The four major golf championships are recognized as the most prestigious annual tournaments in the world. Only four men can win major titles every year with the Masters in April, the U.S. Open in June, The Open Championship in July and the PGA Championship in August. While the trend of first-time major winners continued this season there was a familiar name that added a third major title to his impressive resume. Here is quick recap of the four winners for the 2017 major golf championship events.
Masters Tournament: Sergio Garcia
The 2017 major golf championship schedule began with a thrilling battle that was worthy of crowning a Masters title winner. Sergio Garcia claimed his first major title when he prevailed at the first hole of a playoff against Justin Rose. The Spaniard had come close in a number of major tournaments before finally getting the job done. Fittingly, the Masters win was clinched on what would have been the 60th birthday of Seve Ballesteros. It was an incredible moment when the crowd chanted Garcia’s name as perhaps no player in golf was more overdue to win a major event than Sergio.
Spieth entered The Masters as a 6/1 favorite but that bet didn’t pay off. Garcia would end up paying off at 30/1.
U.S. Open: Brooks Koepka
Brooks Koepka nearly quit golf altogether in 2013 when he was reportedly tired of travelling and tired of the sport altogether. However, he decided to continue on with a secret story that came full circle when he won the 2017 U.S. Open. Koepka carded six birdies and just one bogey on the final day of action to finish the week at 16 under par – four strokes better than Brian Harman and Hideki Matsuyama. Koepka became the seventh first time winner of a major in a row, taking home more than $2 million in prize money.
As you might recall, Dustin Johnson entered the event as the betting favorite to win the event but he failed to cash. He was posted at 9/4 while Jordan Spieth was at 9/1, but it was Koepka who came through as a much greater longshot. Koepka paid out at a healthy 40/1.
The Open Championship: Jordan Spieth
The tension and drama was arguably never higher throughout the 2017 season than it was at Royal Birkdale when Jordan Spieth put on a show to win The Open. Spieth delivered a ridiculous comeback on the final day of the tournament as he turned a three-stroke deficit in to a three-stroke victory at Royal Birkdale. Spieth sent the crowd in to a frenzy when he rallied with a birdie-eagle-birdie finish on a dramatic afternoon at the Southport course en route to a 12-under-par final score. Spieth claimed the Claret Jug for the first time in his career and became the second player after Jack Nicklaus to clinch three major championship victories before his 24th birthday. Spieth would get his opportunity to complete the career Grand Slam at the PGA Championship the following month.
Spieth entered as the tournament favorite and ended up cashing. He was posted at 6/1 as the tournament got underway and paid off for those who backed him.
PGA Championship: Justin Thomas
Spieth was forced to wait at least another year before he gets his next shot at completing the career Grand Slam after he finished a disappointing 28th at the PGA Championship. Justin Thomas would clinch the final major championship of the season after he dominated on the final day and finished eight-under par to come out on top. The 24-year-old finished with a two-stroke lead to continue the trend of first-time major winners after Spieth broke a run of seven-straight first-time major winners at The Open. Ironically, Spieth is Thomas’ best friend, which made for a storybook ending to the 2017 major championship season.
Rory McIlroy was the favorite to cash last week at the 2017 PGA Championship but he failed to do so. He was posted at 6/1, Jordan Spieth was at 9/1 and Hideki Matsuyama was at 12/1. However, it was in fact Justin Thomas that came through at 40/1. That made it the second time that a golfer with odds of 40/1 cashed at a major in 2017.
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