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2008 Predictions
With the 2007 golf season basically wrapped up and looking forward to 2008, and the new season I cannot help but think about what to expect in the coming year. Here are some predictions as to what I think might happen in 2008.
I can’t wait for 2008 to start. It is going to be a great year and if any of what I said comes true I will be totally amazed, as I am the furthest thing from a psychic. Like the rest of you I love golf, and this is my way to get through the off season thinking about the next year and all of the headlines that will become the water cooler talk of the year coming. I wish you all a happy and healty holiday season.
- FedEx Cup – It will be better than the first version, but some more underlying issues will surface and more refinement will be required to make it the season ending event that the PGA tour is hoping for. Would love to see 10 million in cash on a table behind 18 green, just like the World Series of Poker.
- PGA Tour – Look for another great year of golf on the PGA Tour. There are emerging talents, young and old as well as a very strong international contingent, all helping to make the competition as strong as it has been, arguably in the history of the game. Tiger will have another great year; the big question is who will challenge him? Phil? Ernie? Vijay? Or some new up and comer, maybe Jason Day?
- LPGA Tour – Look for a continuation of the late year battle between Ochoa and Petterson. It is shaping up to be a rivalry that the LPGA Tour needs, and if you can throw Pressel, Gulbis, Creamer, Stacy P, Lincicome, and Annika (if she can return to her dominant form) in the mix, that would be a recipe for some great tournaments, majors, and awesome competition to look forward to in ‘08. Ladies golf will continue to grow and become even more popular than in’ 07.
- Drivers – Look for more MOI. Square drivers have seemed to pass the litmus test and are being accepted and used by more and more golfers. I also would not be surprised if we see more in play on tour this year. Just like when the first 400 CC drivers came out and were looked down upon, the square driver was ugly initially and now is gaining acceptance, due in part to its excellent performance and technology. A driver tends to look a lot better when you are in the fairway all day, regardless if it looks like gopher masher.
- Putters – Just like drivers, ugly putters tend to stick around if they perform and win on the tours, and there will always be a place in the market for the classic designs. Look for more exotic inserts, materials, graphite shafts and shaft options, wild color grips, crazy head covers, and flashy designs. The emergence of boutique putter companies that offer custom “tour quality” putters for a fraction of the price will continue to prosper. Why spend 3 hundy on a production putter when you can spend close to the same and get a putter that fits you, your stroke, and setup, get a few stamps on there, your initials, and maybe “Proto” or “Hand Made”, pretty cool if you ask me. Tour treatment for a fraction of the price.
- Wedges – Aside from the emergence of the custom wedge market with companies like Chikara, and Scratch, there is not much to report here. There are rumors of a Vokey custom shop that if true, will be huge and I am sure people will be going crazy like with the Cameron Custom Shop. There are some great options out there in the wedge department, and now you have the high end custom wedge market emerging as well. Great time to be in the market for some new wedges.
- Irons – Nothing super new to report here. You will have your normal influx of new game improvement irons and some forged cavity backs and blades for the better players. Same stuff new year, just with some new colors, badges, and slightly modified designs.
- John Daly – I sure hope that he gets his game in shape this year. JD is one of the good guys, although he comes with some demons. He means well, does a ton for charity, but can be a train wreck at times. I see a big year for JD, maybe even a victory. Keep after it my man, I am pulling for you.
- Tiger Woods – 2 majors, 6 tour wins, and 1 world golf championship. That should be a stock year for the world’s number 1. He is playing what he is required to play in. His life is in order, his priorities are in order, and he played some really amazing golf this past year. Why would 2008 be any different? Maybe Jason Day will change that? (sorry could not resist)
- Q School Grads – Tommy Gainey, is he going to cash in on the Big Break that he earned himself? Looked great in Q school, wish him the best and hope he has a good solid year. Lickliter should have a good year as well. He pretty much dominated the Q School the first three rounds then cruised to victory. He will get into a ton of events and if he plays like he did there, he might even win one. Great playing by a great guy.
- Majors – Tiger will win the US Open, and the PGA. Ernie Els will win the Masters, and the Open Championship is going to Sergio Garcia.
- Senior Tour – Look for Fred Funk, Loren Roberts, and Jay Haas to continue to do big things on the Senior Tour. Nick Price will regain his form and show why he used to be the best player in the world.
- USGA – Allowing the interchangeability of shafts. Amended to allow forms of adjustability other than weight adjustment. Cool idea and opens up the flood gates for fitting options. Shaft companies are super excited as now people can just have a few different shafts for the driver head that they like.
- Who to look out for in 2008 – Tiger Woods, what kind year will he have? Morgan Pressel, US Open is hers, a make up for the random hole out last year. Zach Johnson, can he follow up the Masters victory with another major? Lorena Ochoa, is she ready to dominate like Annika? Jason Day, can he back up his talk? Rory Sabatini, will he have another monster year, and continue to get Tiger fired up? Tim Finchem, did he do enough to fix the Fed Ex Cup? Ernie Els, can he return to the winners circle and challenge Tiger? Nick Flanagan, he dominated the Nationwide and earned a battlefield promotion, can he do the same on the big tour? Phil Mickelson, what can we expect from Butch’s new star pupil? Vijay, is he done chasing Tiger? Suzanne Peterson, can she follow up her break out season?
GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.
In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
WITB Albums
- Jason Day – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- Chris Gotterup – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
- SungJae Im – WITB – 2026 The Memorial
Pullout Albums
- Jason Day’s 1off Payntr golf shoes – 2026 The Memorial
- JT Poston’s TaylorMade Spider – 2026 The Memorial
- Cameron putter – 2026 The Memorial
- Tommy Fleetwood’s TM Spider putters – 2026 The Memorial
- New Mitsubishi Chemical 1K Pro Orange shaft – 2026 The Memorial
Around the world, the golf wheel spun this final week in May of 2026. From New Jersey to Austria, with stops in Korea, Texas, and North Carolina (don’t let me route your next trip) the world’s finest put their golf games on display. There were three playoffs, some known commodities and some new talent. It was the sort of week that we hope to have at this point in the seasons. June and July afford double-digit major events, and perhaps, one of this week’s champions will use this success as a springboard to new heights. Time to run it all down, tech style, in this week’s Tour Tech Rundown.
Thanks to WITBHub, Today’s Golfer, GolfWRX, and Inside Tour Golf for initial research into equipment.
PGA Tour @ Charles Schwab Challenge: Heroic Henley denies Cole
Eric Cole did nearly everything that a fellow can do, to secure a first PGA Tour title. He stayed one shot clear of Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin. He kept US Open champion Gary Woodland and wunderkind Michael Brennan two shots distant. He posted 70 on day four to reach twelve under par. And then, Russell Henley revealed his Dr. Strange cloak. Henley made 47 feet of birdie putts on holes 16, 17, and 18, to jump from minus-nine to twelve-deep, and secured a spot in a playoff with Cole. The duo returned to the final tee, and put on a stripe show.
Both golfers found the fairway off the tee, and Henley improved on his regulation play with an approach to four feet. Cole did himself proud, tucking an iron to a dozen feet, but he was unable to convert the putt for three. Henley is one of the best putters on tour, and he proved it once more by draining a putt for a fourth consecutive birdie, and a sixth PGA Tour title. For Eric Cole, that first victory should come, and soon. He has done everything necessary to earn the chalice lift.
Henley’s Suitcase
- Driver: Titleist TSi3 at 10 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70g 6.5 TX
- Metal: Titleist TS3 at 16.5 degrees. Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
- Hybrid: Titleist TSi2 at 21 degrees. Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT hybrid 100 TX
- Iron: Titleist T250 4-iron. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
- Irons: Titleist T100 5-6 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf AMT Tour White X100
- Irons: Titleist T100 7-9 irons. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 48 and 50 degrees. Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue X100
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 at 54 and 60 degrees. Shaft: rue Temper Dynamic Golf Tour Issue S400
- Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5 Tour Prototype
LPGA @ Shoprite LPGA: Welcome back, Celine!
Soo Bin Joo had her eyes on a maiden LPGA title. She held the lead after two rounds, then hit a red light at the intersection of can-I and how-To. Joo posted plus-two on day three in New Jersey, and dropped to a T4 finish, which was still a career-best for the young Korean golfer. Instead of a new face, a familiar face returned to the top of the podium.
Celine Boutier was the It Girl in 2023. She collected four victories, including a major title at Evian. Boutier reached world number one status, then simply faded into the background. No wins came her way over the next 30 months. On Sunday, she collected LPGA victory number seven, at the same trace as LPGA victory number two.
Day three saw Boutier manage the windswept Seaview Bay course with six birdies and a bogey. She was challenged in the end by Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol, who signed for a 66 of her own. Yubol came up one shot shy of the top ladder rung. Finishing in third place at -7, two back of the winner, was Ireland’s Lauren Walsh.
Celine’s Suitcase
- Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Tour-1 at 9 degrees. Shaft: Graphite Design AD IZ-5
- Hybrid: PXG 0311 Black Ops at 19 and 22 degrees. Shaft: KBS Hybrid Prototype
- Hybrid: PXG 0311 Gen5.
- Iron: PXG 0311 P Gen 4 5-9 irons
- Wedge: PXG 0311 T Gen 4 PW
- Wedges: PXG 0311 Sugar Daddy II at 50, 54, 58 degrees
- Putter: Bettinardi Studio Stock 3 DASS
DP World Tour @ Austrian Alpine: KK? KK!
Kota Kaneko has a rhythmic name. It has strong vowels and a run of voiceless stops in its crunchy K sounds. On Sunday in Austria, Kaneko put a stop to a challenge from Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia and everyone else, and claimed a first-ever title on the DP World Tour. Gouveia did well to reach 16-under par over four days, but Kaneko held firm, two shots in the clear.
Davis Bryant of the USA also forged a strong challenge for the win. He ended in a tie with Gouveia for second place. Kaneko began and finished his final round in a bit of a malaise, but he caught fire midway through. Birdies at 10, 12, and 13 provided the necessary cushion to cruise to the finish line without breaking a serious sweat.
Kaneko’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping Max G440
- Metals: TaylorMade Qi4D at 15, 16.5, 21, and 24 degrees
- Irons: TaylorMade P760 5 and 6 irons
- Irons: TaylorMade P7TW 7-9 irons
- Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design at 46, 52, 56, and 60 degrees
- Putter: Odyssey Ai-One Cruiser Arm Lock #7
Korn Ferry Tour @ UNC Health Championship: Improbably Alvaro
Alvaro Ortiz may have had a bit of scare on the outward nine on Sunday, but he came through in clutch fashion in the end. Ortiz began the day bogey-double, and added another double bogey at the 11th hole. He was mired in a downward trend, spiraling away from the top of the leader’s board. Ortiz found hope at the 14th, where his first birdie of the day tumbled home. Inspired, he closed with birdies and 17 and 18 to catch Ross Steelman at 10-under par, and the duo returned to the 18th deck for overtime.
The extra session concluded in brief time. Ortiz, buoyed by his newly-retrieved confidence, hit the fairway with driver, then approached to six feet and drained the putt. Gobsmacked, Steelman could do little more than smile and applaud, as his run at the top came to a close. The victory was the first for Ortiz on the KFT, and will implant him squarely in the chase for a PGA Tour promotion.
Alvaro’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping G430 MAX driver at 9 degrees loft
- Metal: Ping G430 MAX 3W
- Iron: Ping iDi Driving Iron
- Irons: Ping Blueprint S irons
- Wedges
- Putter: Scottsdale TR Piper C
A party on the green!
Alvaro’s time comes in Raleigh with his first win @UNCHealthChamp ? pic.twitter.com/2dmtZdbSzk
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 31, 2026
LIV @ Korea: Me llamo Joaquin
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann had been away from the LIV winner’s circle throughout all of 2026. This week in Korea, he reminded us that he is still a force to consider. Niemann chased down Taylor Gooch over the closing holes at Asiad Country Club, then claimed victory with a hole-one birdie in extra time. Bryson DeChambeau claimed solo third, one shot in arrears at minus-eleven. Dustin Johnson finished on fourth, one putt farther back.
Niemann’s Suitcase
- Driver: Ping 440 LST
- Metal: Ping G440 Max at 15 degrees
- Metal: Ping G425 Max at 21 degrees
- Hybrid: Ping G430 at 25 degrees
- Irons: Ping Blueprint S 5 through PW
- Wedges: Ping S159 at 52, 56, and 60 degrees
- Putter: Ping PLD Anser
Driver: Titleist TSi3 (10 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 6.5 TX
3-wood: Titleist TS3 (16.5 degrees)
Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 80 TX
7-wood: Titleist GTS3 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Project X Denali Black 80 TX
Irons: Titleist T250 (4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold AMT (4-6), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 (7-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM11 (48-10F @47, 50-08F @51, 54-10S @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (48), S400 (47)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom X5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Russell Henley’s winning WITB: 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
Photos from the 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
CJ Cup Byron Nelson Tour Report: Koepka and Kim’s newest putters finally get hot
Charles Schwab Challenge Tour Report: MacIntyre, Åberg and Spaun all switch putters, TaylorMade launches new Spider
Details on J.J. Spaun’s surprise putter switch
GolfWRX Launch Report: 2026 Titleist GTS drivers
Photos from the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge
PGA Championship Tour Report: Fitzpatrick, Koepka among big-name putter switches for Aronimink
Photos from the ShopRite LPGA
Maria Torres WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 5-M4 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft: Accra TourZ Green 6-M4 5-wood: Ping G440...
Eric Cole WITB 2026 (June)
Driver: PXG Lightning Tour Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft:...
Si Woo Kim WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Callaway Quantum Triple Diamond (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X Mini driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Mini...
Wyndham Clark’s winning WITB: 2026 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Project X Titan Yellow 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D Tour (15 degrees) Shaft: Project...
Dan
Dec 12, 2007 at 3:41 pm
Appreciate the comments, and as I said in the first paragraph these are “my predictions” and I am not going to be able to fit everything in this article.
Point 1: Causing you to be perturbed by my one dimensional focus. I apologize if I did not include enough european mentions in there. Justin Rose had a great year and he could do big things this year. I did give Sergio the Open, and Ernie Els the Masters. Did you overlook that part?
Point 2: Rory McIlroy. Great young talent. Did not have a section in there about the European tour, as I don’t really know that much about it or the players on the circuit. Coverage for that tour is rather lacking here in the states. I wish him the best and I hope that he does great. Did he go through the PGA Tour’s Q School? Oh yeah maybe that is why I did not mention him in that section.
Point 3: Ryder Cup. Going to be a great event, and I wish Europe the best. I hope that the competition is strong and a fun event to watch. I did not have enough time to do research on the Ryder Cup for this year and come up with a prediction.
If you feel that my article did not cover enough of the bases, feel free to write one on your own and then I can pick apart your article for what you failed to include in “your” predictions.
Cheers,
DG
Reginaldo
Dec 12, 2007 at 3:43 am
Hm – I appreciate that this is an American article but even still I am a little perturbed by it’s it’s one-dimensional focus on golf for the coming year. I’d say look out for Justin Rose who has had a superb end of season having spent much of the year on the sidelines with back trouble. As for Q school, there’s a young lad called McIlroy who featured at the Open and qualified for the European Tour by winning enough cash in his first four invitational tournaments after turning pro. He didn’t even have to appear at q school! Finally I notice there is no mention of the Ryder Cup – easy prediction that one I reckon – Europe!