Alun Evans' The Golf Majors Book, 2015

THE MOST COMPEHENSIVE SOURCE OF INFORMATION IN PRINT ON THE MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS OF GOLF This, the tenth in the much praised GOLF MAJORS series, follows the pattern of its predecessors in bringing the story of golf's greatest Championships and Champions up to date, and prepares new ground for the years to come. Among the now familiar, but endlessly fascinating, updated records sections, this edition, through its detailed recaps of the 2014 Majors, highlights a potential cataclysmic shift in power at the top of the men's game. For several years we have seen a decline in the performances of Tiger Woods, in everyone's book one of the top five golfers of all time - and in many eyes perhaps in the top three or even higher. A series of injuries induced by the incredible pressures he has put on his body over time has no doubt been a huge reason why he has not won a Major since 2008; and when he's been free from physical pain, he has suffered considerable mental anguish, albeit self-inflicted for the most part. During the brief interludes of liberation from personal trauma and physical stresses, Tiger had, until 2014, continued to play well in, and win, Tour events, indicating he could still be (but maybe not good enough to increase his tally of 14 Major titles?) a fiercely competitive golfer on his day. Ten years earlier that 'day' would be replicated many times during a Tiger season; now it appears less so, and not to the supreme levels in performance of yesteryear. Until the second half of 2014, the hiatus in Woods' hitherto unbroken supremacy since 2008 had been occupied by a few talented newcomers like Bubba Watson and Martin Kaymer, both multiple Major Champions after the Masters and US Open earlier in 2014. Older players, like Ernie Els (for the first time in ten years) and Darren Clarke (never) picked Major Championship trophies. It also allowed the undoubted talents of Phil Mickelson to flourish into his 40s; and the stirrings of a new force, one who showed signs of taking over where Tiger left off, in Rory McIlroy. But after success in Majors in 2011 and 2012, suddenly Rory-hype dried up amid a romantic liaison, and a not so romantic liaison: distractions of the heart combined with the bedding-in of a new sponsor and the new clubs they supplied, seemed to dampen his ardour for the game of golf. Following a 2014 Masters and US Open without Woods, recuperating yet again after back problems, and a luke-warm McIlroy, the interregnum suggested no signs of ending. Then, as we know, Rory saw his golfing path clearly again and walked off with all the spoils in the Open and PGA Championships. Within a few short weeks in the high summer of 2014, the spotlight was again on the Ulsterman, and with it premonitions and prophesies of what may be in store, with or without the return of Woods to the highest echelons of the game once more. Check out the stories as they unfolded, see how Rory's two wins have affected his position the Top 100 Hall of Fame, and get up to date with all the facts, all the stats, all the records in Alun Evans' The Golf Majors Book, 2015. THE ONLY BOOK ANYONE WOULD NEED ON THE GOLF'S MAJORS CHAMPIONSHIP.