Feb. 28, 2019 – The Golf Writers Association of America has announced the winners of its annual contest. There were 359 entries for the year in such categories as: News, Game Stories, Daily Columns, Daily Features, Non-Daily Columns, Non-Daily Features, and Special Projects.
The stories covered such topics as the comeback of Tiger Woods, Masters winner Patrick Reed, David Feherty, and the murder of a young Iowa State golfer.
As winter still has a lock on the game for many golfers, we thought you might like to read some of these award-winning articles. It will bring you a little closer to that first, warm tee time. The list below includes a comment from the GWAA judges and a link to the story. (Click on the writer’s name.) Enjoy
NEWS – Dylan Dethier’s (Golf.com) story on Celia Barquin Arozamena – “This is great storytelling. The writer skillfully employs the knowledge of sports with police reporting and human interest to tell a complete, compelling story.”
GAME STORIES –Dave Kindred (Golfdigest.com) Kindred’s piece on Tiger at the PGA: “To write simply that Tiger Woods was climbing leader boards again would be missing the point. It is what went into that. The writer captured the magnitude of Woods’ achievement and what a great player’s return meant to the sport.”
DAILY COLUMNS – Ian O’Connor’s (ESPN.com) column on Patrick Reed’s family: “The Reed family piece was not only well written but provided new and heart-breaking details into a highly-publicized and very personal situation.”
DAILY FEATURES – Steve Eubanks’ (Global Golf Post) feature on John McDermott: “I love history lessons. This story told me something I didn’t know in a very compelling, emotional, well-written way.”
NON-DAILY COLUMNS – Alan Shipnuck’s (Golf Magazine) column: “A well-wrought opinion, probably shared by many, about the ‘wussification’ of the game, deftly handled with both light-hearted humor and hard-edged commentary.”
NON-DAILY FEATURES – John Feinstein (Golf Digest) on David Feherty: “The story-telling on the Feherty piece hooked me from beginning to end. It didn’t just tackle emotionally difficult and painful subjects (suicide, mental illness) but did so with dignity while being honest.”
SPECIAL PROJECTS – Scott Michaux (Augusta Chronicle) on Sergio Garcia: “Well written, and with much new information. This story earns a green jacket.”