Americans back on track in the majors

TRON, Scotland — Europeans first took over Augusta National when Scotland’s Sandy Lyle won the Masters in 1988. This was the start of seven European winners in a nine-year period.

Padraig Harrington was the driving force behind Irish golf, winning a string of majors in five out of six years.

He won the British Open in 2007 and 2008, and the PGA Championship in 2008. Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell won the US Open in 2010, and then Rory McIlroy won the US Open and Darren Clarke won the British Open in 2011.

Now the Americans are back in power.

They have won the last seven majors, their longest streak since the Americans won 13 consecutive majors from Lee Trevino in the 1974 PGA Championship to Lanny Wadkins in the 1977 PGA Championship at Pebble Beach. Gary Player ended that streak in the 1978 Masters.

That was also an era when Europeans did not have easy access to the American majors.

Now it’s a global competition, and for the first time since 1982, the Americans have a clean sweep of all four majors. They won all the majors in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the British Open was not held that year.

Scottie Scheffler won the Masters, Xander Schauffele won the PGA Championship and British Open, and Bryson DeChambeau won the U.S. Open. The 1982 sweep consisted of Craig Stadler (Masters), Tom Watson (U.S. Open and British Open), and Raymond Floyd (PGA Championship).

Adam Scott remembers when he was just starting his pro career and Sergio Garcia wouldn’t let him pay for dinner until Scott had a tour card.

Add Shane Lowry to that list.