Let’s delegate the official honors to the respective sports associations and their ruling bodies, shall we? The PGA Tour’s top performer award? That distinction went to Scottie Scheffler. The athlete recognized for outstanding sportsmanship? That could easily be Rory McIlroy. It’s akin to the confusing debate between the Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year in football – a distinction that often lacks clarity. The year’s best newcomer? Indeed, that was Aldrich Potgieter.
While these established accolades serve their purpose, these captivating sports figures merit even more distinct forms of recognition. After all, they are compelling individuals competing in an engrossing sport. This isn’t a collection of commonplace school awards – such as “best smile,” “most likely to become president,” or “most athletic” – but rather a carefully compiled list of notable achievements from a particularly unusual year in golf.
Following a 2024 season where Scheffler dominated virtually every significant competition, the atmosphere among players within the ropes felt noticeably more strained this year. The PGA Tour implemented stricter regulations, offering fewer playing slots and reducing the number of full-time members, a shift whose consequences began to be felt by many.
Correspondence was exchanged, meetings took place, mobile devices were confiscated, and a score of 13 even appeared on a PGA West scorecard. Oh yes, some players even sought intervention at the White House in an attempt to resolve golf’s internal conflict. (Spoiler alert: The dispute continues.)
All these incidents unfolded before the arrival of April. From that point, golf largely commanded public attention due to McIlroy’s victory at the Masters, Scheffler’s remarkable displays at both the PGA Championship and The Open, and other uplifting triumphs secured by athletes such as Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, and J.J. Spaun.
However, we must not overlook the contentious ruling late in the U.S. Open or the issues of mud-affected balls and driver inspections at the PGA Championship. There was also the utilization of the envelope rule during the Ryder Cup, and naturally, the sing-alongs too.
So, as the renowned rapper Eminem (and potentially PGA of America President Don Rea) once articulated, “You better lose yourself in the music, the moment, you own it. You better never let it go. You only get one shot — do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime.”
Let’s delve into this year’s special distinctions.
Most Likely to Halt Scottie Scheffler: Pasta
This marks the final acknowledgement of the specific Italian pasta dish before the arrival of the new calendar year. The preparation of a home-cooked meal during the holiday period preceding the 2025 season proved to be the singular factor capable of impeding Scheffler. The golf world’s top-ranked player was sidelined for the initial month of the season and, upon his return to the course, struggled with occasional wayward shots to the left as he steadily regained strength in a hand injured by glass that shattered during an attempt to roll out pasta dough.
His early season journey was tumultuous (by Scheffler’s elevated standards), yet the ultimate outcome was a fourth consecutive PGA Tour Player of the Year campaign, featuring 20 top-25 finishes, 17 top-10 placements, six tournament victories, and two additional major championships across 20 events. Not a bad performance for an athlete of his exceptional caliber.
Most Theatrical: Rory McIlroy
This epithet encompasses both interpretations of the term – “allow me to seize your phone as you heckle and film me during a practice round at the Players Championship” and “allow me to induce premature aging in everyone as I strive to complete the career grand slam on the back nine at Augusta National.”
No individual displayed as much dramatic flair as McIlroy did in 2025.
He sank monumental putts on the 18th green at both the Masters and the Irish Open to secure victories, as well as on the Earth Course at the DP World Tour Championship, forcing a playoff against Matt Fitzpatrick. He withdrew from public view for a month following his win at Augusta National, was compelled to replace his driver at the PGA Championship, and expressed irritation with the media before successfully fending off the American spectators at the Ryder Cup, leading his European squad to an away triumph.
Most Likely to Seek New Public Relations Counsel: Wyndham Clark
It’s rarely a favorable situation when an athlete’s actions off the course generate more attention than their performance on it, and regrettably for the 2023 U.S. Open victor, this was the prevailing circumstance this year. Clark’s most significant public commotion occurred at the PGA Championship, where he angrily swung his driver back, striking a T-Mobile-branded billboard surrounding the 16th tee box at Quail Hollow after a misplaced shot.
Ironically, the T-Mobile-sponsored athlete’s troubles didn’t end there. His frustrations reached a boiling point at the U.S. Open, where, two years after lifting the trophy, Clark caused a significant disturbance in the Oakmont Country Club locker room. He subsequently offered what some might consider an apology the following week at the Travelers Championship, but Oakmont’s management did not accept it. A communiqué to its members was issued the subsequent month, stipulating that Clark was barred from the club until he satisfied specific conditions, including a charitable contribution and participation in counseling.
Most Likely to Assume Direct Control (Next Time): Keegan Bradley
The captain of the United States team ought to have participated in the Ryder Cup. Yes, it was lauded as one of the most selfless acts in professional sports, yet occasionally, prioritizing oneself is acceptable. Bradley began to recognize this truth as the Ryder Cup drew nearer.
The U.S. captain shared that he contemplated playing during practice rounds and considered the prospect of partnering with Scheffler. His team fell behind swiftly and often, certain strategic choices proved ill-advised, and Bradley once again departed a Ryder Cup without the coveted trophy in hand.
Now, the pertinent question is whether he will engage in another one, and if so, in what capacity. He could certainly assume a vice-captaincy role… but as captain or player? That might prove a more formidable challenge. His return as leader appears improbable at present, but he might possess one final competitive run as a player, which is why his 2026 season could be among the most captivating in the entire sport of golf.
“I would genuinely relish the opportunity to play in one more. I’m unsure if I’ll receive the chance,” Bradley stated. “This damn event has been so merciless to me. I’m not sure if I want to play. No, I do. It’s such an peculiar sensation to hold such deep affection for something that continuously yields no reward.”
Most Likely to Convene a Meeting That Could Have Been an Email: PGA Tour, LIV Golf
Most Likely to Defy the Passage of Time: Justin Rose
There is an inherent impressiveness in an athlete sustaining such a high level of performance during the latter stages of their career, and no one exemplified this more than Rose in 2025. He came agonizingly close to securing the Masters title, became the oldest player since Phil Mickelson to achieve a victory on the PGA Tour with his win at the St. Jude Championship, and once again served as a vital anchor for the European Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black, where his putting seemed almost infallibly precise.
The 45-year-old has tirelessly committed himself to maintaining his playing standard and has even enhanced it in recent years. While absolute consistency may elude him, Rose’s peak performances endure. This is precisely why he continues to contend in major championships. It’s also why he has expressed disinterest in captaining the Ryder Cup in 2027. And it’s why, when he discusses the remaining years of his career and his potential accomplishments, his words should be taken seriously.
“I still sense that a golden period of my career is accessible to me,” Rose commented after triumphing at the St. Jude Championship. “That is what I have been striving for. Moments like coming close at [Royal] Troon and then obviously getting close at Augusta [National] serve as indicators that it’s achievable. This is yet another truly, truly, truly significant indicator that I am progressing correctly with my game, and perhaps even improving slightly at this very moment.”
Most Likely to Offer Unvarnished Truths: Viktor Hovland
He is the premier source of memorable quotes in golf because, while you can never predict what he might say, you can always count on Hovland to be candid about any subject presented to him, whether it pertains to his current form, his swing mechanics, or his thoughts on extraterrestrial existence.
Below are some of his standout remarks from 2025:
- Regarding early-season challenges: “Currently, it’s quite frustrating. This sport of golf, as I mentioned earlier, is very elusive. It’s counterintuitive, and it’s exceedingly difficult right now. But I recognize there’s a significant amount of quality golf within me that will manifest in the future and that I’ve demonstrated previously. Circumstances will soon improve. … In my estimation, I’m performing poorly right now, but that’s all relative.”
- Following his success at the Valspar Championship: “I struck numerous abysmal shots, but they coincidentally landed where I intended.”
- On the extensive par-3 eighth hole at Oakmont: “I simply believe all the finest par-3s are under 200 [yards]. … The instant you start removing head covers on par 3s, I just find it a bit absurd.”
- While vying for the U.S. Open title: “We all aspire to win. There’s also a profound drive within me to execute the shots. I want to stand on the tee and make the shots I’m visualizing.”
- When subjected to heckling at the Ryder Cup: “Their comments won’t really compare to the thoughts I entertain in my own mind, so I anticipate I’ll largely just dismiss it with a laugh.”
Most Likely to Desire a Redo: PGA of America
Organizations and corporations frequently become targets of ridicule, often because these very entities provide ample reason for such jest. In 2025, the PGA of America found itself in this position.
Given the opportunity to reverse the events of the preceding 12 months, one could be certain they would seize it. The choice to appoint Bradley as captain originated the year prior, but its ramifications extended into 2025, becoming a point of inquiry for the U.S. team leader at every single tournament venue. In retrospect (and with prior foresight), it was an ill-advised decision to select a top-15 ranked player globally to helm a Ryder Cup team without having had any preliminary discussion about the role.
However, the difficulties did not cease there. Players openly criticized Quail Hollow leading up to the PGA Championship, asserting its striking resemblance to what they typically encountered at the annual PGA Tour stop. To the organization’s credit, it opted to allow playing the ball down amidst damp conditions and player dissatisfaction; regrettably, the absence of communication regarding driver inspection procedures cast a separate shadow over the championship.
Now, returning to the Ryder Cup: the Master of Ceremonies who voluntarily surrendered her microphone, and the PGA of America president who steadfastly refused to relinquish his. LinkedIn posts, apologies that fell short of genuine contrition, and extensive damage control all subsequently unfolded, all of which could have been circumvented had the event been managed with greater proficiency.
