Sure you know Tiger Woods came back to competitive golf with gusto in 2018, that the European’s boat-raced the Americans in the Ryder Cup and that Oklahoma State came out on top in the first blowout at the NCAA men’s finals since they went to match play in 2009 (OK, so maybe you forget that one). Whatever kind of golf fan you are, test your memory to see if you can recall some of prominent (and not-so–prominent) moments that happened this past year. Answers are at the bottom of the post. No credit for using the Google machine if you get stumped along the way.
1: Georgia alum Kevin Kisner lost a bet to Alabama alum Justin Thomas when the Crimson Tide beat the Bulldogs in college football’s national championship game last January. How did Kisner pay off the bet?
A: He used an Alabama golf bag at a PGA Tour event
B: He wore an Alabama football jersey at a PGA Tour event
C: He wore an Alabama hat at a PGA Tour event
D: He went to a baseball game with Patrick Reed
2: Why did the number 9 million have a significance in golf in 2018?
A: It was the total number of strokes taken on the PGA Tour
B: It was how much Justin Rose won for winning the FedEx Cup
C: It was how much money was on the line in “The Match” between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson
D: It was the number of times the Jeep “Connection” ad played during TNT’s coverage of the PGA Championship
3: The No. 1 spot on the Official World Golf Ranking changed hands a record number of times in 2018. How many times was it passed around?
A: 5
B: 7
C: 9
D: 9 million
4: Which player held the outright lead at the end of the most rounds in the majors but didn’t win any?
A: Jordan Spieth
B: Kevin Kisner
C: Gary Woodland
D: Dustin Johnson
5: The USGA announced it would no longer do this at the U.S. Open:
A: Exempt past champions into the field
B: Conduct an 18-hole playoff
C: Require players wear long pants
D: Forget to read the weather forecast
RELATED: Golf World’s Newsmakers of 2018
6: What penalty did the USGA give Phil Mickelson for hitting a moving ball during the U.S. Open?
A: No penalty
B: Two-stroke penalty
C: Disqualification
D: Forced him to watch himself doing the worm for 24 hours, Clockwork Orange style.
7: The Masters announced it will do what for the first time in 2019?
A: Hold a women’s amateur tournament at Augusta National
B: Conduct a lottery to let one patron caddie in the Par-3 Contest
C: Let caddies wear shorts
D: Open the Drive, Chip and Putt competition to double-digit handicappers ages 35 to 50
8: Who added the most wins to their major championship total in 2018?
A: Brooks Koepka
B: Ariya Jutanugarn
C: Francesco Molinari
D: Gary Player
9: The U.S. team made history at the Curtis Cup when it:
A: Beat Great Britain & Ireland by 14 points
B: Lost on U.S. soil for the first time
C: Had three players win four matches
D: Fielded an entire team of high schoolers
10. Sungjae Im did what on the Web.com Tour in 2018?
A: Shot a 59.
B: Became the first player to lead the money list from the first event to the last
C: Won four events during the calendar year
D: Got beaten by Steph Curry
11. This happened for the first time on the European Tour in 2018:
A: An amateur won a tournament title
B: A woman won a tournament title
C: A player shot a 59
D: Keith Pelley wore simple, dark-framed glasses
RELATED: The most gut-wrenching Rules decisions of 2018
12. Who did NOT win a PGA Tour event in 2018?
A: Ted Potter Jr.
B: Satoshi Kodaira
C: Brice Garnett
D: Rickie Fowler
13. Angela Stanford, playing her 76th career major, finally did what at the Evian Championship?
A: Shot a 59.
B: Won her first major
C: Broke par in all four rounds at a major
D: Played in the Evian for the first time without a rain delay
14. Who is most vulnerable to a “sophomore slump” in 2019?
A: Cameron Champ
B: Joaquin Niemann
C: Aaron Wise
D: Tiger Woods
15. How will the PGA Tour wrap up the FedEx Cup playoffs in 2019:
A: Same as in 2018
B: Have the points leader entering the Tour Championship start at 10 under par
C: Have the top two players competing in 36-hole match play event
D: Like any high-stakes affair: Bring out portable lights and let the final two players tee off from a practice green toward East Lake’s 18th hole to settle things in sudden death
ANSWERS:
1: B; 2: C; 3: C; 4: C (Woodland was the outright leader after each of the first three rounds at the PGA; Spieth, Kisner and Johnson were only the outright leader once each); 5: B; 6: B; 7: A; 8: D (Player was awarded three additional senior major titles last month when the PGA Tour Champions announced it would retroactively count all wins at the Senior British Open as majors prior to win the event officially earned major-championship distinction in 2003.); 9: A; 10: B; 11: C (Oliver Wilson became the first at the Portugal Open); 12: D; 13: B; 14: C; 15: B.
Gary Player gets the last laugh.
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