A Year of Drama: Golf’s 7 Most Indelible Moments in 2023

We won’t forget what happened in the golf world this year. 

Our expectation was for a long, drawn-out court battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. In the meantime, the tour’s designated events would get the best players together more often while LIV would go on quietly. 

But on one unforgettable day, everything we thought we knew about the pro game flipped upside down. It was so stunning that the date of June 6 requires no additional explanation. It was, without a doubt, the day everything changed. 

What happened between the PGA Tour and LIV was indicative of a dramatic year in golf. On more than a handful of occasions, something happened that few people had on their bingo cards. 

To remember the year that was, here are the seven most indelible moments the golf world witnessed in 2023.

1. PGA Tour-LIV framework agreement catches everyone by surprise

The PGA Tour and LIV were embattled in what figured to be a years-long legal war—and then their leaders were suddenly together on live television talking about a framework agreement to bring the two together. 

Nothing leading up to that day suggested a partnership. Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan had taken a zero-tolerance stance with LIV and the players who left for it, even leaning heavily on a moral argument by questioning the Saudi-backed league’s controversial source of funding. Sharply worded letters and constant bickering on both sides only showed signs of a budding rivalry. 

On June 6, all of that was pushed to the side. Monahan and Yasir Al-Rumayyan, Chairman of the Saudi’s Public Investment Fund that backs LIV, appeared together on CNBC with news of a stunning peace treaty. 

The deal, which would have the PIF invest heavily into the tour, was constructed in secret with even the top players left in the dark. The move ended all litigation and gave an end-of-year deadline to come up with an official deal that would set the agreement in stone. As of this writing, nothing has been announced so it’s possible the deadline could be extended into 2024. 

Why did the framework agreement happen? The PIF and its bottomless pit of money had bled the tour dry of financial resources through mounting legal bills, poaching notable players and forcing the tour to raise purses. It was an arms race PIF would inevitably win and the tour finally accepted that fate instead of trying to fight. 

What will happen in 2024? It’s expected the two sides will come together. The tour is in “advanced negotiations” with a private equity firm called Strategic Sports Group, which is backed by several sport franchise owners, in an attempt to bypass Department of Justice antitrust scrutiny while bolstering the tour’s coffers. The PIF has the tour in an extremely vulnerable position after signing Jon Rahm to LIV, a move that likely gave them even more leverage in negotiations. It feels like the tour is out of options aside from partnering with the PIF.

Our guess is that the tour and LIV will exist separately in the foreseeable future with the players on either side eventually having the freedom to play wherever they want within certain guidelines. A cooperative schedule will be set up to help all parties involved, including the struggling DP World Tour. That would, in effect, create a more global tour.

Getting to that point may take some time.

2. The ball gets rolled back for everyone

The core of a Titleist Pro V1x golf ball.

The USGA and R&A have spent several years focusing on what they deemed as a chronic and worrisome distance issue in golf. Yet their announcement earlier this month caught most off guard. 

Leaders Mike Whan of the USGA and Martin Slumbers of the R&A had previously assured everyone that the recreational game—currently thriving on most fronts—would be untouched by equipment regulations. The initial plan announced in March pointed toward bifurcation as only the pros and elite amateurs would be subject to a rolled-back golf ball that went a shorter distance. The “Model Local Rule” would be adopted by the game’s best while the rest of us continued as normal. 

However, bifurcation came with obstacles the governing bodies said were too difficult to overcome. One was that the professional game seemed unlikely to adopt the new rule. Another was a lack of agreement on where to draw the bifurcation line given how distance gains extend down to junior golf and other elite amateur competitions. Yet another was that a significant number of people feel there is a special bond across all levels of golf when the same rules apply to everyone. 

The USGA and R&A noted there were three options: bifurcate, roll the ball back for everyone or do nothing. Both felt like doing nothing was the wrong choice given their data about increased hitting distances. With bifurcation facing substantial hurdles, they opted for a full rollback taking effect for pros in 2028 and everyone else in 2030. 

It is still unknown exactly how this will look. The governing bodies assert that most recreational golfers will only see a handful of yards come off their drives and other longer shots. With a 5-iron and less, there will be virtually no decrease in yardage, so they claim. Faster swing speeds would see a greater decrease in distance. However, it is possible distance limitation could be more severe than what is being communicated by officials now. 

A prediction is that we have not seen the end of equipment regulation. The governing bodies hinted that they are continuing to look at how driver technology impacts the game. 

“Continue to monitor drivers and explore possible additional options related to distance,” they wrote in the distance report statement. “Specifically, we will research the forgiveness of drivers and how they perform with off-center hits.”

The rollback discussion is a passionate one and it will continue for years to come.

3. Jon Rahm leaves for LIV

Jon Rahm surprised the golf world when he eschewed the PGA Tour for LIV.

December isn’t known for being a crazy golf news month but it was just that in 2023. 

Jon Rahm, a longtime ardent supporter of the PGA Tour and arguably the player of the year in pro golf, left for LIV Golf this month, reportedly signing a deal worth somewhere between $300 million and $600 million. 

This was a massive surprise in some respects and expected in others. Rahm had stood by the tour at each turn throughout the past two years. He gave several quotes that indicated he wouldn’t be going anywhere. The most encouraging one for the tour was when Rahm claimed money would not impact where he decided to play, saying his priority was competing against the best players in the world. 

But much of that occurred before the June 6 framework agreement that shook the golf world. Rahm, one could guess, lost faith in the tour’s leadership and wanted to cash in after a season that saw him win the Masters for his second major championship. 

When he showed up to a Fox News appearance wearing a LIV letterman jacket, it was a shocking visual. More than anything, it was a signal that pro golf has deteriorated and needs a hard reset. 

Rahm’s signing could provide a jumpstart for more cohesion and peace in the game. That might be wishful thinking but one can hope.

4. Underdog Europeans dominate Ryder Cup

By the way, there was a lot of great golf played in 2023. 

Nothing was more impactful or stunning than the Ryder Cup in Rome. 

The Americans came in as favorites after thrashing the Europeans 19-9 at Whistling Straits in 2021. While the U.S. hadn’t claimed victory on foreign soil since 1993, this was arguably the most confident group the team had seen in that span. 

The dream of ending the streak quickly turned into a nightmare. The Europeans swept the opening foursomes session, ending the first day up 6.5-1.5. The U.S. didn’t win a single match on the first day.  

By the end of Saturday morning, the lead had been extended to 9.5-2.5. The Americans made a valiant comeback over the final two sessions and even had a narrow path to victory during the later stages of Sunday’s play but the Europeans win probability stayed comfortably above 90 percent the whole time. 

The event might be most remembered for Patrick Cantlay and the “Hatgate” incident. A report, which was later refuted, suggested Cantlay wasn’t wearing a hat in protest because players weren’t being paid to compete. It led to a bizarre incident on Saturday evening when Cantlay’s caddie, Joe LaCava, waved his hat mercilessly in Rory McIlroy’s face after Cantlay made a long putt on the 18th green. After the round, McIlroy was seen confronting Jim “Bones” Mackay, caddie of Justin Thomas. 
It was the fifth consecutive Ryder Cup won by five points or more, the home team winning each time. LIV players were not eligible to play or serve as captains for the European side last year but that is a rule we think will be changed now that Rahm has left for LIV as PGA Tour-PIF negotiations continue.

5. Koepka gets back to being Brooks

So much has happened in the golf world that we easily forget about Brooks Koepka’s rollercoaster ride the past few years. 

Koepka was a world-beater in the late 2010s, winning four majors and establishing himself as one of the marquee players in the world. In 2019, he recorded top-four finishes in all four majors. 

But around the time the pandemic hit, Koepka wasn’t quite the same. He dealt with injuries and went winless from 2020-2022, his world ranking falling quickly. Koepka left for LIV in June 2022 as many pundits suggested he was sailing off into the sunset, bag of cash in hand. 

By early 2023, Netflix’s “Full Swing” documentary was released. One of the episodes centered around Koepka as he talked openly about his mental struggles. The vulnerability he showed was in direct contrast to how he normally carries himself. It was clear the documentary was showing a broken golfer who didn’t believe in himself anymore. 

That made it all the more fascinating when Koepka came out firing at the Masters, building a four-stroke lead heading into the final day. He wouldn’t close that major out but he did win the PGA Championship a month later for his fifth major victory. Only 19 other players in the game’s history have won five majors. 

Koepka was also the only LIV player on the Ryder Cup team, going 1-1-1. Oh, and he dug in as a social media troll on multiple occasions. The swagger is back. 

How many majors can Koepka win? He still thinks he can reach double digits which would make him a certified legend. Our guess? Put Koepka down for another major victory in 2024, tying him with Lee Trevino, Nick Faldo and Phil Mickelson with six.

6. Michael Block drinks in his 15 minutes of fame

Just like we all guessed, golf’s feel-good story of the year came from a 46-year-old club pro. Right.

It was surreal watching Michael Block, head golf professional at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in Mission Viejo, Calif., put together an inspired performance in the PGA Championship. Not only did he finish in a tie for 15th against the world’s best but Block made a slam-dunk Sunday ace alongside Rory McIlroy and converted an insane up-and-down on the 72nd hole to secure a spot in next year’s PGA. 

There are 20 club pros included in the PGA every year but it’s common for only one or two of them to make the cut. Block getting into contention was something of a miracle, especially considering his less-than-desirable play in other PGA Tour starts that came along. 

Block has enjoyed his 15 minutes of fame—maybe a little too much for some—but he has been entertaining nonetheless. The man nicknamed “Blockie” has played golf with D.J. Khaled, rubbed elbows with countless celebrities, recorded a ninth career albatross (how is that possible?) and set a course record at Valhalla, site of next year’s PGA Championship. 

Have yourself a year, Blockie.

7. The kids arrive with a bang

In most years, what Ludvig Aberg and Rose Zhang accomplished would earn a higher spot. 

Let’s start with Aberg, a Swede from Texas Tech who turned professional this past summer after being the No. 1 amateur in the world. The 24-year-old burst onto the scene, winning a DP World Tour and PGA Tour event in his first six months. In between those victories, he qualified for the European Ryder Cup team, becoming the first player to do so without competing in a major championship beforehand. 

Aberg went 2-2 in the Ryder Cup, flashing an off-the-tee game that might already be the best in the world. He is No. 32 in the Official World Golf Rankings and will soon be playing a full complement of major championships. All the evidence says Aberg is heading toward being a top-10 player. 

Zhang was also the No. 1 amateur in the world  but she was even more dominate as an amateur, winning six times for Stanford this past spring. Among her victories was the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and NCAA Championship. 

In her first professional start this summer, Zhang captured the Mizuho America’s Open to become the first player to win in her first LPGA start as a pro since 1951. Zhang added three top-10 finishes in majors and was picked for the U.S. Solheim Cup team.

Aberg and Zhang are potential superstars. It’s remarkable they turned pro at the same time and are quickly taking the golf world by storm.

What is next? More winning, we’re sure. Don’t be surprised if both are contending in majors next year.

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