Golf predictions for 2022: Rory McIlroy wins major, Nelly Korda gets desert win

New Year’s predictions in sports tend to stay good until at least the second quarter of the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. The beauty of sports is that it is pretty unpredictable, even in the most normal of times. In an era of COVID-19, just getting the games played can be a 50-50 proposition.

That said, a new year allows us a chance to look forward and do a little educated guessing as to who will win what, who will be good and who will be bad in the coming 12 months. That’s true for all sports, including golf.

Here’s are a few predictions for the upcoming year that might last until at least the middle of the January.

Rory wins a major

Don’t ask me which one, though I tend to think it might be his time at the Masters. There was enough in McIlroy’s game in 2021, with two wins in the calendar year, to think that his game and his putting have improved enough to win a major for the first time since 2014.

Tiger will play in 2022 British Open

We don’t know for sure yet when Woods will play competitive golf coming off the injuries from his serious car accident. The Masters might be a logical target, but you have to know that the British Open at St. Andrews, where Woods won the Claret jug in 2000 and 2005, is a definite start on his list.

Nelly will win Chevron Championship

Lots of people will want to have their name posted as the final winner of an LPGA major at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club as the tournament heads toward Texas in 2023.

Lexi Thompson and Lydia Ko may be near the top of that list, but Korda has been second and third the last two years in the event and a win would be fitting for the No. 1 player in women’s golf.

Rahm will win another major

That U.S. Open win last year was strong golf, especially down the stretch at Torrey Pines. Plenty of people believe Rahm is the best player in the game, and with that first major win out of the way, watch out. Expect him to be the PGA Tour player of the year, too.

Mickelson will win multiple Champions titles again

Mickelson might play mostly PGA Tour events through July (he might even win the American Express title in a few weeks), but it is on the senior tour where he is close to unbeatable.

Phil Mickelson reacts after making his putt on the 18th hole to win the 2021 Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Phoenix Country Club. (Photo: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports)

Two or three more wins, even in a limited schedule, seems at minimum a best.

Norman, Saudi tour will fall apart

Listen, the PGA Tour is far from perfect, and the proposed Saudi tour addresses the issue of the best players in the world not getting together enough on the PGA Tour. But the backlash against Saudi Arabian human rights issues as well as the PGA Tour slowly bending over backward to undermine the Saudi tour should be enough for that proposal to disappear by the middle of the year. At least for now.

Koepka-DeChambeau feud will simmer

Okay, that was an interesting year, guys, but let’s put it to bed for a while. Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau will not share Christmas dinner together anytime soon, but it will be time for the two players to focus on their own games now. Also, Koepka wins a major this year.

PGA Tour, LPGA will announce a mixed-team event

Okay, it might not be played in 2022, but this has been simmering too long not to happen. I can suggest many courses in the Coachella Valley that could host an early December event, by the way.

Zalatoris, Scheffler get first wins on PGA Tour

Both have knocked on the door in recent years, and 2022 will be the year both winless stars get those wins.

Expect multiple 59s on PGA Tour

The players are so good these days that it’s almost a surprise there isn’t a 59 on the tour every week. Expect at least two this year. Do I hear three? Do I hear four?

Larry Bohannan is The Desert Sun golf writer, he can be reached at larry.bohannan@desertsun.com or (760) 778-4633. Follow him on Facebook or on Twitter at @larry_Bohannan. Support local journalism. Subscribe to The Desert Sun.