December 8th, 2014. A date that may prove to be significant on reflection in the annals of professional golf history. Why is that? It marks the first day that Rory McIlroy, Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler all placed inside the top ten of the Official World Golf Ranking.
Simply put; the next generation is here.
All four of these talented 20-somethings were merely children as Tiger Woods slaughtered the field at Augusta National in 1997. That triumph ushered in arguably the most dominant individual era in the game’s history, inspiring millions of youngsters around the world to pick up a golf club. And now, almost two decades on, some of them have reached the top, filling the gaping void left by the 14-time major champion.
Rory McIlroy, seemingly Tiger’s natural successor as the game’s dominant player, is clearly the leading figure of this new generation of top level players. Already a four-time major champion, the Northern Irishman has the opportunity to clinch the Grand Slam in April at the tender age of 25.
Two of those major triumphs came this year at the expense of Rickie Fowler, who enjoyed a stunningly consistent season in golf’s most important events. The colourful and popular Californian, who turns 26 on Saturday, may not have won on Tour this year, but illustrated a prowess on the big stage that should suit him well entering 2015.
Like Fowler, Jason Day has contended regularly in major championships. Yet to triumph in one, the 27-year-old Australian has nonetheless confirmed his status as one of the game’s leading players. Recurring injury problems prevented this year from developing into a great one for the Queenslander, but a WGC Accenture Match Play win in February served as a timely reminder of what he can achieve when circumstances fall in his favour.
Jordan Spieth has undoubtedly written the majority of late-season headlines as we approach the end of 2014. The 21-year-old Texan has silenced the doubters who had begun to question his ability on Sunday by triumphing in consecutive weeks at the Australian Open and Hero World Challenge. The first win was secured courtesy of a final round 63 in difficult conditions at the Australian Golf Club – surely among the finest performances by any player this year.
Jetting across the globe from breezy Sydney to Florida, Spieth would shake off the jet-lag by clinching the 18-man Challenge (hosted by Tiger Woods) by a remarkable ten shots.
Having experienced the heat of a major Sunday at the Masters in April, and impressing in his Ryder Cup debut at Gleneagles, Spieth will be battle-hardened entering 2015, and fully expect him to add to his already formidable list of achievements in the coming year.
This new generations of leading players is only a natural progression. It has happened numerous times throughout the history of the professional game. Hogan, Snead and Nelson were succeeded by Nicklaus, Palmer and Player, with the Big Three eventually being supplanted by Ballesteros, Faldo and Norman. Soon enough, Tiger Woods would explode onto the scene at the right time, with Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els serving as his capable support group.
That most recent “big three” have accounted for 23 major championships, with Tiger Woods obviously contributing the majority of those victories. But he has endured the worst season of his career, falling from first to 25th in the world ranking, with injuries and continued technical faults plaguing him on the golf course.
As he makes the transition to yet another swing coach (this time 37-year-old Chris Como), the soon to be 39-year-old is hurtling towards the status of becoming yesterday’s man. That being said, a resurgent 2015 cannot be fully dismissed from Woods. He certainly needs it.
The same can be said of Phil Mickelson, who, apart from a near-miss at the PGA Championship, struggled mightily throughout this season. Approaching his 45th birthday, the five-time major champion also requires a strong 2015, but it may have to be accepted that his Open triumph at Muirfield could prove to be his last hurrah.
Ernie Els’ career at the top looks to also be winding down. The legendary South African has fallen out of the world’s elite top 50, but he did find himself in that position three years ago. He would rebound from that malaise with a fourth major title at Royal Lytham, however a fifth would seem to be out of his grasp.
All three of those great players will be attempting to prove that their Oasis of major victories hasn’t dried up, but it is time for us to look past them to achieve further acts of greatness.
It is the time for Rory, Jason, Jordan and Rickie. Not to forget the likes of Billy Horschel, Victor Dubuisson, Patrick Reed and Hideki Matsuyama. Whether they will all fulfil their potential remains to be seen, but their window of opportunity is now open. It is time to take advantage before the next generation inevitably breaks through.
It’s only natural.