With the 44th Ryder Cup taking place this year, not to mention the leading men’s and women’s majors, 2023 is shaping up to be a great 12 months for golf.
Here, we pick out a few of the highlights that fans are already eagerly anticipating.
- The 44th Ryder Cup: 25 September to 1 October, Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, Rome
The Ryder Cup is played every two years and contested by 12 member teams from across Europe and the US, with the venue alternating between courses in the two continents. This year, Italy hosts the event for the first time. And it’s considered every bit as prestigious as the majors. It takes its name from the English businessman Samuel Ryder, who donated the trophy. The first event took place in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1927, with originally just Great Britain and Ireland competing against the US. The Ryder Cup stands out for its lack of prize money despite its high profile, and for being a match-play tournament rather than a stroke-play event. Crucially, it’s also a team than an individual event. In 2021, the US defeated Europe 19–9, clinching the biggest margin of victory in the Cup’s modern history.
- The Masters: 6-9 April, Augusta National, Georgia, USA
The Masters (often called The US Masters outside North America) takes place during the first full week in April, always at the same location – the iconic Augusta National course. It’s been played since 1934. Part of the PGA, European and Japan Golf Tours, it’s an invitational event and the first major championship of the year. It consists of four rounds of 18 holes. Last year, American Scottie Scheffler was the victor, with Northern Irish player Rory McIlroy the runner-up – while in 2022 the prize pot was worth some $15m.
- US PGA Championship: 18-21 May, Oak Hill East Course, Rochester, New York
The prestigious PGA Championship, conducted by the Professional Golfers’ Association of America, is another of the men’s golf majors. It’s been played since 1916, and in 2022 had a prize purse of $15m with a winner’s cheque of $2.7m. In 2022, American golfer Justin Thomas took the title. Champions of the PGA gain automatic entry to the other three majors – the Masters, The Open and the US Open, as well as The Player’s Championship, for the next five years. It’s also the only one of the four majors exclusively for professional players.
- US Open: 15-18 June, Los Angeles Country Club
Won by Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick last year, the US Open dates back to 1895 and is hosted by the United States Golf Association. Since 1898, it has involved 72 holes of stroke play (i.e. four rounds on an 18-hole course). As of last year, the prize pot stood at $17.5m. It’s deliberately set up to make scoring difficult, which is why it’s so mesmerising to watch, plus a high premium is placed on accuracy of driving.
- The Open: 20-23 July, Liverpool Golf Course, Wirral, UK
The Open is the world’s oldest golf tournament, and one of the most prestigious on the planet – it was founded in 1860. Its organisers are the R&A – a group of companies which jointly play a key role in golf (Historically, ‘the R&A’ has been – and remains – the abbreviation for the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews). It always takes place at a coastal links course, as players vie for the coveted Claret Jug. Australian Cameron Smith lifted this in 2022, at the 150th Open.
Women’s golf events
All the above events are for men – but there is plenty of golfing action for women as well. Here are some of the key events for female players to look forward to in 2023.
They are as follows:
- Chevron Championship (formerly the ANA Inspiration) – 20-23 April, The Club at Carlton Woods, Texas
- KPMG Women’s Championship – 22-25 June, Baltusrol Golf Club, Springfield, New Jersey
- US Women’s Open – 06-09 July, Pebble Beach, California
- Amundi Evian Championship – 27-30 July, Evian Resort, Evian-les-Bains, France
- AIG Women’s Open – 10-13 August, Walton Heath Old Course, Surrey
Other events in the golfing calendar
Then there are the big events of the DP World (or European) Tour to keep an eye out for. These include the HSBC Championship in Abu Dhabi, the Dubai Desert Classic, the PGA Championship at Virginia Water, Surrey, in September, plus the DP World Tour Championship. Finally, the Scottish Genesis Open takes place in mid-July at The Renaissance Club, North Berwick.
At Mypro Golf, we fully understand how inspirational the big golf tournaments can be. That’s why, for example, our week-long Open Camp this year includes a day at the Genesis Scottish Open, while also giving juniors a great all-round experience at St Andrews, where they’ll have the chance to play some of the finest courses at the Home of Golf, and be coached by PGA instructors.
Learn more about it and our other 2023 camps here – and ask us any questions you may have.
