What a year! December is here and 2013 is almost over, and with it another exciting and unexpected year of golf. Golf is always full of ups and downs, unanticipated surprises, and of course, drama. This year was no different, so we decided to take a look back, and review the 2013 year in golf.

Major Upsets

The four crowning tournaments of the golf calendar are all notoriously difficult to predict. However, that does not mean that we don’t usually have quite a good idea of which golfers will be picking up the titles and which won’t, and who is in form and who isn’t. Each major brought with it a winner who, while still deserving, was unexpected in his own right. Perhaps much of the surprise was due to the fact that a certain in-form, number-one-ranked American failed to win any of them.

Adam Scott – 2013 Masters Winner

Adam Scott — It’s always a surprise when a non-American wins the Masters, and if you had to pick someone who would do it this year, it’s fair to say that few people would have chosen Adam Scott. Winning one for the Aussies, Scott triumphed in one of the most exciting Masters in recent memory, pulling off a 15-foot putt in the dying hours of a tense playoff against Angel Cabrera at Augusta.

Justin Rose — If you had asked just about anyone which British golfer would take home a major this year, you can bet that few people would have given any answer other than Rory McIlroy. However, it was the Englishman Justin Rose, with his first major, who grabbed the headlines — and the winnings — at the US Open.

Phil Mickelson — Of course, it can never really be counted as a “surprise” when lefty takes home another major, but if there was one that could shock us, it was winning the claret jug at this year’s British Open — his first.

Jason Dufner — Another first for the last major of the year, and this time it was Jason Dufner, the guy whose only previous claim to fame was leaning against a wall.

The Mighty Fall

Although this year was the best for Tiger Woods in quite some time, it has to go down as a slight disappointment for the American who largely came up short in the major tournaments this year. Despite regaining his ranking as world number one, he could not pull the trigger when it mattered most, as he has done in the past.

Perhaps an even bigger surprise was the season that last year’s golden boy Rory McIlroy endured. Was it his change of gear? Injury? His girlfriend? Or something else altogether? Whatever the reason, there is no doubt that this year was one to forget for the Northern Irishman. Still, at least it ended on a high note.

Funniest Moment

Sports like football, baseball and soccer have become somewhat accustomed to the odd interruption from an overzealous (read: drunk) fan running on the field, but usually golf is immune from such delights. This year however, one woman decided to change that, shedding her clothes and storming the green at the President’s Cup.

Best New Gadgets

New technology has been making waves in soccer, but in the golf world, it was the everyday golfer, rather than the professionals, who was benefitting from the latest advancements. There is a lot of debate over the best golf app for your iPhone, but there are many good options which will help you to improve your swing, look up tee times and find the best courses wherever you travel.

Next Year?

If we have learnt anything from the past year, it is that we cannot know what will happen in the next twelve months. Will Rory McIlroy switch gear again? Will Tiger Woods finally get that 15th major? Will we see more first-time major winners? Anything can happen, and I for one, can’t wait. Bring on 2014!