Sports Illustrated’s Best Golf Stories of 2024

Say this for the 2024 golf year: it was not dull. (But let’s be honest: when has this beat ever been boring?)

It all started with the biggest stars in the men’s and women’s games: Scottie Scheffler reeled off a nine-win season that echoed Tiger Woods in his prime and included another Masters title. Nelly Korda rattled off five wins in a row, including a major, as part of an eye-popping seven-win season. They are golf’s alphas, and SI Golf was all over their historic seasons.

But, as so often happens, there were plenty of other compelling storylines on and off the course. Bryson DeChambeau clipped Rory McIlroy over the closing holes at the Pinehurst U.S. Open in a Sunday that will live in lore. Xander Schauffele broke through for a two-major season. The U.S. Solheim Cup team emphatically ended its winless drought. LIV Golf completed its third season, and the golf world continues to wait and see how the Saudi-backed tour will ultimately work together with the PGA Tour.

That story will continue in the new year, and so will SI Golf, working hard to be your destination for everything happening in our sport. This is my annual spot to say thanks for continuing to read us along the way—we do this for you, after all. It’s also become a tradition around here this time of year to look back at some of our favorite pieces for one last read this holiday season. And if you can’t get enough of great sports writing, my SI colleagues also published a list of Best Sports Illustrated Reads of the Year across all sports, which is well worth your time.

Without further ado, here they are:

Feb. 1 – This is going to be a great year for golf apparel, by Janice Ferguson

April 11 – The Masters ceremonial tee shots were a reminder of our own mortality, by Gary Van Sickle

April 15 – With second Masters win, Scottie Scheffler’s game does all the talking, by Bob Harig

May 17 – Scheffler arrest, fatal accident, could’ve been avoided, by Pat Forde

May 29 – Stardom is coming quickly for Rose Zhang, by Farrell Evans

June 4 – With empathy as strong as his golf game, Scottie Scheffler eulogizes Grayson Murray, by Michael Rosenberg

July 8 – Keegan Bradley, not Tiger Woods, named 2025 U.S. Ryder Cup captain, by Bob Harig

July 17 – Scottie’s World, Scheffler chases more history at British Open, by Bob Harig

Sept. 3 – Inside Bryson DeChambeau’s ‘salted golf ball’ preparation, by Dan Evans

Sept. 4 – Rory is applying pressure, but LIV Golf talks have stalled, by Michael Rosenberg

Sept. 6 – The Myrtle Beach World Am delivers once again, by John Schwarb

Oct 2 – Sam Bennett learns that golf, and life, are never simple, by Brian Burnsed

Oct. 11 – A surprising luxury getaway in Pennsylvania, by Janina Jacobs

Oct 31 – “Bad Takes Week,” our annual list of terrible (but defensible) ideas for golf, featuring:

Nov. 4 – Steph Curry is basking in gold and building a junior golf tour, by Stephanie Apstein

Nov. 19 – Sergio Garcia reclaims Ryder Cup eligibility, by Matt Vincenzi 

Nov. 26 – Lilia Vu sees brighter days ahead, by Janine Nicole Brown

Nov. 28 – A look back at one of golf’s great Thanksgiving traditions: the Skins Game, by Max Schreiber

MORE: Sports Illustrated’s Best Reads of 2024