2025 has been a golden yr for golf.
A yr of Scottie Scheffler consistency and Rory McIlroy glory. A yr when Tommy Fleetwood claimed a primary win on the PGA Tour and Marco Penge broke by on the DP World Tour. A yr when the Ryder Cup made headlines for all the best (and all of the flawed) causes.
Our rating of the highest 10 photographs performed all yr consists of moments of magic, photographs executed in distinctive circumstances and photographs of nice talent.
However the winner stands out as a result of it included these three elements, but it surely was additionally performed with the burden of historical past and the burden of non-public ache on the participant’s shoulders.
Right here’s our prime 10 photographs of 2025…
1. Rory McIlroy method to fifteen, The Masters
The Northern Irishman had not received a serious championship since 2014 and had endured quite a few Masters agonies. Certainly this was his time? He led the match heading into the ultimate spherical – and was then trailing inside two holes.
He led once more from the third inexperienced to the thirteenth fairway and had a easy pitch in entrance of him – whereupon he dumped it within the water. However the par-5 fifteenth lay forward of him – the golden likelihood to retrieve the scenario.
His drive was good but it surely tucked him up too near the bushes on the left. His method wanted to attract round them and discover the desk prime inexperienced with water quick and lengthy. It was now or by no means. Lengthy awaited glory or but extra failure. Agony or ecstasy.
When the strain was at its biggest, he executed the shot of his life discovering the center of the inexperienced.
2. Jon Rahm chip in, Ryder Cup
When the Spaniard’s associate Tyrrell Hatton missed the inexperienced on the 200-yard par-3 eighth at Bethpage Black within the Ryder Cup, European hopes appeared lifeless.
Rahm needed to stand in sand, with the ball held in tangly grass above him. He was short-sided, too, with only a few yards of inexperienced and all of it operating away from him to the outlet.
No trouble. The large Basque bear confirmed he has contact in addition to energy, flipping the ball from its horrible place and operating the ball into the outlet. Pure class.
3. Justin Rose chip, Ryder Cup
The Englishman’s second shot on the par-5 thirteenth within the Ryder Cup singles flared proper into the bushes. His third shot wanted him to barter these bushes, a TV tower, a poor lie, the ball sitting above his toes, a major rise to the inexperienced – and he couldn’t see that inexperienced both. He additionally had US captain Keegan Bradley chuntering alongside him, indignant that Rose had any shot in any respect.
Rose performed many nice photographs that week, however this was one of the best of the lot. It not solely discovered the inexperienced, it additionally span again to the pin and arrange a successful birdie.
4. Rory McIlroy method, Ryder Cup
As McIlroy ready to hit his method from the primary reduce on 16 he was heckled, and heckled, and heckled once more. He stood again, advised these accountable to “shut the f**okay up”, obtained again to his ball, and stuffed it shut for the birdie.
Pure drama.
5. JJ Spaun 64 foot putt, US Open
The American had performed a horrible entrance 9 within the last spherical of the yr’s third main however bounced again after the flip and a birdie at 18 would win him the title. His method left him 64 toes throughout the inexperienced which he drained.
“What a putt to win it,” mentioned a watching Tyrrell Hatton. “Completely filthy.”
6. Scottie Scheffler chip in, BMW Championship
The World No. 1 and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre had scrapped by the ultimate spherical, however Scheffler led by one when each missed the inexperienced at 17. It appeared as if the American had the more durable up-and-down. He wanted to hack the ball freed from gnarly grass after which run it delicately throughout the floor.
He did so completely and holed it. The watching MacIntyre was crushed.
7. Rory McIlroy eagle putt, Irish Open
To tie the clubhouse lead of Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren, McIlroy wanted an eagle-3 on the 72nd gap. He discovered the inexperienced in two and had 25-feet to power a play-off. The watching galleries readied themselves to blow up.
The putt was good and the group did explode.
8. Jon Rahm from excessive grass, Ryder Cup
Deja vu! The Spaniard’s associate Hatton had missed the green by an extended, great distance on the sixth within the Ryder Cup. The ball discovered excessive grass that clung to Rahm’s legs by no means thoughts his ball. He wanted to hit the inexperienced as a result of his opponents had knocked their ball to fifteen toes.
Rahm smashed his to 12 toes.
9. Nick Taylor chip in, Sony Open
The Canadian knew he favored Waialae Nation Membership. In his two earlier visits he had completed seventh each occasions. He wished the win and was two again of the lead taking part in the par-5 18th within the last spherical. His method shot pulled up wanting the inexperienced and he had 58-feet to the flag.
He popped it within the gap and later received the play-off.
10. Akshay Bhatia gap in a single, BMW Championship
Any gap in a single is sweet, after all, however some are higher than others. The American’s got here in competitors, which is sweet. It additionally earned him a automobile, which is nice. Nevertheless it was additionally essential in vaulting him, within the penultimate occasion of the season, into the highest 30 which earned him a spot within the Tour Championship.
A particular ace.
Learn subsequent: 7 essential photographs that lastly received Rory McIlroy the 2025 Masters
