The 2025 golf season was anything but dull: fan drama, rule chaos, and off-course headlines stole the spotlight.
From heated debates to bizarre moments, 2025 delivered a rollercoaster of emotions on and off the course. While athletic performances impressed, it was often the controversies and curiosities that made the headlines. Here’s our golf year in review.
Ryder Cup drama: captains, fans, and old rules revived
The 2025 Ryder Cup was full of unexpected twists. Team USA captain Keegan Bradley found himself ranked ninth after winning the Travelers Championship, sparking debate over whether a captain should also play. Despite a rule change allowing it, Bradley chose to stay on the sidelines—strategically wise, but theatrically underwhelming.
Meanwhile, fans made their presence felt. Rory McIlroy faced boos and noise during putts, while Shane Lowry personally escorted a disruptive fan to security. Prize money became a hot topic too: for the first time, only Team USA received official compensation. Scottie Scheffler pledged to donate his share, while McIlroy quipped he’d pay to play on Sunday.
Viktor Hovland’s neck injury activated a rarely used rule: his opponent received half a point without a single shot being played. The match was halved—and so were opinions on the rule. And then there was the merchandise mishap: a shirt featuring a swing eerily similar to McIlroy’s appeared in the Ryder Cup shop, only to vanish quietly.
PGA vs. LIV, Popov’s LPGA chaos, and failed driver tests
The PGA vs. LIV saga added another chapter when Wesley Bryan was suspended for playing in a LIV-backed YouTube event. Ironically, the PGA Tour had invited the event’s host, Grant Horvat. Phil Mickelson criticized the suspension as a blow to entrepreneurial freedom.
Sophia Popov faced heartbreak after being told she could play on the LPGA Tour, only to be retroactively disqualified due to an administrative error. Her points and prize money were revoked, ending her bid for a 2026 tour card.
Technical drama struck when McIlroy’s driver failed a USGA test—a result that should have remained confidential. Speculation swirled about his