2019 in golf refers to the events and significant developments within the sport of golf throughout the calendar year 2019. This period was marked by notable major championship victories, team competition upsets, and outstanding individual performances across various professional tours worldwide.
Major Championships
The four men's major championships saw a mix of veteran comebacks and first-time winners:- The Masters Tournament: Held at Augusta National Golf Club from April 11–14, 2019.
- Winner: Tiger Woods (USA). This marked Woods's fifth Masters title and his 15th major championship overall, ending an 11-year major drought. His victory was widely hailed as one of the greatest comebacks in sports history.
- PGA Championship: Held at Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York, from May 16–19, 2019.
- Winner: Brooks Koepka (USA). Koepka successfully defended his PGA Championship title, winning by two strokes over Dustin Johnson.
- U.S. Open: Held at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California, from June 13–16, 2019.
- Winner: Gary Woodland (USA). Woodland claimed his first major championship, holding off Brooks Koepka with a crucial chip-in on the 17th hole in the final round.
- The Open Championship (British Open): Held at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, from July 18–21, 2019.
- Winner: Shane Lowry (Ireland). Lowry, playing in his home country, delivered a dominant performance, winning by six strokes to capture his first major title.
Women's Major Championships
The LPGA Tour featured five major championships in 2019:- ANA Inspiration: Held at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, from April 4–7, 2019.
- Winner: Jin Young Ko (South Korea).
- U.S. Women's Open: Held at the Country Club of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina, from May 30 – June 2, 2019.
- Winner: Jeongeun Lee6 (South Korea).
- KPMG Women's PGA Championship: Held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, from June 20–23, 2019.
- Winner: Hannah Green (Australia).
- Evian Championship: Held at Evian Resort Golf Club in Évian-les-Bains, France, from July 25–28, 2019.
- Winner: Jin Young Ko (South Korea).
- AIG Women's British Open: Held at Woburn Golf and Country Club in Milton Keynes, England, from August 1–4, 2019.
- Winner: Hinako Shibuno (Japan).
Professional Tours
PGA Tour
- FedEx Cup Winner: Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland). McIlroy captured his second FedEx Cup title, winning the Tour Championship.
- PGA Tour Player of the Year: Rory McIlroy.
- Rookie of the Year: Sungjae Im (South Korea).
- Notable Performances: Brooks Koepka spent significant time as the World No. 1 and had a dominant major season, while Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, and Patrick Cantlay also had multiple wins.
European Tour
- Race to Dubai Winner: Jon Rahm (Spain). Rahm won the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, to secure his first Race to Dubai title.
- European Tour Golfer of the Year: Jon Rahm.
- Rookie of the Year: Robert MacIntyre (Scotland).
LPGA Tour
- Race to CME Globe Winner: Jin Young Ko (South Korea). Ko's dominant season included two major championships and the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship.
- LPGA Player of the Year: Jin Young Ko.
- Vare Trophy (Lowest Scoring Average): Jin Young Ko.
- Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year: Jeongeun Lee6 (South Korea).
- Rolex Annika Major Award: Jin Young Ko.
Team Competitions
- Presidents Cup: Held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, from December 12–15, 2019.
- Winner: United States. The U.S. team, captained by and featuring playing captain Tiger Woods, defeated the International Team 16–14.
- Solheim Cup: Held at Gleneagles PGA Centenary Course in Perthshire, Scotland, from September 13–15, 2019.
- Winner: Europe. The European team edged out the United States team 14½–13½ in a thrilling finish, with Suzann Pettersen holing the winning putt.
Other Significant Events and Storylines
- Tiger Woods' Impact: Beyond his Masters victory, Woods's presence continued to draw immense viewership and interest to the sport. His role as a playing captain in the Presidents Cup was also a major highlight.
- Youth Movement: The continued emergence of young talent across both men's and women's golf was a significant theme, with players like Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, and Jin Young Ko dominating their respective tours.
- Rules Modernization: While many rule changes were implemented at the start of 2019 (e.g., dropping from knee height, leaving the flagstick in while putting, pace of play adjustments), the year saw players and officials adjusting to these new regulations.
- World Rankings: Brooks Koepka held the number one spot in the Official World Golf Ranking for a significant portion of the year, while Jin Young Ko solidified her position as the dominant force in the Rolex Women's World Golf Rankings.