The Winners And Losers In European Golf In 2019

This was a season that witnessed record prize money on the European Tour, the Open return to Northern Ireland and a schedule altered because another circuit (the PGA Tour) made it a necessity.

It was also a year in which Europe attempted to regain the Solheim Cup at Gleneagles and, at season’s end, a big question was put to the Ladies European Tour membership: should it unite with the LPGA?

But who were the winners and losers?

WINNERS

Portrush

There were many champions by the end of Open week. Shane Lowry grabbed the main prize (the Claret Jug), but the course proved to be both a superb test and a wonderful setting whilst championship officials were happy because this Open transformed the tournament's marketing. Ticket pre-sales had rarely been a factor ahead of 2019, but have quickly become just that after Portrush sold out 11 months in advance. The town itself was also a winner, justifying those who had faith in it being a wonderful host.

Europe’s Solheim Cup team

A superb performance that started with captain Catriona Matthew surprising the world with her wildcard selection of Suzann Pettersen (who hadn’t played for 18 months). England’s Georgia Hall and Celine Bouttier provided the backbone of the team with four points apiece. Charley Hull (three points) and Azahara Munoz (two and a half points) were not too far behind.

BMW PGA Championship

As mentioned, this was a year in which the PGA Tour played feng shui with the schedule, necessitating changes for the European Tour, too. As it happens, the tweak worked wonders. Wentworth’s West Course was in better condition that when the tournament was played in May and the field was boosted by the best Europeans and a few Americans too.

Jon Rahm

Three wins on the European Tour, the last of them the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, all of which helped him to end the season ranked number one in Europe (the only other Spaniard to have ever achieved that was Severiano Ballesteros). Rahm also finished top 12 in three of the majors. He’s getting closer to a first major win and also, maybe, top spot in the world rankings.

Women's golf in Europe

For too many years the Ladies European Tour has struggled to maintain a schedule that allows the players to earn a living. In fact, many have been surviving by taking on second and third jobs between events. When the membership voted to join forces with the LPGA there was almost unanimous support amid an atmosphere that hinted at hope for the future.

The Scottish

Ultimately there were only two winners flying the Saltire on the European Tour (David Law in the Vic Open and Stephen Gallacher at the Indian Open), but Robert MacIntyre was sensational in winning the Rookie of the Year, helped by three second places and sixth in his Open debut. With Grant Forrest retaining his card, and Calum Hill joining him after finishing second on the Challenge Tour, the future looks bright for the home of golf.

Esther Henseleit

The German newcomer, who finished second four times in addition to a first win, became just the third Ladies European Tour Rookie of the Year to also claim the Order of Merit title. Her predecessors were rather good (Laura Davies and Carlota Ciganda).

Bernd Wiesberger

The Austrian spent the last seven months of the 2018 season in rehab and his early weeks back on tour were a struggle. But he ended the season with three wins and led the Race to Dubai with one event to go. He didn’t retain that spot, but his year has to count as a massive success. His next task is to improve his performance in the big ones: he has just one top ten in 38 major and World Golf Championship starts.

LOSERS

Innovative tournaments

At the start of 2017 many modernizations were promised (and then delivered) on the European Tour. But how many have lasted? The Shot Clock Masters lasted a year. The World Super 6 Perth is gone after three editions. Only the GolfSixes remains.

The season-ending tournaments

The final two events of the European Tour season had hefty, record-smashing prize funds, as did the Turkish Airlines Open which preceded them. But the fields lacked the superstars. They need more than cash to be incentivized to appear which is a headache for promoters and Tour officials.

The Saudi International

This was a tournament that did persuade many of the world’s best to jump on a plane. The difference was that the cash went in the back pocket and didn’t have to be earned by performance. The appearance fee also covered the ability to develop the hind of a donkey in the face of widespread condemnation of the location.

The Open de France

In July 2018 the tournament was a Rolex Series event, with a prime spot in the schedule, a huge prize pot and a great field. In 2019 it had been demoted to October in the calendar, had a poor prize fund and a less than stellar set of players. It was as if the Ryder Cup had left town and taken all the fun with it. The tournament returns to July in 2020, but there is currently no sponsor and the host course is yet to be confirmed (it might well be in the south of the country, not Le Golf National).

Justin Rose

Many noted that Francesco Molinari never recovered from leading the Masters with seven holes to play and leaving without a green jacket (he never made another top ten all season), but Rose had a similar tale. He started the season with a victory in the Farmers Insurance Open and in June he found himself tied for the lead after the first hole of the final round of the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. However, he played his final holes in four-over-par to fall back into third and never found another top five all season.

The British Public

Late in the year it was announced that the BBC had lost the rights to show the Masters (in recent years it has taken live coverage at the weekend after highlights on Thursday and Friday). Sky will continue to broadcast the tournament and they do a comprehensive job, but Sunday evening at Augusta National on the BBC was one of the sport’s three great platforms for the non-golfing public. In hiding behind a pay wall the sport risks slipping out of the nation’s consciousness. The audience also now lacks a commentary team that treats the self-importance of Augusta National with dry humor rather than fawning reverence.