Top 10 in 2012: Surprises

After defending its membership policies regarding women for years, Augusta National extended membership to Condoleezza Rice and Darla Moore in August. Chairman Billy Payne called it 'a significant and positive time in our club's history.' (AP Images)

At the start of the Ryder Cup singles matches, the U.S. team led 10-6 and looked poised to win the cup. But Europe stormed back Sunday, winning eight of 12 matches and achieved one of the greatest comebacks in Ryder Cup history. (Getty)

After consecutive Player of the Year awards, Yani Tseng entered the season looking to make history, but after a brutal mid-season slump ' 16 straight rounds without breaking 70 at one point ' she enters 2013 trying to hold on to No. 1. (Getty)

Lydia Ko shocked a field of LPGA professionals in August, winning the CN Canadian Women's Open at the age of 15, becoming the youngest-ever winner of an LPGA event and only the fifth amateur to have won on the tour. (Getty)

Chinese teen sensation Tianlang Guan made history this year, winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and an invitation to the Masters in the process. At 14 years old, he will be the youngest-ever Masters participant. (ACC Images)

I.K. Kim had her first major all but sealed up, needing a one-foot putt on the 18th hole of the Kraft Nabisco Championship to claim victory. But her putt lipped out and she eventually lost a playoff to Sun-Young Yoo. (Getty)

Standing on the 15th hole up four strokes, Adam Scott seemed destined for a British Open title. But his four consecutive finishing bogeys left Ernie Els with the claret jug and Scott still seeking that elusive first major. (Getty)

High school junior Beau Hossler, 17, made a big splash at this years U.S. Open, holding the outright lead midway through Day 2. Hossler, who finished tied for 29th, has committed to play golf at the University of Texas. (Getty)

In his rookie season on the European Tour, 24-year-old Branden Grace became the first player in the history of the tour to win his first four events in the same year, and made a bold move up the rankings to No. 36 in the world. (Getty)

Tiger Woods reputation had been built on closing out tournaments. But despite three wins this year, he played his way into contention in three of the seasons four majors only to falter on the weekend. (Getty)