Every Tuesday, SI Golf will highlight nine individuals making waves in the golf scene. We aim for a wide-ranging perspective, and we welcome your thoughts on the
SI Golf X account.
1. Rory McIlroy
The luck of the Irish was evident as the five-time major champion made a remarkable eagle on the final hole to force a playoff at the Irish Open. After a thrilling battle over three additional holes, he secured his first title since the Masters in front of an enthusiastic crowd. McIlroy remarked that this is one of the best years of his illustrious career. If he wins the Ryder Cup in a few weeks—something he boldly predicted to the European Walker Cup team in a video—it would only enhance his achievements.
2. Sergio Garcia
After being excluded from the European Ryder Cup team, which was anticipated, Garcia withdrew from the Irish Open, claiming he couldn’t fully engage in the tournament. This raised some eyebrows, including McIlroy’s. Rather than competing, he attended several of Carlos Alcaraz’s U.S. Open matches and even played golf with him one day. After Alcaraz’s Grand Slam win, he did a celebratory golf swing while Garcia was shown by ESPN.
3. Joakim Lagergren
It’s challenging to take on a career Grand Slam champion, but the 33-year-old Swede came close during the Irish event, eagling the 16th hole and birdieing No. 18. However, a water ball on the third playoff hole dashed his hopes of winning, which would have been his first on the DP World Tour since 2018. Nonetheless, his performance deserves applause; defeating a giant is no small feat.
4. Xander Schauffele
Upon the release of the field list for this week’s Procore Championship, a significant name was missing: Schauffele. The two-time major champion, who hasn’t competed since the BMW Championship, made the choice to be the only U.S. Ryder Cup participant (excluding LIV’s Bryson DeChambeau) not to play in Napa Valley. Will this impact his performance at Bethpage?
5. Alister MacKenzie
The designer of Cypress Point’s course had a notable week, as the exquisite scenery of last week’s Walker Cup venue was widely shared on social media. It truly is one of the most beautiful places on Earth, a statement that isn’t an exaggeration.
6. Stewart Hagestad
The recurring question remains: why didn’t he turn pro? Hagestad, 34, acknowledges his struggles against the world’s best, having missed five cuts without a top 25 in eight major championship appearances. As one of the greatest amateur golfers ever, he has played in five consecutive Walker Cups, with the U.S. winning each. His long birdie putt to secure victory in Sunday singles at Cypress helped retain the cup for the U.S. Balancing a regular job with golf, he plans to use more PTO for this week’s U.S. Mid-Am, a tournament he has won three times.
7. Mason Howell
The reigning U.S. Amateur champion provided a standout moment at the Walker Cup, sinking a pitching wedge from the fairway on the 17th hole to clinch a 2-and-1 win in his foursomes match. Ironically, he was the only member on the U.S. team outside the top 50 in the World Amateur Ranking at No. 143, having earned his spot by winning the Amateur. Now, the 18-year-old returns to high school as a Walker Cup champion.
8. Brooks Koepka
An overlooked storyline at the Irish Open was the five-time major winner shooting an 80 in the second round, missing the cut by seven strokes. This year has been tough for the LIV golfer, with three missed cuts in four majors (his best finish being T12 at the U.S. Open) and only two top 10s on LIV. Many expect him to bounce back, but certainty is elusive. Fortunately, he is scheduled to participate in this week’s BMW PGA and another event on the DP World Tour next month at St. Andrews.
9. Thomas Bjørn
McIlroy wasn’t the only one to score a dramatic victory over the weekend. Bjørn, the captain of the victorious 2018 Ryder Cup team, claimed his first individual title on the PGA Tour Champions by sinking a 35-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole at the Stifel Charity Classic.
Also Considered:
Included in the discussions were: Bryson DeChambeau, Nathan Smith, Dean Robertson, Craig Kessler, Asterisk Talley, Anna Fang, Ángel Hidalgo, Luke Poulter, Sahith Theegala.
Dropped Out from Last Week:
Out of contention this week are: Keegan Bradley, Sam Burns, Cam Young, Miranda Wang, Matt Wallace, Luke Donald, Patrick Cantlay, Charlie Woods, and Ernie Els.
