Your golf year ahead – the top events of 2018…

Looking at the 2018 golfing calendar, there’s plenty of reason to celebrate this year. As well as some notoriously tricky courses coming up on some of the major tournaments, the Ryder Cup is back, and there’s a landmark event for women over 50, too. Intrigued? These are the top events to look forward to in 2018…

The US Open at Shinnecock Hills
The US Open returns to New York’s Shinnecock Hills this year after over a decade away from the golf club. The last time it was hosted there in 2004, Retief Goosen took home the crown after playing against Phil Mickelson. Since then, the course has had a makeover, with over 446 yards added, as well as the conversion of seven acres of fairway to rough.

The Ryder Cup
2018 is a Ryder Cup year, and Rory McIlroy has already smashed the confidence of the United States by telling them ‘it won’t be easy as they think it is’. Last time, in 2016, the Americans saw their best performance ever against Europe, so the biggest conversation around the cup this year is going to be whether they can pull it out of the bag come September.

The return of Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods has announced his early 2018 schedule, and it’s anything but quiet. The golfing star will be returning to the Genesis Open at Riviera, where he enjoyed his PGA debut in 1992. After that, he’ll be preparing for the Masters – and with speculation that he’ll play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Honda Classic, it’s set to be a busy year.
  

The US Senior Women’s Open
In a landmark debut and a push for women’s golf, the USGA will debut the US Senior Women’s Open this year for women over 50. It’s been 40 years since the US Senior Open first started, so the world of golf is more than overdue its female equivalent – so expect to see plenty of new and old faces taking part this year. There’s even speculation about whether retired stars like Amy Alcott and Meg Mallon might make a comeback.

New events at the European Tour
As if that wasn’t enough, the European Tour is introducing four new events this season. February brings the NBO Oman Golf Classic, and a month later, the Philippines Golf Championship hits the shore. The Belgian Knock-Out in May is one to watch, while the European Golf Team Championship takes place in August.