Patrick Reed became the newest Masters champion, Tiger Woods made another comeback (and won!) and the Americans were dismantled in the Ryder Cup (again) as 2018 unfolded with one headline story after another.
And, as you might guess, Reed and Woods’s stories were gobbled up by the masses this year. But there were also plenty of surprises. Who would have thought some of the most-read and most-talked-about stories of the year had little to do with the actual on-course play in Paris, yet plenty to do with the Ryder Cup?
Without further ado, here are GOLF’s most-read stories of the year.
18. Jordan Spieth evicts roommates in preparation for wedding / READ
Jordan Spieth got married in 2018. But before that happened, his buddies needed to find another place to stay. — by Art Stricklin
17. ‘We are destroyed’: Chilling details in golfer’s murder leave family, friends reeling / READ
A horrific murder rocked the Iowa State women’s golf team, as well as the golf world. It left a community reeling and grievers searching for answers. — by Dylan Dethier
16. Peter Kessler calls Brandel Chamblee destructive, bad influence / READ
An Average Joe criticizing pro sports analysts on social media is nothing new. But a former star at the same network? That you don’t see very often. — by Josh Berhow
15. Tiger and Phil’s unlikely trip around Amen Corner on Tuesday at the Masters / READ
Tiger and Phil playing a practice round at the Masters? We were shocked, too. But it was a lovely Masters Tuesday we had all been waiting for. — by Dylan Dethier
14. Tiger vs. Phil match streamed for free after tech glitch / READ
Some golf fans were irked they had to pony up for The Match. Turns out they didn’t have to. — by Dylan Dethier
13. Iowa State women’s golfer murdered on golf course / READ
Celia Barquin Arozamena was a bright young woman with a promising future, but an unthinkable crime took her from the world much too soon. — by Dylan Dethier
12. Jordan Spieth faces fine, suspension if he fails to qualify for Tour Championship / READ
Jordan Spieth never expected his dismal 2017-18 season would end with this sort of slap in the face. — by Dylan Dethier
11. Tiger vs. Phil: Here’s where all the money from The Match went / READ
The $9 million match between Tiger and Phil was the talk of the fall season. And where all that money, from the lump sum to the side bets and more, came from was just as interesting. — by Dylan Dethier
10. Zach Johnson calls on Sybi Kuchar as emergency caddie / READ
What do you do when you’re in a last-minute pinch and need a looper? Call on a fellow pro’s wife, of course! — by Dylan Dethier
9. Woods celebrates 80th win with girlfriend, fellow pros on 18th green / READ
Woods’s long-awaited 80th career PGA Tour victory was great on its own, but watching Tiger enjoy it with his girlfriend and several pros who were influenced by his career made it that much sweeter. — by Kevin Cunningham
8. Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka get in heated exchange after Ryder Cup / READ
The Americans’ loss to Europe in the Ryder Cup was bad enough. Reed’s comments and then the report of this incident between two buddies didn’t help. — by Luke Kerr-Dineen
7. Why Bryson DeChambeau will putt with the pin in next year / READ
Always pushing the envelope, DeChambeau caused a stir when he spoke of his post-rules changes plan on the greens. — by Dylan Dethier
6. LPGA Tour player Beatriz Recari whiffs with her driver / READ
Some shots are good. This particular one was not. — by Dylan Dethier
5. Remember me? Tiger jumps into the mix at the Valspar / READ
Early in the season Woods climbed up the leaderboard at the Valspar Championship, making even the most pessimistic Woods fans believers in the most recent comeback. — by Adam Schupak
4. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson planning $10 million match / READ
The Match is on. This was the first report of the epic showdown between Woods and Mickelson. — by Alan Shipnuck
3. Pat Reed’s wife raises questions about split with Spieth, attacks media coverage / READ
While Reed was playing for the U.S. on Saturday of the Ryder Cup, his wife, Justine, opened a can of worms with a few tweets from Paris. — by Dylan Dethier
2. A history of Patrick Reed’s controversial highs and lows / READ
The newest Masters champion had been in the news before, but not always for the right reasons. — by Josh Berhow
1. Patrick Reed, estranged from family, wins Masters / READ
While Patrick Reed was winning the biggest tournament of his life, his family, whom he doesn’t speak to, was watching from home, just miles down the road. — by Alan Shipnuck
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