The golfing year 2020
A Happy New Year and a prosperous one betting to all our readers!
We have two tourneys to add to the majors compressed between April and July – the Olympics in Tokyo and the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits.
The younger men I fancy to win their first major are Xander Schauffele, Abraham Ancer and Cameron Champ.
At the other end of the scale who would have thought at a tasty 5-2 that Tiger Woods aged 41 would win another Major which he achieved at Augusta. He has formidable mental strength but can his body survive 4 days of gruelling golf?
Justin Rose, current Olympic gold holder, and Dustin Johnson are due another Major.
These days Rory Mcilroy seems content to trouser up the moolah whilst Jordan Spieth’s name is rarely seen at the head of the leaderboard come Sunday.
Jason Day and Ricky Fowler might have had their best days too.
Of the Europeans Austrian slugger Bernd Wiesberger won 3 trophies and looks a good bet for the Race to Dubai.
The Open returns to Royal St George’s, Sandwich, where Darren Clarke was an unlikely winner in 2011.
The course gave me one of my great memories when I followed Greg Norman to his victory in 1993.
The Great White Shark had an illustrious career but his only 2 majors won were the Open. As with Opens and links courses the wind plays its part so the draw is all important.
As for the Ryder Cup the Europeans are favourites at 6-4.
You can see why with Jon Rahm, Rory, Justin Rose, Francesco Molnari, Shane Lowry, Bernd Wiesberger and resurgent Danny Willett – who won the flagship PGA event at Wentworth at 55-1 – bringing welcome lucre to the Pargie household.
Another Sheffield lad Matt Fitzpatrick will be in the mix as will Italian Andrea Pavan who had a successful year.
Henrik Stenson’s late win in 2019 will help his cause.
Of course the Americans with Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Gary Woodland are hardly weak with old campaigners Matt Kuchar, Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson to call up too.
Bring it on!
