KTGolf Awards 2025, Part II: Drama, power and the stories everyone’s talking about

From Ryder Cup heroics and breakout major winners to Scottie Scheffler’s reign and the sobering absence of Tiger Woods, the second instalment of the Khaleej Times Golf Awards 2025 celebrates the defining moments, milestones and talking points that defined another unforgettable year in the game.

Following the strong reaction to Part One of our annual (and entirely unofficial) Golf Awards, we return with more categories, more debate and more storytelling from a year that delivered emotion, excellence and intrigue across the sport worldwide

Recommended For You

UAE-based Palestinian athlete to run from Dubai to Doha in 2 weeks

Mother of 4 sons killed in Abu Dhabi crash on long road to recovery: Family

'Arabic in crisis’: Dubai billionaire says language must be taught 'properly' in schools

Qatar says taking precautionary measures in light of regional developments

Zand adopts XDC Network to advance blockchain-powered payments

 

From team triumphs to individual brilliance, and one poignant absence, here are our next award winners from 2025.

Team of the Year: Team Europe (Ryder Cup)

Few victories in sport carry the emotional weight of a Ryder Cup win, and Team Europe’s triumph on US soil in 2025 deserves a special place in history. Under the calm and calculated leadership of Luke Donald, Europe defied expectation to lift the trophy away from home for the first time since the famous “Miracle at Medinah” in 2012.

Donald had made the Ryder Cup his defining target for the season, sticking largely with the same core group that had delivered success in Rome two years earlier. On paper, Europe appeared well placed, and by Saturday night, the contest looked to be slipping firmly in their favour.

But the Ryder Cup rarely follows a script. A powerful Sunday singles surge from Team USA turned the contest into a nervy, edge-of-the-seat finish before Europe finally edged home 15–13. It was dramatic, emotional and completely fitting for golf’s greatest team event.

The achievement was later recognised on a broader sporting stage when Team Europe were named Team of the Year at the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Awards 2025. It was a moment that underlined just how significant the victory had been.

Attention now inevitably turns to the future. Will Donald remain captain for the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor? The players clearly want him, and his calm authority has earned widespread respect. The decision, ultimately, may rest with Donald himself, and it is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing storylines heading into 2026.

Surprise Major Champion of the Year: J.J. Spaun

Few stories in 2025 were more compelling than the breakthrough of J.J. Spaun. At 35, the American delivered one of the season’s great surprises with a dramatic victory at the US Open at Oakmont, announcing himself on the sport’s biggest stage.

Spaun set the tone early with a superb opening-round 66, then followed with rounds of 72, 69 and 72 to finish at one under par. What made the win remarkable was not just the scoreline, but the resilience behind it. A disastrous front nine of 40 in the final round, featuring five bogeys in his first six holes, would have broken many players.

Instead, Spaun regrouped. The drama peaked on the final green, where he rolled in a sensational 64-foot putt on the 18th to edge Robert MacIntyre by a single shot. It was a moment worthy of any major highlight reel.

The victory capped a breakthrough year that also included a runner-up finish at The Players Championship behind Rory McIlroy. Spaun surged from 112th to sixth in the Official World Golf Ranking and earned his place on the US Ryder Cup team. After years of steady progress, 2025 marked his true arrival, and 2026 will reveal whether he can now thrive with expectations firmly on his shoulders.

OWGR Player of the Year: Scottie Scheffler

Once again, Scottie Scheffler set the standard. The world number one continued his remarkable run at the summit of the Official World Golf Ranking, finishing 2025 more than seven points clear of Rory McIlroy, a gap so large it mirrors the difference between McIlroy and the player ranked 59th.

Scheffler’s season was defined by consistency and control. He added six more victories to his growing résumé, including two major championships at the PGA Championship and The Open. Having first reached world number one in March 2022, he has now held the position uninterrupted since mid-2023, underlining a level of dominance rarely seen in the modern game.

Despite an unconventional swing, Scheffler thrives under pressure and seems immune to form slumps. He rarely changes his process, rarely shows emotion, and almost never plays himself out of contention. As 2026 approaches, challengers will again line up to try to dethrone him.

Rory McIlroy may yet mount a charge, particularly with strong early-season opportunities in the Middle East, including the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. But history suggests Scheffler will not relinquish his grip easily.

Sad Story of the Year: Tiger Woods’ Lost Season

For the first time in his legendary career, Tiger Woods did not play a single competitive round in 2025. A torn Achilles tendon, followed by back surgery later in the year, kept him sidelined throughout the season, a sobering chapter for the most influential figure modern golf has ever known.

Woods turns 50 on December 30, 2025, and while he remains active as a tournament host, course designer and global ambassador for the sport, his playing future is uncertain. Questions linger about whether his body can withstand the demands of competition again.

Golf has been here before. Many times, Tiger has been written off, only to return in unforgettable fashion. Whether that happens again remains to be seen. A limited schedule on the PGA Tour Champions could offer a realistic pathway, though whether that would satisfy his relentless competitive drive is another matter entirely.

What is beyond doubt is this: the game is richer with Tiger Woods in it. Whether inside the ropes or shaping the sport from the sidelines, his presence still matters. As 2026 approaches, hope remains that one of golf’s most compelling figures may yet have another chapter to write.