The Year in Review To say that this year was uneventful would be one of the biggest lies in recent history. But to try to categorize which event was the most important would in many cases be like comparing apples and oranges or tigers and sharks. Take your pick. Instead we will just highlight those that seemed really notable and let everyone else sort out which is the most important. Golf managed to work its way into every area of news this year. There were records being set, court cases to decide, and human tragedies to mourn. We will just start at the beginning of the year and work our way through till the end. The first big event in golf in 2001 would involve a little known golfer named Tiger Woods. In February with his win at the Masters, he became the first golfer to ever hold all 4 major titles at the same time. A debate ensued over whether Tiger had completed the coveted "Grand Slam" of Golf, which is commonly defined by the winning of the 4 majors in the same year. Some critics would say that Bobby Jones actually accomplished the only "Grand Slam" when he won the British Open, British Amateur, U.S. Open, and the Masters all in 1930. This is again a hard comparison to make since the majors aren’t the same and the competition is entirely different. Regardless of what it is called and whether it fell inside a calendar year or not, it is truly an amazing feat and should be noted as such. Another highlight of 2001 would have to be the crossover of women’s golf into the men’s golf realm. For the first time there was actually a professional mixed partners competition with the top two names in each Tour competing against each other. While it was not really a tour event and wasn’t really the best golf seen on TV, it was a unique event and drew much attention. Another Crossover event happened all year long at courses across the country. Through simple word of mouth, male golfers across the land began playing the Lady Precept MC golf ball instead of their usual balls. This represented a change in attitude of many male golfers across the country who decided performance and distance outweighed public perception and ridicule. In April, the PGA found itself on the losing end of a long court battle. The case brought about by Casey Martin argued successfully that golfers with medical conditions should be allowed to use golf carts in professional competition. The case made its way all the way to the Supreme Court and in a 7-2 decision the Court sided with Casey Martin citing the American Disabilities Act in their decision. This ruling has far reaching implications that may change professional golf forever. Its full effect may not be known for years but it may very well effect more than just the world of golf. Other professional sports may also need to make concessions as a result of this case. On September 11, life across America and across the rest of the world changed in a matter of minutes. The tragic crashes in New York City, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania changed the way many people live and breathe in the U.S. It changed the way people spent money, the way they traveled, and the way they viewed other people. It brought the sports world to a virtual standstill and nowhere was that more evident than on the golf course. Games and events were cancelled or postponed across the country and athletes struggled with how to focus on a game or tournament during such a tragedy. In many cases these athletes couldn’t make the shift. Tiger Woods dropped out of competition for over 5 weeks after the attack which may not seem like a long time, but try telling that to the sportscasters who had to find someone else to follow around and talk about in the tournaments that he missed. There were many other highlights in 2001 and this list is in no way a definitive list. It is just a few items that we at USGolfer thought were among the most newsworthy and notable. Like anything else, you the golfer can draw your own conclusions and make your own list. Here’s hoping that 2002 has as many highlights and no more lowlights. golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf, golf