A decade ago, golf witnessed âan unforgettable moment at the PGA Championshipâ at Valhalla. Four âof the â˘game’s biggest stars – Roryâ McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson, and Yani Tseng – became entangled âin âa chaoticâ trophy presentation. As McIlroy prepared⣠to receive the⢠Wanamaker⣠Trophy, Fowler playfully bumped into â¤him, causingâ the⣠trophy to topple over.⤠A scramble ensued, âwith Mickelson and Tseng also attempting to catch the fallen trophy. â¤The humorous incident captured the⤠spotlight and remains a memorable âmoment in golf history. âŁTen years later, we revisit Valhalla to recount the â˘events of that day âand explore the lasting impact of the trophy âfumble.
– Rory and Rickie’s Duel âŁin the Desert
Ten years after⤠one of golfâs most⤠famousâ duels,â Rory McIlroy and Rickie âFowler returned to Valhalla to settle â¤the score â¤at the LIV Golf Invitational Boston.
The 2012 PGAâ Championshipâ produced an â¤epic final round battle âŁbetween the two young âstars, with McIlroy ultimately prevailingâ by⢠oneâ stroke⢠and the⢠young Rickie comingâ to âŁgrips withâ his first PGA âchampionship majorâ loss.
| Player | Strokes | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Rory McIlroy | 275 | Champion |
| Rickie Fowler | 276 | Runner-up |
This time âaround, it was Fowler who got theâ upper âhand, firing a â¤final-round 68⣠to finish one stroke ahead of McIlroy.⣠It was Fowler’s first âŁLIV⢠Golf⢠victory and his first win of any kind âŁsince the 2019 Waste âŁManagement Phoenix Open.
The victory was⣠a big one for Fowler, who has struggled with his form âŁin recent⣠years. It also served as a⢠reminder of the talent that madeâ him one of the most popular âplayers⣠in the game.
– Phil Mickelson’s Major Breakthrough
**Philâ Mickelson’s Major â¤Breakthrough**
A decade ago at⤠Valhalla, Phil Mickelson shed tears âof⢠joy after finally⣠claiming hisâ first major championship at the U.S.â Open.â Mickelson had been a perennial contender â˘but had âalways faltered under⣠the pressure of â˘major Sundays. However, at Valhalla, everything cameâ together for the 43-year-old⣠lefty.
Mickelson played steadily throughout⤠the week, hitting fairways and greens and making âfew⣠mistakes. He began⢠the â¤final â¤round two shots behind⢠leaders âRory McIlroy and âRickie Fowler, but he made key birdies⣠onâ the front nine to â˘close the gap.⤠On the back nine, Mickelson’s experience⤠and poise proved invaluable. He⤠hit a series âof clutch shots, including⢠a spectacular approach shot to the par-5 16th that set up an âeagle.
Mickelson birdied the 17th⣠hole to take a one-shot lead, and he held on for victory âby⤠sinking a⣠par putt⣠on the 18th. It was an emotional moment âŁfor Mickelson, who had endured years ofâ heartbreak in majors.â The victory was a testament to his perseverance and his ability to perform under pressure.
The 2013 U.S. Open will forever be âremembered as the tournament where Phil Mickelson finally broke through⣠and won his first â˘major⣠championship. It was⢠a victoryâ that cemented his âlegacy as one of the â¤greatest golfers of all time.
– The Ryder Cup Unveils a New Era
Ten years ago, the Ryder Cup was played at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. The⢠United States team won the Cup, 16.5 to 11.5, but the âevent was marredâ by a controversialâ incident on theâ 17thâ hole of the Sunday singles matches. â˘With the United⣠States leading⤠14-10, Rory⢠McIlroy hit a tee shot⤠that landed inâ a hazard. McIlroyâ then took â˘a penalty drop, but⢠he did not replace his ball correctly. âThe rules official on the hole did not ânotice the error, and McIlroy went⤠on to win theâ hole.
The incident caused a great deal of controversy, and many⢠people âbelieve âŁthat it cost Europe the â˘Ryder Cup. McIlroy has since â˘apologized for his mistake, but the incident remains a black mark on his⣠record.
In the years âŁsince Valhalla, the âRyder â¤Cup has â˘undergone a⣠number of changes. The format âof the event has âbeen revised, and the qualifying process has been made more transparent. The United States hasâ also⤠won the last two Ryder Cups, and Europe will be looking to regain the Cup when âthe âevent is played at âLe Golf National in Paris in 2018.
| Year | Winning⤠Team | Score |
| 2008 | United States | 16.5 âŁto 11.5 |
| 2010 | Europe | 14.5 to 13.5 |
| 2012 | Europe | 14.5 âto 13.5 |
| 2014 | Europe | 16.5 to 11.5 |
| 2016 | United States | 17 toâ 11 |
– Lessons from Valhalla: A Decade Later
A decade ago, Valhalla became etched â¤into golfâs collective memory. Rory McIlroy showed off his⤠Augusta green jacket with a 62 that matched the lowest⣠round ever in a⢠major. Rickieâ Fowler was â˘a fiery runner-up, â˘charging hard on Sunday to finish one âŁbehind McIlroy.⤠And Phil Mickelson, well, he hadâ one ofâ those Mickelson moments thatâ are both⤠memorable and maddening. Tied for the lead with two âŁto â˘play, he went⢠for the⤠green on the par-5 16th, only âto see his ball trickle throughâ the green and into â¤the hazard. He âtook seven⤠on the hole and wound up two⢠behind McIlroy, sharing second with Fowler.
Ten years later, Valhalla remains âa popular and challenging âmajor venue. Among the lessons it â¤taught us, which are still relevantâ today:
- Lengthâ isnât everything. McIlroy won with âŁdistance â˘in 2014, âbut many shorter hitters have contended there. In fact, Martin⤠Kaymer⣠won in 2010 by hitting just oneâ drive⤠over 300 yards all week.
- Putting is key. The greens at Valhalla are large and undulating, so a hot putter is a must. McIlroy âŁranked second in the field in putting in⣠2014, and Kaymer rankedâ sixth in 2010.
- Experience matters. Kaymer,â McIlroy âand Jason Dufner, âŁwho wonâ in 2013, were all â¤in their 20s when they won at Valhalla.⢠But âthe⣠course has also been⣠kind toâ veterans,â with â¤Mickelson finishing âin⢠the top 10 in 2008, â2010â and â˘2014.
- Anything⣠can happen. â Mickelsonâs blunder on the 16th holeâ in 2014 is⤠a reminder that anything canâ happen at Valhalla. The course is tough but fair, and it can reward both aggressive and â¤conservative âplay.
| Year | Winner | Winning Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | PĂĄdraig Harrington | -6 |
| 2010 | Martin Kaymer | -11 |
| 2014 | Rory McIlroy | -16 |
| 2024 | Will âZalatoris | -12 |
A decade has passed since the â2014 Ryder Cup⢠at â¤Gleneagles, where Rory McIlroy led⢠Europeâ to victory and Phil âŁMickelson made⢠history with his⣠iconic Ryder Cup flourish. Reflecting on Valhalla, 10 years later, we remember the legendary triumphs and unforgettable moments that shaped the legendary event.
