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January 4, 2026

2026 New Year's Hopes and Wishes

Best wishes for the New Year—may it bring lower scores and plenty of enjoyment on the golf course.

Tiger Woods – May the coming year find your health good enough to compete on the Champions Tour, where a cart can ease the load. And yes, we can still wish for a miracle—walking 72 holes at the Masters one more time.

Rory McIlroy – Wishing you a career year with two Major Championships and a continued realization that America respects your talent, sportsmanship, and character—regardless of what a few stupid New Yorkers said at the Ryder Cup.

Scottie Scheffler – May that internal drive continue as you perform once again at a level not seen since Tiger Woods. It's a pleasure to watch true greatness on display.

Keegan Bradley – Hopefully the Ryder Cup second-guessing won't affect your play in 2026, and that you position yourself to be a player on the Ryder Cup in 2028.

LIV Golf – Continued anonymity while playing exhibition golf that few seem to care about. That said, I miss Jon Rahm.

Jordan Spieth – Learn to play a full 18 holes, not just 15 good ones. Stop overthinking, trust your natural ability, and—most importantly—look like you're enjoying yourself.

Rickie Fowler – Each year the trend line has been downward. Here's hoping 2026 becomes a comeback season for one of the nicest guys on the PGA Tour.

Tommy Fleetwood – Finally breaking through with a PGA Tour win last year could be the start of something special. Wishing you greater success in the major championships.

Justin Thomas – Figure out the driver. Distance is great, but fairways matter. Like Spieth, you may be pressing too hard and overthinking the pursuit of greatness.

Viktor Hovland – The ball-striking is elite. Stop tinkering with the mechanics and just play golf. If you do, a major championship is very possible.

Collin Morikawa – Putting has been the missing piece. Constantly changing mechanics isn't the answer. You look defeated on the greens. A visit to Dave Stockton or Dr. Craig Farnsworth for a visual and mental reset might be all that's needed.

Ludvig Åberg, Rasmus Højgaard, Michael Thorbjornsen, Nicolai Højgaard, Aldrich Potgieter, and countless other young talents – The depth of talent today is extraordinary, and instruction has never been better. Swing alone no longer predicts greatness. Attitude, mental toughness, determination, and sacrifice will define who rises to the top. The one who completes the full package will separate himself from the rest.

Every year in golf is a fresh start. Everyone begins at scratch. Nothing is given based on past glory. Golf is unique—by season's end, you are exactly what you've earned. Nothing more, nothing less.

Here's to a fantastic 2026. May it deliver great stories, lasting memories, and moments that live up to the hype.

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