The discourse that dominated professional golf in 2022 largely focused on the off-course battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
Despite the back-and-forth war of words and lawsuits, the on-course action in both the men’s and women’s game was just as compelling. But which tournament was the best of the rest?
The Golfweek staff debated the topic, and after all the deliberation, four events stood out from the pack, three of which were major championships, and two even included a tie to LIV, the upstart Saudi Arabia-backed circuit.
Check out the 2022 tournament of the year (as well as the three honorable mentions).
Honorable mention: Masters
The first major of the year wasn’t short on action. Tiger Woods made his major return after a single-car accident that nearly cost him his leg. Rory McIlroy shot a 64 on Sunday, vaulting into second place, but his hole-out from a greenside bunker on the 18th hole was the highlight of an exciting final round (followed by a similar shot from Collin Morikawa). In the end, Scottie Scheffler won for the fourth time in six starts, and his final round included a chip-in for birdie on the third hole (which we named our Shot of the Year) and a four-putt on the 18th hole.
Honorable mention: AIG Women's Open
The week started off strong as the then-world Nos. 1-3 – Jin Young Ko, Minjee Lee and Nelly Korda – played together at the first Women’s British Open to be held at Muirfield. Jessica Korda lost her luggage and still managed an opening-round 66. Come Sunday, Stanford freshman Rose Zhang claimed low-amateur honors and was the lone amateur to make the cut in just her second Women’s British Open appearance.
South African Ashleigh Buhai then became the first woman to win a major at Muirfield, claiming the Women’s British Open after four playoff holes, defeating three-time major champion In Gee Chun in the process. Buhai took a commanding five-shot lead into the final round, but it all seemed to unravel late in the day. After a Sunday 75 left Buhai and Chun tied at 10 under, the pair traded blows for four holes before Buhai clutched up with an impressive bunker shot to etch her name into golf history.
Look at what it means!
An incredible up and down seals victory for Ashleigh Buhai#AIGWO pic.twitter.com/Qd2j59891Q
— AIG Women’s Open (@AIGWomensOpen) August 7, 2022
Honorable mention: RBC Canadian Open
McIlroy once again had final-round heroics, firing a 62 north of the border to defend his RBC Canadian Open title three years later after COVID-19 complications continuously postponed the event. He held off chasers Tony Finau and Justin Thomas in an electric final grouping. Justin Rose also shot 10 under on Sunday. However, McIlroy took a subtle shot at LIV Golf CEO and commissioner Greg Norman in his post-round press conference to cap the day: “Playing with Tony and JT, and all of us playing the way we did, I think the worst round was 6 under, this is a day I will always remember. My 21st PGA Tour win, one more than somebody else, that gave me a little extra incentive today, and I’m happy to get it done.”
Winner: Open Championship
The 150th playing of the Open at St. Andrews. Need we say more?
The Home of Golf put on quite the show. LIV’s figurehead Phil Mickelson was urged by the R&A to skip the Celebration of Champions and Champions’ Dinner. Same for two-time champion Norman. Woods made what may have been his final trip across the Swilcan Bridge. As for the golf, McIlroy and Viktor Hovland were tied atop the leaderboard entering Sunday’s final round. Cameron Smith and Cameron Young were T-2, four shots back, and it was the Aussie Smith who emerged victorious after his bogey free, 8-under 64 on Sunday, the lowest final-round score ever shot by a champion at St. Andrews. Young made an eagle on the 18th to finish just one shot back, while McIlroy failed to take advantage of his position and finished in third, two shots off the pace.
Rumors had been swirling that Smith would be joining LIV, and he failed to deny the reports in an awkward exchange in his victory press conference. He then joined the breakaway league after the Tour Championship.
