Photo Credit: KSWO
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I am a golf fan. I have been one since the tender age of five. At that time, my late uncle taught me the game that I have been playing for just over 30 years this year. Since I become a fan of the sport I like to go back and learn the history of that sport. So, over the years, I have watched the game of golf and been to a few live golf tournaments. I was thinking of my top four moments that I have seen while being a golf fan. I will not mention anything that I have seen from the past on the PGA Tour.
1999 Ryder Cup USA defeats the Europeans.
For the ones that do not know, this a tournament between the USA and the Europeans. There are 10 players on each side for a total of 20. That means any player that was born in Europe can play and anyone outside cannot play. The Ryder Cup has been won more by the European team. The 1999 Ryder Cup was played at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. This is one of the golf tournaments that I look forward to every year. This one was as exciting as it came down the last few matches for the USA to win it all. The player that started one of the loudest moments in all the golf was Justin Leonard. He sank a long putt and the crowd that was in attendance erupted. The European team complained about it but at the end of the day, I jumped out of my seat.
1997 Masters Tournament Tiger Woods wins his first.
This changed the game of golf forever. Tiger Woods became the first African American to win the Masters. The Masters is the most prestigious major and golf tournament on the PGA Tour. His final score was 18 under par. Woods was 21 at the time that he won the Masters. This was a great moment for me. I was 14 when he won. Golf has never been the same and will never be the same. It was also cool that no matter what he always wears a red shirt on Sundays’ because his mom told him to. He won the Masters in 2019 and it all reminds me of when we won in 1997. Woods hugged his dad when he won and as he exited the green, he hugged his son Charlie.
1997 PGA Championship Davis Love III wins his one and only major.
After we saw Tiger Woods win his first major, Davis Love III won his first in the last major of the year, the PGA Championship. The tournament was held at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, New York. Love’s father had passed away recently. The last putt that he made there was a rainbow in the sky, and they say that it was his father smiling down on his win. The other reason for the rainbow was the final round plagued with rain. His final score was 11 under par. It is always good to see someone win their first major and in 1997 we saw two of them.
2004 Masters Phil Mickelson wins his first of six majors.
Phil Mickelson has been an interesting player in the world of golf. He is known as “Lefty” because he plays the game left-handed. He was supposed to be the rival to Tiger Woods like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. Just like Woods, his first major win came at the Masters. Mickelson finished the Masters at 9 under par. When he made his final putt on the 18th hole he jumped up in the air and that is his official logo. It reminds me of when he won this year’s PGA Championship becoming the oldest player to win a major.
There have been many great golf memories that I have seen. These four stood out to me and were great moments for me. I thought about quitting the game of golf after my uncle passed away. That year, after he passed, I was watching the Masters which was his favorite golf tournament to watch and it made me continue to play the game. I can teach my nephews and niece just like he did for me. I know there will be many more memories that I will see. As I said, I did not see Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer play in their day. I did enjoy them teeing off to open the Masters.
Author Profile
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Bradley Walker serves as the Director of Operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a co-host on the P&W Sports Report and hosting The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
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