By Paul Myers
For generations, golfers have grown up with one very specific goal – to win a major championship. Without debate, the four major championships – The Masters, the U.S. Open, the Open Championship, and the PGA Championship – are the pinnacle of the game. To win one of these four titles is to cement your name with the best players in the history of the game. If you ask any young golfer what their goal is within the game of golf, the first thing they name is almost certain to be one of the four majors.
However, that may be starting to change thanks to the last week in Rio. Golf was included in the Olympic program for the first time in more than 100 years, and Justin Rose was the player to take home the Gold Medal. Although many of the top names in the game decided to skip the event for a variety of reasons, the medal podium was filled with plenty of talent – Rose took home the title, Henrik Stenson won silver, and Matt Kuchar won the bronze.
Possible Team Addition?
If there was one thing that felt like it might have been missing from the Olympic competition in Rio, it was the presence of a team event. The golf competition was an individual event only, meaning there was no teamwork between players from the same nation. Many people expressed a desire to have team portion included, such as a two-man aggregate score tournament in addition to the individual competition. Golf will be played again at the next Olympic games in Tokyo, so there is certainly the possibility that some type of team element will be introduced by that time.
Moving On to the Playoffs
Now that the medals have been handed out, it is time for the world of professional golf to turn its attention to the playoffs. There is just one tournament left – the Wyndham Championship – before the FedEx Cup Playoffs get underway, so the top players in the world are tuning up to be at their best for this critical stretch of the season. There is a lot of money on the line when the ball goes in the air for the playoffs, so you can be sure that all players will be giving it their best to move up the board as quickly as possible. Jordan Spieth is the defending playoff champion, and he is certainly among the favorites once again in 2016. In addition to Spieth, Jason Day, Dustin Johnson, and Matt Kuchar will all be among the players to watch as the drama unfolds over the next few weeks.