIV golfer to have made the cut in all four majors. For Koepka, who won the PGA Championship and was runner-up in the Masters a year ago, that's a small consolation. He didn't finish in the top 25 in any of them, his worst showing when healthy.
Rahm, who missed the cut in the PGA Championship and had to withdraw from the U.S. Open with a foot infection, tied for seventh in the British Open. He was the only LIV player to register a top 10 in the British Open, a year after none did at Hoylake.
Cameron Smith tied for sixth in the Masters. He finished out of the top 30 in the next two and missed the cut at Royal Troon. Tyrrell Hatton tied for ninth in the Masters. He finished out of the top 25 in the next two. A newcomer to LIV this year, he missed the cut in the British Open.
DeChambeau was a different story. After finishing sixth in the Masters, he finished one shot behind Schauffele at the PGA Championship and won the U.S. Open. But at the British Open, with his popularity gaining, he missed the cut at Royal Troon.
DeChambeau is among 10 LIV players currently eligible for the Masters, seven of whom are past champions.
Davies decision
Laura Davies says she won't be making one last trip across the Swilcan Burn at St. Andrews.
Golfweek reports Davies has decided not to play in the Women's British Open next week when it returns to the Old Course. The report says Davies reached the conclusion after a tee shot in Utah during the LPGA Senior Championship.
It wasn't an injury, rather a feeling of uncertainty that troubled her.
“I just don’t think I’m good enough anymore,” Davies said. “It would’ve been lovely, don’t get me wrong. … I wish I could’ve just stood up and said I’ll give it a go, I don’t care how bad I am. But I do care. That’s the trouble.”
Davies was inducted into the World Golf Gall of Fame in 2015 at a ceremony in St. Andrews during the British Open. She has played in the past 43 consecutive Women's British Opens.
Major streak
Hideki Matsuyama struggled in the final major of the year, finishing 21 shots out of the lead in a tie for 66th. But his performance in the majors has been remarkably steady.
Matsuyama is the only player to have made the cut in all four majors each of the last three seasons. But his streak goes back even more. He has not missed the cut in a major since the British Open in 2019 at Royal Portrush.
Matsuyama only played three majors in 2021, withdrawing from the British Open because he was recovering from the coronavirus and the Olympics were the following week in Tokyo. He has made the cut in his last 18 majors.
Twelve other players made the cut in all four majors this year — Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Cameron Young, Nicolai Hojgaard, Patrick Cantlay, Harris English, Corey Conners, Ryan Fox, Russell Henley, Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka.
On the opposite side of the spectrum was Phoenix Open winner Nick Taylor, the only player to miss the cut in all four majors.
Divots
The LPGA Tour is starting to show some serious parity this year outside Nelly Korda and her six victories in 2024. Hannah Green is the only other multiple winner. Through 20 events, 14 players have won. ... Xander Schauffele finished the four majors at a combined 32-under par, 15 shots better than Scottie Scheffler. Only two other players were under par for majors — Collin Morikawa (15 under) and Shane Lowry (6 under). ... Matt McCarty became the 13th first-time winner on the Korn Ferry Tour this year. There were 10 all of last season. ... Padraig Harrington will try to become the third player to win a British Open and Senior British Open on the same course at Carnoustie. Tom Watson won both at Muirfield and Turnberry, while Bob Charles won both at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.
Stat of the week
The longest par putt Xander Schauffele had in the final round of the British Open at Royal Troon was 2 feet, 10 inches.
Final word
“It’s one of the coolest jobs in the world. You get to be outside in the sun. I don’t have to sit at a desk. I’m my own boss — most of the time. Those are some freedoms that I definitely don’t take for granted.” — PGA and British Open champion Xander Schauffele.
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