Issue link: https://digital.insidegolfmedia.com/i/1451715
Jon Rahm widens the gap as Number 1 in the World It's not as if famously temperamen- tal Jon Rahm needed another chip on his shoulder, but indeed another one dropped in late January when the Golf Writers Association of America voted Collin Moraikawa as its 2021 Player of the Year. That came on the heals of Rahm's PGA Tour colleagues voting Patrick Cantlay as its Player of the Year in October. So little love for the top-ranked player in the world. All Rahm did in 2021 was win the U.S. Open, post four Top 10s in the majors and dominate the statistical categories — including official money, Top 10s (he posted 15; no one else reached 10) and Strokes Gained. His game has no weaknesses, and this year, he won't be derailed by any COVID-induced WDs when leading an event by six shots after three rounds, his fate at the Memorial in 2021. Rahm is clearly the best — and he will prove it emphatically in 2022. u u u u Viktor Hovland is this year's Collin Morikawa Norway's "Smiling Assassin," Viktor Hovland, isn't coming out of nowhere in 2022. He's ranked third in the world. What will catapult him into the elite is when he wins that first major — which will happen in 2022. That same rocket launch happened to Collin Morikawa in 2020-21 when he morphed from "bright young tal- ent" to superstar, after winning the PGA and then the British Open. Why Hovland? He knows how to lift trophies. In the past year, he's done it all over the world. Since November, he's charged with a final-round 66 to win in Dubai, defended at the PGA Tour's Mayakoba event, and won against a small, stellar field at Tiger's Hero tournament in the Bahamas. Let's not forget his dominant U.S. Amateur victory in 2018 at Pebble Beach, as well as being low amateur at the 2019 Masters and U.S. Open. Now, it's major time. u u u u Tiger shows flashes of brillance, raises hopes No one has ever won money by counting out Tiger Woods. His multi- ple comebacks are among the most miraculous in the history of sports. He stunned us again by swinging beautifully and powerfully in Decem- ber's PNC Challenge, nearly winning the event with his son, Charlie. That right there is enough for me to remain hopeful that we'll be seeing Tiger competing professionally again in the not-too-distant future. Tiger has always marched to his own beat and if his rehab takes him to where he can practice like he wants and needs to, my guess is that his re- turn will be sooner that we think. u u u u The X-Man crosses the finish line more than once As of February 2022, Xander Schauffele owns a three-year PGA Tour win drought. Yet, the pick here is that he will win three times in 2022. Why? The big-C is back: Confidence. Here's a guy who won the Tour Championship in 2017, a WGC event in 2018, had a T2 at the 2018 British Open, a T2 at the 2019 Masters and < If his rehab takes him to where he can practice like he wants and needs to, my guess is that Tiger's return will be sooner that we think. Keep reading >>> ver.indd 1 12/1/1 ver.indd 1 12/1/1 ver.indd 1 12/1/1 ver.indd 1 12/1/1 TOUR REPORT Photo courtesy Peetlesnumber1
