A New Year—and a new list of golf predictions that could come true. The sports futurism business is a tough one. After all, if you could really predict the future on what might happen in the golf industry you should head straight to Vegas to ante up.
That doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to have a stab at what might happen in golf in the coming year. From Tiger’s chase of the Golden Bear, to Canada’s star, Golf Town Athlete Brooke Henderson’s goal to bring home a gold medal from the Olympic Summer Games in Japan, here’s a list of possibilities for 2020.
Brooks’ best continues
Three straight—that’s what Brooks Koepka will accomplish when he wins the 2020 PGA Championship at Harding Park in San Francisco. Koepka will be near the top of every one of the four majors, but it’ll be Harding Park where he pulls out a victory, making it three straight. He’ll finish Top 5 in the other majors.
Tiger chases Jack
Koepka won’t be the only one repeating. Though he’ll likely play an abridged schedule to protect his bionic back, Tiger Woods will repeat at Augusta, putting him one closer to Jack’s total of 18 majors. While he’ll remain relatively healthy all year, and will head to Tokyo to represent the U.S., he’ll come up short in the Summer Games. That’ll be the one major that is just out of his grasp.
Brooke takes home the Gold
Let’s be honest—the sky’s the limit when it comes to Canadian superstar Brooke Henderson. And she’s sure to be heading to Tokyo for the Olympic Summer Games as a favourite. Golf won’t be the new kid on the block at the games, having returned in Rio, so there’s likely to be less pressure on Brooke than there was in 2016. There’s going to be steep competition—but Brooke is going to take the Gold.
Canadian success on Tour
Adam Hadwin and Corey Conners will both record another win on the PGA Tour, but they won’t be alone, with either Mike Gligic or veteran David Hearn making a run at a title. And don’t be surprised to see big-hitting Taylor Pendrith make the jump to the PGA Tour at the end of 2020 after winning on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Ryder Cup Goes to the U.S.
Fresh off their recent comeback at the Presidents Cup, the U.S. Team successfully betters Europe, which is led by newly crowned British Open winner Jon Rahm (yep – we think he’ll win at Royal St. George’s Golf Course). But Patrick Reed overcomes another controversy to play well in the Ryder Cup, puts on a clinic during the Sunday singles matches, and helps the U.S. pick up a narrow win.
Rory reigns as King of the North
Rory McIlroy will head to St. George’s Golf & Country Club in Toronto to defend his RBC Canadian Open title and will do what Jhonattan Vegas did in 2016 and 2017: go back-to-back. Just a few week before, Golf Canada will announce they are taking the RBC Canadian Open back to Glen Abbey in Oakville for one last tournament. Having first held the Canadian Open in 1977, Glen Abbey will get a farewell tour before the tournament moves back to courses like St. George’s and Hamilton Golf and Country Club as part of a rotation.
What do you expect or hope to see in golf in 2020? Tell us in the comments below!
Tiger will win one more major this year possibly 2 -with British Open as 2 of the 2 – Brooks Koepka will not win USA OPEN
I believe that Brooke Henderson will continue establishing records as a Canadian player and on the LPGA Tour. I also believe that she will take the Gold at the next Summer Olympics. I believe that Tiger will manage to beat the Golden Bear’s major tournament wins and I also believe that he is capable of grasping one of the Olympic Medals.