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10 things from 2023 we’ll be talking about in 10 years (and 5 we won’t)

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canelo
It’s hard to know what will resonate through the sands of time. Certainly there are things that seem to matter in the present, though the past has shown that the future may wonder what all the fuss was about. On the other end there are moments that are seemingly inconsequential that ultimately prove momentous. All of which to say, time will tell what will be remembered a decade from now in 2033 about the year in golf 2023, but here are 10 things we think might have the most lasting impact.

Jon Rahm’s Masters win

The Spaniard already had reached golf’s summit when winning the 2021 U.S. Open. But there are a handful of individuals that are held to a different standard, their talents beg for more mountains to climb, and failing to do so can classify as squandered potential. Rahm, 29 in November, was in this bunch, yet extracted himself out with a phenomenal final-day performance over 30 holes to capture the green jacket. In his triumph, Rahm became the first European to grab both the Masters and U.S. Open, and the victory came on the 40th anniversary of fellow countryman Seve Ballesteros’ last Masters win and a day that would have been Ballesteros’ birthday. Set aside what he did at year’s end by signing with LIV Golf (we’ll get to that later); his performance in April already made his an integral part of the story of golf in 2023.

Michael Block

It seemed like a feel-good 15-minutes-of-fame tale: A 40-something PGA club pro who contended (and made a hole-in-one!) at Oak Hill, galvanizing those that watched while enjoying every second of it. Except those 15 minutes have stretched far past last May’s PGA Championship, and there’s been a considerable amount of backlash for prolonging the victory parade (to say nothing of Block’s, ahem, conviction in himself). Still, no matter where you stand on Blockiemania, there’s no doubting the man at the eye of the hurricane has cemented his legend.

Bryson’s 58

According to DataGolf, the best True Strokes Gained performance (which takes into account how hard or easy a course was playing, along with the strength of field) since 2004 was Jim Furyk’s 59 at the 2013 BMW Championship. Second is J.B. Holmes’ 62 at the 2015 WGC-Cadillac. We’d be remiss in failing to mention Ken Duke’s 65 at the 2016 Players was fourth. Bryson DeChambeau’s 58 at LIV’s Greenbrier ranks … 328th on that list. Still, 58! It was arguably LIV Golf’s most indelible moment from two years of competition (with a solid celebration, too) and signaled—after a few years in the wilderness—DeChambeau was back to being an elite competitor.

U.S Women’s Open at Pebble
The women’s game often fails to get the same respect as the men’s, and that includes its tournament venues. Though the USGA has brought its flagship women’s event to world-class venues in the past, those meccas are usually the aberration. That changed this year with the U.S. Women’s Open visiting storied Pebble Beach. The world-renowned course helped the championship draw its largest audience since 2014 and produced a memorable week, with Allisen Corpuz coming out on top. With a ridiculous slate of future U.S. Women’s Open sites lined up (including Oakmont, Chicago, Merion and Riviera), this event could mark the line of demarcation of when the women’s game was finally given its due.

Brian Harman vs. the European press

The actual Open lacked final-round drama thanks to a lights-out performance from Harman at Royal Liverpool and his competitors failing to make a Sunday charge. What will endure is the odd sight of the European press—tough crowd, that European press—trying to conjure headlines by taking issue with Harman’s love of hunting, resulting in the remarkable nicknames, “The Butcher of Hoylake” and “Brian the Butcher.” To Harman’s credit, he dispelled any notion that he hunts for sport and answered each question with grace. Still, that one of the nicest guys in the game left with such a cold-blooded reputation remains hilarious.

Phil’s alleged wagers

Phil Mickelson did not have a quiet 2023, doing everything from hocking superhero capes to darn-near winning the Masters at age 52. But Mickelson’s year will best be noted for allegations from his former friend Billy Walters. In Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk, Walters asserted Mickelson waged more than $1 billion in sports betting and lost close to $100 million. Walters also claimed that Mickelson called him to try and place a bet on the 2012 Ryder Cup, an event in which Mickelson was a competitor for the United States. While Mickelson has acknowledged his gambling addictions, he pushed back that “I never bet on the Ryder Cup,” Walters has countered that the bet never went through because Walters didn’t accept it.

Hatgate

The Ryder Cup itself wasn’t much of a match, which, depending on one’s perspective, is a nod to Team Europe’s continued ability to elevate their collective output when at home, the upshot of Americans putting self over squad, or the byproduct of a broken system. However, the Ryder Cup was not short on theatrics, thanks to Patrick Cantlay, Joe LaCava, and a mid-match story on … (check’s notes) .. hats. On Saturday, a media report emerged that the U.S. locker room was “fractured” because of Cantlay, who was refusing to wear a hat in protest of players not getting paid for their participation. In response, Europeans fans jeered Cantlay Saturday afternoon while singing, “Hats off to the bank account.” Cantlay—who dropped a bomb on the 18th green to win his match against Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick—responded by pantomiming a cap tip to the crowd. Cantlay’s caddie, LaCava, went a step further, waving his hat in the air for 90 seconds on the green, including right in the face, and line, of McIlroy, leading to a parking lot confrontation that evening. And if all of the above seems beautifully bizarre, well, it was, which is why its memory will not fade anytime soon.

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