Hole19's Golfing Memories 2017

This past year has thrown up some great stories that have set the golfing world abuzz and got us all excited to see what 2018 has in store.

We've had four different major winners, personal milestones reached, rules controversies (again), rookie winners on both of the major Tours, and - most importantly - the confirmation of a growing abundance of talent that will enthral us for years to come.

Let's have a look at our most vivid memories from the 2017 golfing year.

Tiger returns to competitive golf

In a golfing season jam-packed with the newsworthy goings-on, undoubtedly the most talked about story in 2017 was the much-anticipated return of Tiger Woods to the competitive golf calendar.

The 14-time major winner chose his own foundation's Hero World Challenge as his comeback event where he would swing a competitive club in anger for the first time in nine months.

The four rounds at Albany suggested that a successful return to the game could be well within Tiger's grasp as we head into 2018. Displaying straighter driving, generally solid putting, crisp iron play and - although the pitching and chipping were not completely error-free - his short game seemed at a level above that of twelve months ago.

From here Tiger will begin to build a schedule for next year and one that will see him ideally arrive at Augusta National in peak form. Can the former world number one arrive at Augusta National in good shape and ready to compete? Only time will tell.

Catch the highlights from Tiger's final round at the Hero World Challenge below:

Sergio the Master

Heading into April's major curtain-raiser, Sergio Garcia was firmly in the category of 'best players never to win a major'. Outside observers would have bet good money on the Spaniard ending his career without one of the 'big ones' alongside the likes of Colin Montgomery.

As the four rounds progressed at Augusta National, a tussle emerged between Garcia and Justin Rose with the 2016 Olympic champion seeming most likely to come out on top.

The duo were locked together after 72 holes and it was Garcia who prevailed by holding his nerve to sink the winning putt on the first playoff hole.

You can watch a glowing Garcia receive his Green Jacket below:

Spieth conquers major demons

All the talk back in April at Augusta National centred around how Jordan Spieth would cope with his major meltdown just 12 months previous which had seen Englishman Danny Willett emerge with the Green Jacket.

The early signs weren't great when the current world number two succumbed to a quadruple-bogey 9 on the 15th hole of his first round at the 2017 Masters. The 2015 champion would eventually steady the ship and ultimately settle for an 11th placed finish.

Fast-forward three months and Spieth showed us all his supreme major-winning mentality by prevailing at the 146th Open Championship upon the fairways of Royal Birkdale. Proving that he had learned from his 2016 Masters collapse, the Texan kept his cool when hitting his drive 130 yards right on the 13th tee to escape with a bogey after a stunning 3-iron from the in-play practice range.

Catch a reminder of how well Spieth coped with the drama of the 13th hole below:

What are your most vivid memories from 2017? Have we missed your favourite? Let us know below.