🏌🏻 Never Won Masters

Good morning. As Boxing Day brings the holiday cheer, we're here to unwrap the perfect golfing treat just for you. In this edition, we take a look at the biggest jumps in OWGR 2023, the best golfers who failed to win at the Masters and we also explore Viktor Hovland's earnings on the PGA Tour in 2023.

So, make yourselves comfortable and let's tee-off together!"

⛳ This day in history: On this date, in 1993, the Senior PGA Tour, represented by Raymond Floyd, Jack Nicklaus, and Chi Chi Rodriguez, emerged victorious at the Wendy’s Three-Tour Challenge held at Colleton River Plantation in Hilton Head Island, S.C. They achieved an impressive score of 11 under par.

ALBATROS
Biggest Gainers In World Golf Ranking 2023

Tiger Woods staged a remarkable return to the competitive circuit at the 2023 Hero World Challenge after a hiatus, experiencing a surprising surge in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).

However, the spotlight doesn't shine solely on Woods in the OWGR narrative of 2023. Here are the top 5 golfers who made the biggest jumps in OWGR 2023.

5. Byeong-hun An: An had an exceptional 2023 season marked by impressive performances, notably securing 2nd place at the Wyndham Championship, which boosted him from 79th to 57th in the OWGR, earning him 21.38 points.

4. Lucas Glover: Glover's remarkable victory at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, garnering 56.08 points, propelled him from 53rd to 30th in the OWGR. His consistent play, including a win at the Wyndham Championship, contributed to this rise.

3. Joaquin Niemann: Niemann's triumph at the ISPS Handa Australian Open, coupled with a strong T5 finish at the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship, elevated him from 82nd to 59th on the OWGR. His strategic approach hints at his potential as a budding golfing talent.

2. Louis Oosthuizen: Oosthuizen leveraged an exemption to secure consecutive victories at the DP World Tour. His wins at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, just six days apart, propelled him significantly from 441st to 133rd in the OWGR, marking a jump of 308 spots.

1. Tiger Woods: Woods' return to golf at the 2023 Hero World Challenge after injury led to a dramatic climb in the OWGR. Starting at 1328th, his 18th-place finish catapulted him to 898th, an astonishing leap of 430 spots. As of now, he holds the 892nd spot globally.

TWEET
Worth Mentioning

EAGLE
These Golf Superstars Never Won the Masters

Numerous top-tier golfers have fallen short in their attempts to secure victory at the Masters tournament. Conquering the Augusta National course poses a formidable challenge, even for the most accomplished players.

Here's our compilation ranking the exceptional golfers, including some still vying for success, who have yet to claim a Masters title.

5. Tommy Armour: Armour's pursuit of achieving golf's grand slam by securing victories in all four majors remained unfulfilled, primarily due to his performance at the Masters. Across seven appearances at Augusta, he managed a top-10 finish only once—a tied eighth place in the 1937 tournament. It's worth noting that, similar to Walter Hagen, Armour competed at the twilight of his illustrious career when the Masters tournament commenced.

4. Bobby Jones: Jones, renowned as the designer of Augusta National Golf Club and a co-founder of the Masters, had concluded his competitive golf career before the tournament's inception. Despite retirement, the Masters remained the sole genuine competitive event where Jones, functioning as an amateur, participated. Between 1934 and 1948 (excluding the years 1943 to 1945 due to World War II), Jones competed in the Masters 12 times. His highest achievement was a tied 13th place in the inaugural event.

3. Lee Trevino: Trevino, hailed as one of the most accomplished golfers in history, secured two wins each at the PGA Championship (1974, '84), U.S. Open (1968, '71), and the Open Championship (1971, '72). However, his pursuit of the grand slam was hindered by the Masters. Despite making the cut in all but three of his 20 appearances at Augusta, he achieved only two top-10 finishes in the event—a tied 10th place both in 1975 and, a decade later, in '85.

2. Rory McIlroy: Rory boasts four major titles, the last being in 2014 when he clinched both the Open Championship and the PGA Championship in a single season. Despite winning the latter twice and claiming the 2011 U.S. Open, McIlroy continues his quest for the coveted green jacket at Augusta. His history at the Masters includes consistent strong performances from 2014 to 2018, finishing within the top eight each time. However, he missed the cut in 2021 and secured a runner-up position in 2022.

1. Greg Norman: Norman clinched the Open Championship twice (in 1986 and 1993); nevertheless, it was his close calls at the Masters that often stick in the minds of golf enthusiasts when recalling the Shark's career. He secured outright or tied for second place three times at Augusta (in 1986, '87, and '96). However, he never managed to win the prestigious title.

Check out the complete list here.

LOCKER ROOM
What else is making news

LIV v/s PGA: Bryson DeChambeau has made bold claims that LIV will be a 'dominant force' in professional golf and has gone on to warn the PGA tour. DeChambeau became one of the marquee names to leave the PGA Tour and join the LIV setup last summer.

Prize Money: A record-breaking 2023 season saw 139 pros from the PGA Tour and 49 from LIV Golf breach the $1 million mark in this year's earnings. 87 PGA tour players were able to breach the $2 million mark. Viktor Hovland emerged as the overall leader on the PGA Tour while Talor Gooch topped the LIV Golf charts.

The Masters: Players take to social media to share their Masters invitations. Augusta National will host the year’s first major in 2024 and it is notably set to have the smallest field in years.

Poulter vs Horschel: Ian Poulter has hit out at PGA tour star Billy Horschel over failed attempts to join LIV Golf. Horschel had earlier taken a dig at Poulter on Twitter, claiming that the Englishman exaggerated his swing speeds. Poulter responded to the remarks by sharing detailed stats on social media.

Bryson DeChambeau: LIV Golfer Bryson DeChambeau has got a surprise invite to the 2024 Masters. The 19 qualification criteria for Masters has a clause for the winners from three other majors; The U.S. Open, The Open, and the PGA Championship winners get a five-year exemption for the Masters upcoming editions. This clause led to DeChambeau being the only LIV golfer to receive an invite for the Masters.

BIRDIE
Golf's Rising Star: Viktor Hovland's 2023 Earnings Breakdown

Stellar performances, massive earnings and a breakthrough year - Viktor Hovland had it all during the course of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season. Hovland’s 2023 season was marked by three impressive victories.

He won the Memorial Tournament, the BMW Championship, and the Tour Championship, securing the FedEx Cup title. Do you wonder how much money does his success translate into - let us take a look.

Hovland's victory at the Memorial Tournament by Workday granted him an impressive $3,600,000. He continued his strong form throughout the season, securing notable finishes at various events. Winning both the BMW Championship and the TOUR Championship rewarded him with $3,600,000 and a staggering $18,000,000, the largest prize in 2023 for the latter.

His 3rd place at THE PLAYERS Championship earned him $1,475,000, while his 7th place at the Augusta National Golf Club Major Tournament brought in $580,500. His tie for 2nd at the PGA Championship resulted in a significant $1,540,000, and his placements at the US Open and the Open Championship earned him $258,662 and $232,875, respectively.

Collectively, these impressive results led Hovland to top the PGA Tour money list for the year, amassing a total of $37.1 million, surpassing even Talor Gooch, the highest earner for LIV, by approximately $1 million.

DRIVING RANGE
3 Pro Drills for Pure Iron Strikes: Hit Like a Tour Star

Today you're going to find the best way to pure those irons, get some distance back in there, and hit them straight, high, and knock down some flagsticks. Matt Walter, PGA Teaching Professional at Vanderbilt Legends Club shows us how.