20–23 July: The Open Championship –
Jordan Spieth won by three strokes over
Matt Kuchar. It was his first Open Championship victory, and his third major championship. It is also the third different major he has won, having previously won the
Masters and the
U.S. Open.[3]
22–26 March:
WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play –
Dustin Johnson defeated
Jon Rahm, 1 up, in the championship match. It was the first time he won the Match Play event, and the fifth time he has won any WGC event. He became the first player to win all four active WGC events.[6]
19 February:
Dustin Johnson became the number one golfer in the world.[17]
14 March: The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, owners and operators of
Muirfield, voted overwhelmingly to admit women to the club for the first time. The R&A responded by reinstating Muirfield as a venue for The Open Championship. The club had been removed from the rotation in 2016 after voting against admitting women.[18]
23 August:
Augusta National Golf Club, operator of the Masters Tournament, announced that
Billy Payne, who had served as club chairman since October 2006, would retire effective with the start of the club's next season on October 16. Payne's replacement is
Fred Ridley, a past president of the
USGA.[20]
30 March – 2 April: ANA Inspiration –
Ryu So-yeon won in a playoff over
Lexi Thompson. It was her first ANA Inspiration championship, and her second major championship.[21]
14–17 September: The Evian Championship –
Anna Nordqvist beat
Brittany Altomare in a sudden-death playoff, for her second major. The event was reduced to 54 holes after the first day's play was abandoned because of bad weather.[25]
For a complete list of LPGA Tour results, see
2017 LPGA Tour.
17 May:
Joaquín Niemann takes over the men's World Amateur Golf Ranking from McNealy.[51]
Golf in multi-sport events
27–30 June:
Island Games –
Isle of Man took the men's team and individual golds while
Åland took the women's individual and
Gotland took the women's team.
22–26 August:
Southeast Asian Games –
Kosuke Hamamoto and
Atthaya Thitikul, both of Thailand, took the individual gold medals in the men's and women's events, respectively. Singapore won the men's team gold medal and Thailand took the women's.
24–27 August:
Summer Universiade –
Raul Pereda de la Huerta of Mexico and
Mariel Galdiano of the United States took the individual men's and women's gold medals, respectively. Japan and the United States took the team men's and women's gold medals, respectively.
Other headlines
11 December: The USGA and R&A jointly announced two significant changes to the Rules of Golf:[52]
From 1 January 2018, video review protocols would be changed by means of a "Local Rule" to be followed by all major golf tours. All televised tournaments would dedicate at least one official to monitor the event's TV coverage to handle rules issues. Viewer feedback on potential rules violations would no longer be accepted, and the only acceptable source of video evidence of rules violations would be the event's broadcast partner(s).
Also from 1 January 2018, another Local Rule removes the 2-stroke penalty for signing an incorrect scorecard in cases when the golfer was not notified of a rules violation at the time of signing. From 1 January 2019, the penalty for signing an incorrect scorecard will be completely removed from the Rules of Golf.
Deaths
4 January –
Wayne Westner (born 1961), South African golfer who won twice on the European Tour.[53]
13 January –
John Jacobs (born 1925), Ryder Cup player and captain, founder of European Tour, and World Golf Hall of Fame member.[54]
20–23 July: The Open Championship –
Jordan Spieth won by three strokes over
Matt Kuchar. It was his first Open Championship victory, and his third major championship. It is also the third different major he has won, having previously won the
Masters and the
U.S. Open.[3]
22–26 March:
WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play –
Dustin Johnson defeated
Jon Rahm, 1 up, in the championship match. It was the first time he won the Match Play event, and the fifth time he has won any WGC event. He became the first player to win all four active WGC events.[6]
19 February:
Dustin Johnson became the number one golfer in the world.[17]
14 March: The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, owners and operators of
Muirfield, voted overwhelmingly to admit women to the club for the first time. The R&A responded by reinstating Muirfield as a venue for The Open Championship. The club had been removed from the rotation in 2016 after voting against admitting women.[18]
23 August:
Augusta National Golf Club, operator of the Masters Tournament, announced that
Billy Payne, who had served as club chairman since October 2006, would retire effective with the start of the club's next season on October 16. Payne's replacement is
Fred Ridley, a past president of the
USGA.[20]
30 March – 2 April: ANA Inspiration –
Ryu So-yeon won in a playoff over
Lexi Thompson. It was her first ANA Inspiration championship, and her second major championship.[21]
14–17 September: The Evian Championship –
Anna Nordqvist beat
Brittany Altomare in a sudden-death playoff, for her second major. The event was reduced to 54 holes after the first day's play was abandoned because of bad weather.[25]
For a complete list of LPGA Tour results, see
2017 LPGA Tour.
17 May:
Joaquín Niemann takes over the men's World Amateur Golf Ranking from McNealy.[51]
Golf in multi-sport events
27–30 June:
Island Games –
Isle of Man took the men's team and individual golds while
Åland took the women's individual and
Gotland took the women's team.
22–26 August:
Southeast Asian Games –
Kosuke Hamamoto and
Atthaya Thitikul, both of Thailand, took the individual gold medals in the men's and women's events, respectively. Singapore won the men's team gold medal and Thailand took the women's.
24–27 August:
Summer Universiade –
Raul Pereda de la Huerta of Mexico and
Mariel Galdiano of the United States took the individual men's and women's gold medals, respectively. Japan and the United States took the team men's and women's gold medals, respectively.
Other headlines
11 December: The USGA and R&A jointly announced two significant changes to the Rules of Golf:[52]
From 1 January 2018, video review protocols would be changed by means of a "Local Rule" to be followed by all major golf tours. All televised tournaments would dedicate at least one official to monitor the event's TV coverage to handle rules issues. Viewer feedback on potential rules violations would no longer be accepted, and the only acceptable source of video evidence of rules violations would be the event's broadcast partner(s).
Also from 1 January 2018, another Local Rule removes the 2-stroke penalty for signing an incorrect scorecard in cases when the golfer was not notified of a rules violation at the time of signing. From 1 January 2019, the penalty for signing an incorrect scorecard will be completely removed from the Rules of Golf.
Deaths
4 January –
Wayne Westner (born 1961), South African golfer who won twice on the European Tour.[53]
13 January –
John Jacobs (born 1925), Ryder Cup player and captain, founder of European Tour, and World Golf Hall of Fame member.[54]