The 2018 golf season promises to be another thriller with the year’s four majors accompanied by top-class PGA TOUR and European Tour action as well as the Ryder Cup, during which the United States and European teams will clash in Paris.
From the Masters Tournament in April to the PGA Championship in August, the race to win one of golf’s four majors will once again be red-hot. And there could be a certain Tiger Woods back in action next year bidding to add to his collection of 14 majors.
Then in September, the focus turns to Paris, France, where the best of Europe and the United States go head-to-head in the bi-annual Ryder Cup. France will stage the event for the first time in its rich history.
Here is a round-up of what to expect and some key dates and golf events in 2018:
Masters Tournament (April 5-8)
The famous challenge that is Augusta National will kick off the major action in the first week of April as the Georgia venue hosts the 2018 Masters Tournament. Sergio Garcia will be the defending champion, and the host of the Champions Dinner, having finally tasted major success in 2017 when defeating Justin Rose in a play-off. Tiger Woods is a four-time winner, but the last of those came back in 2005. He hasn’t played in the last two Masters due to injury, but will he return in 2018?
U.S. Open (June 14-17)
Once again taking place across Father’s Day weekend, the 2018 U.S. Open will be staged at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Long Island, New York. It is the fifth time the course has hosted the second major of the year, the most recent being in 2004 when Retief Goosen beat Phil Mickelson to the title. Brooks Koepka will start as defending champion having won the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills for his first major success.
The Open Championship (July 19-22)
The Open Championship returns to Scotland in 2018 with Carnoustie staging the tournament on the famous links. It will be the eighth time the Open has visited the course, the last being in 2007 when Padraig Harrington achieved back-to-back victories in the third of the year’s majors. Jordan Spieth will attempt to defend the title he won in dramatic circumstances at Royal Birkdale.
PGA Championship (August 9-12)
This is a landmark year for the last of the four majors—the event will be staged for the 100th time. Bellerive Country Club in Missouri gets the honour of hosting the 2018 PGA Championship in its centenary year. Justin Thomas will be the defending champion after his maiden major win in 2017 at Quail Hollow. Bellerive has previously hosted the PGA Championship in 1992 and the U.S. Open in 1965.
Ryder Cup (September 28-30)
The Ryder Cup makes a first trip to France as the European Team and their United States counterpart battle it out over three days at Le Golf National in Paris. The Americans hold the Samuel Ryder trophy after winning on home soil at Hazeltine in 2016. Will Jim Furyk’s team retain the cup? Or can Thomas Bjorn lead Europe to success? Either way, it will be another memorable showdown between the rivals.