Morning Read's 2021 'Best Reads of the Year'

It's been a big year for golf, and for golf writing. Here's a rundown of our favorite pieces from our team.

Season’s greetings, Morning Read readers. Hope you’re enjoying the final days of this holiday season. We’ve had a fantastic year at Morning Read and hope the same for you. This year has been a boon for the golf industry — according to the National Golf Foundation, rounds played is on track to rise 5% from 2020, which was a big year in its own right. So, we know you are getting out and playing more golf, which is something to celebrate. The golf news world was also busy, between Tiger Woods’ crash and comeback, the Brooks-Bryson pseudo-feud, Nelly Korda’s rise to No. 1 and the PGA Tour’s Player Impact Program, to name a few. There’s never a shortage of things to cover, and we appreciate you making us one of your go-to sources for all things golf.

The biggest news for Morning Read as a publication in 2021 was the move to our new home on SI.com last summer, as part of a new editorial partnership. So far, so good: SI.com has a shiny new golf page with a robust and ever-expanding team of writers, editors and contributors, and Morning Read is enjoying its largest audiences ever.

Before we flip the calendar to 2022, we wanted to take a moment to highlight some of our favorite Reads of the Year, which is now an annual tradition around here. So pull up a chair, clear your afternoon and check out some of our favorites, listed below in the order in which they were published.

Best Golf Reads of the Year from Sports Illustrated and Morning Read

Jan. 21: Justin Thomas Incident Puts All Golfers on Notice, by Mike Purkey

Feb. 1: What Makes a Signature Hole? by Ken Klavon

March 31: Upon First Visit to Masters, A Witness to ‘Tiger Slam,’ by Dan Vukelich

April 7: All is Right in the World with Masters in April, by Dan O’Neill

April 11: Take a Bow, Hideki Matsuyama, by Gary Van Sickle

June 16: Meet the man who brought the U.S. Open Back to NBC, by Alex Miceli

June 21: New Father Jon Rahm Finally Learned to Keep His Cool, by Michael Rosenberg

July 6: The Match Fizzles as Slow Play, Poor Shots Bog It Down, by Gary Van Sickle

July 7: Americans Need to Man Up and Deal With British Pandemic Protocols, by John Hawkins

July 25: Don’t Underestimate the Power of the Olympics, by Kelly Okun

July 30: Olympic Golf a Big Deal? It’s in Eye of the Beholder, by Gary Van Sickle

Aug 4: Annika Sorenstam is the Most Dominant Golfer Ever, Male or Female, by John Hawkins

Aug. 29: Remembering Tiger’s Pro Debut at Greater Milwaukee Open, by Gary D’Amato

Sept. 6: Solheim Cup Controversy Shows That Golf’s Rule Book Needs an Update, by Alex Miceli

Sept. 10: Back in St. Louis, Players Remember 20-Year Anniversary of 9/11, by Dan O’Neill

Sept: 19: Meet Skip Alexander, the Golfer With the Bloody Hands, by Ward Clayton

Sept. 20: All 36 Ryder Cup Courses Ranked From Best to Worst, by Joe Passov

Sept. 26: American Wave Washes Away Team Europe, by Stephanie Apstein

Sept. 30: Ted Ray Was Golf’s Original Long Driver and a True Original, by John Fischer

Oct. 28: Letters That Were About More Than Golf, by Dottie Pepper

Nov. 9: American Dunes Folds Golf, Patriotism Into Veterans Tribute, by Joe Passov

Nov. 15: Remembering John McDermott, History’s Forgotten Champion, by Peter Kaufman

Nov. 29: Uncommon Grace Is Lee Elder’s Lasting Legacy, by Mike Purkey

Dec. 14: Casey Martin Uniquely Understands Tiger Woods’ New Challenge, by Michael Rosenberg