Patrick Reed vs. Jordan Spieth
The relationship between this pair is interesting to say the least, as they both seemed inseparable at the 2014 Gleneagles Ryder Cup and in the 2016 Hazeltine and 2017 Presidents Cup. Though in 2018, negative comments started flying, especially from Reed, directed at Spieth. The climax came later that year when the two didn’t pair up as expected at the Paris Ryder Cup, with Reed hinting in an interview that Spieth didn’t want to play with him.
Phil Mickelson vs. Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh is notorious for feuding with almost every player he interacts with, and during the 2005 Masters, it was Phil Mickelson’s turn to face the music. Singh ratted Mickelson out for supposedly damaging the greens with long spike marks, and the confrontation that resulted almost ended in blows.
Tiger Woods vs. Sergio Garcia
Tiger Woods’s feud with Sergio Garcia traces its roots to the 1999 Medinah PGA Championship, with a build-up at the made-for-TV Battle of the Bighorn event where Garcia won and seemed to mock Woods. Since then, a mutual dislike emerged, with Woods beating Garcia at every chance he got and Garcia habitually responding with misplaced reactions like the famous “fried chicken” remark at 2013’s European Tour Players’ Awards Dinner.
Greg Norman vs. Nick Faldo
Although Greg Norman enjoyed a comfortable reign as World No. 1 for a total of 331 weeks, compared to Faldo’s 97, he will never forget his misfortune at the Majors, especially in the hands of Faldo. Norman boasts just two Major wins, compared to Faldo’s six, and the most contentious moment was the 1996 Masters, where Norman had been leading with a six-shot lead, but Faldo overturned that to win by five strokes.
Jordan Spieth vs. Justin Thomas
The rivalry between Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas is one of the friendly ones, as the two age mates race each other to the most elite corners of world golf. Since they were teenagers, the two friends have played with and against each other, and they share some similar wins, such as each boasting a PGA TOUR FedExCup. At other times, they are driven by jealousy, like when Spieth won at Royal Birkdale and Thomas was admittedly envious, using that as motivation to clinch the PGA Championship trophy just a month later.
Parting Shot
Every healthy competition is bound to produce some rivalry, although some have a way of turning ugly and even dangerous. Luckily for golf, most rivalries tend to die out without fist fights, and some cases have even propelled the players involved to the highest pinnacles of their game. Nonetheless, such intense rivalries in golf produce great entertainment for the golf community, and we can’t wait to see which players challenge each other next.