Top 10 in 2014: Major moments

We all know the story: Erik Compton survives two heart transplants on his way to becoming a PGA Tour player. But the Miami native has long wanted to be known for the quality of his golf, not his medical history. He went a long way toward accomplishing that at Pinehurst by tying for second. (Getty Images)

Tiger Woods’ health caused him to miss the Masters for the first time as a professional. The first warning signs came at the Honda Classic, when he withdrew after 13 holes in the final round because of back pain. On April 1, he announced that he would miss the Masters after undergoing a microdiscectomy. (Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy started the British Open 66-66, but he was just 1 under for Round 3 when he came to the par-5 16th at Royal Liverpool. He eagled the hole, taking a five-shot lead. He bogeyed the par-4 17th, but hit his approach on the par-5 18th to 6 feet and made the putt for another eagle, a 68 and a six-shot margin. (Getty Images)

Rickie Fowler’s resume for 2014 majors read like this: Masters – tied for fifth, six shots behind Bubba Watson; U.S. Open – tied for second, eight shots behind Martin Kaymer; British Open – tied for second, two shots behind Rory McIlroy; PGA Championship – tied for third, two shots behind Rory McIlroy. Fowler became only the third player behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods to have finished in the top five in all four majors in one calendar year, but the first not to win. (Getty Images)

When the USGA announced it would stage the men’s and women’s U.S. Opens at the same venue – Pinehurst No. 2 – on consecutive weeks, there was no shortage of questions and skepticism. In the end, both tournaments went off without a hitch. The weather cooperated and the USGA was thrilled with the results. (Getty Images)

At 31, in her third year of LPGA membership after six years on the Symetra Tour, Mo Martin was an unlikely candidate for greatness. But she produced one of the greatest shots in major history - a 3-wood off the flagstick on the 72nd hole at Royal Birkdale - which propelled her to her first LPGA win, in the Ricoh Women’s British Open. (Getty Images)

When Bubba Watson won his first green jacket in 2012, all the buzz was about the hooked wedge shot he hit on No. 10 to set up his playoff win. This year’s Masters win by Watson featured another shot emblematic of “Bubba Golf,” but this one was about raw power, not finesse. In the final round, the left-handed Watson hit a massive slice around the corner of the right-to-left dogleg on the par-5 13th. When he got to his ball, he had only 140 yards left on the 510-yard hole. You do the math. He went on to make birdie and eventually win by three. (Getty Images)

Martin Kaymer birdied the first hole of the U.S. Open and never looked back. The German went wire to wire at Pinehurst No. 2, opening with a pair of 65s and cruising on the weekend with rounds of 72-69. It was good for an eight-shot victory margin over Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton. (Getty Images)

It’s easy to forget Michelle Wie is only 25. Wie had already played in 11 U.S. Women’s Opens before this year’s edition at Pinehurst No. 2. She held a three-shot lead on the 16th hole on Sunday, but had to make a 5-foot putt just to save double bogey. Then at the par-3 17th she drained a 25-foot birdie putt to give herself breathing room in an eventual two-shot win over Stacy Lewis. (Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy won his second PGA Championship and second consecutive major, battling rapidly fading daylight to do it. McIlroy sank a 10-inch par putt on the final hole to edge Phil Mickelson by a shot. In an effort to avoid extending the tournament to Monday, officials allowed McIlroy to hit his final tee shot before Mickelson and Rickie Fowler had reached their drives. McIlroy nearly landed in a hazard right of the fairway, but then hit his approach – struck while Mickelson and Fowler stood to the side of the green – into a bunker. He blasted out and two-putted for the victory. (Getty Images)