Highlights from the world of golf in 2010 (part 3)
Where 2010 was a great year for players like Matt Kuchar, it wasn’t as smooth for Paula Creamer. Creamer was also highlighted this past year and this is why.
Paula Creamer: A bumpy year
Paula withdrew from her first tournament in February, and then had surgery on her left thumb in March. Possibly since she was recovering from the surgery and all, she didn’t return to play until June. In her fourth tournament back, Paula triumphed at the
U.S. Women’s Open at Oakmont. Creamer took over the difficult course and played the final six holes brilliantly to secure her first major win. Having nine wins on the LPGA so far, the 22-year-old had a bumpy but satisfactory 2010.
Young guns on a roll
Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Ryo Ishikawa have struck gold at a very young age. All of them comprehend that there’s more to golf than just swinging well and cashing cheques. The trio have a very friendly relationship with their fans and believe it is
one of the main reasons for their newfound glory. All of them have a good amount of confidence, something that doesn’t make them shy away from the media no matter how they have performed. They will still agree to an interview even if they post a 69 or 77.
Hailing from Japan, Northern Ireland and California, these young stars have a lot of potential and a bright future ahead.
Couples exceeds expectations.
This was Fred Couples first year on the Champions Tour. Looking at what an amazing player he is, a lot was expected from him. Freddie had four wins in 2010, and an amazing scoring average. Evidently, he exceeded these expectations and began his time on the
Champions Tour with a bang.
The year of the Germans
Martin Kaymer won the PGA Championship, while Bernhard Langer won the player of the year on the Champions Tour. Even though they both belong to different generations, the Germans do have some similarities. They are in form and determined. Having won five
times on the Champions tour, Langer is also leading the money list for three consecutive years now. On the other hand, Kaymer won the Race to Dubai this year and is the European player of the year. Kaymer, 25 and Bernhard 53, the Germans surely shined through
in 2010.
Erica Blasberg
The sad tale of a truly hard working professional golfer. Erica was an amazing player in college and everyone expected her to play for the LPGA one day. After six years of struggling on the course, Erica took her life on 9 May this year. The tour had only
put her in one scheduled event, and that probably got to her. Tying for 44th in that tournament, Blasberg would have been depressed. Her death was ruled out as suicide after investigation.
Graeme McDowell
The Germans have been making news, so how was it possible that the Irish would just sit quietly? Graeme McDowell surely made 2010 the golden year of Irish Golf. He won a major this year, he scored the winning putt in the Ryder Cup and he also beat Tiger
Woods in his own tournament in the play-off. What an amazing year for G-Mac. McDowell has even been nominated for the BBC sports personality of the year award.
Lorena Ochoa retires
Lorena Ochoa retired from the LPGA at quite an early age, since she waned to focus more on her marriage and family. Ochoa was the second player in the LPGA who quit at such an early age, and that too at the peak of her powers. Ochoa quit when she was number
one on the rankings and left all her fans shocked.
Tiger Woods
The player that made headlines more than anyone else in golf this year is none other than Tiger Woods. The former number one crashed his car outside his Florida home in November 2009, which consequently let the news of his infidelity out in the open. His
affairs and scandals with a stream of mistresses thus caused him and his wife Elin Nordegren to get divorced in August. 2010 was a horrible year for the cat since he didn’t win a single event. Hopefully, 2011 will offer Tiger a chance at redemption.
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