McIlroy's major drought, Tiger's schedule, and 4 other storylines to watch in 2023

As a drama-filled 2022 comes to an end, it's time to turn our attention to the potential headlines in men's golf for 2023.

2022 teed up many intriguing storylines for the new year - from Rory McIlroy's continued hunt for a fifth major to what LIV's second season could entail. Here's a look at six gripping storylines to follow as the TOUR returns to full swing in a few weeks.

Can Scottie keep winning?

Scottie Scheffler had a better season than anyone in 2022, with four wins in an incredible span of just four months. It began with his maiden TOUR victory at the Phoenix Open and ended with the Masters in April. However, the 26-year-old's fairy-tale year slowed down, and he lost his hold on World No. 1 status and failed to find a victory in the eight months since donning the green jacket.

No one expects Scheffler to replicate the pace he had in the spring of 2022, but can he regain some momentum and add one or two more wins to his resume in 2023?

Ryder Cup 2023

Any and every Ryder Cup year brings an added element to the TOUR season as players try to qualify or receive a captain's pick by the time fall comes around. This year, however, there are more questions than normal thanks to the unknown variable of LIV Golf.

The U.S. team likely won't look all that different for September's trip to Rome, as many of the country's top stars have stuck with the TOUR so far.

However, the same can't be said for the European side. A flurry of new faces could come in - especially if LIV players become ineligible - representing a new chapter for the team. Young European stars like Rasmus Hojgaard and Robert MacIntyre could become regular names this season as they aim to qualify or impress Captain Luke Donald in the first half of 2023.

Tiger and the majors

In recent weeks, Tiger Woods has shown us that he's still very capable of hitting quality golf shots. However, the 47-year-old has said that his biggest hurdle is not the golf itself - it's having to walk across 18 holes for four days straight.

That proved to be a problem in 2022. Although Woods was able to complete four full days at the Masters, he struggled at both the PGA Championship and The Open. As we head into 2023, Woods' season is once again up in the air. The 82-time TOUR winner's recent bout with plantar fasciitis has added further uncertainty to his schedule, and we could enter another year routinely unsure of when and how much Woods will play.

LIV vs. TOUR

Although 2022 is coming to an end, the feud between LIV Golf and the PGA TOUR won't go away anytime soon. Expect LIV players and TOUR stars to continue to create more headlines in the golf scene, the drama of which has barely slowed down despite the current lack of ongoing tournaments.

With all the lawsuits, the ongoing Official World Golf Rankings application, and LIV's 2023 field still yet to be announced, the drama looks set to really pick up again early in the new year.

Rory's major drought

Other players on TOUR may have longer major droughts, but no one's has been as publicly agonizing as McIlroy's.

The Northern Irishman has gone eight years without a major win, but his performance in 2022 gave a glimmer of hope that his fourth in 2014 won't be his last. McIlroy placed inside the top 10 at all four majors and finished runner-up at the Masters this past year. While he couldn't secure a major, he did find three regular TOUR wins last season - including the TOUR Championship - and he's one-for-one in wins this season. He's certainly been knocking on the door, and 2023 could be the year he finally marks that fifth tally.

New TOUR format

With LIV on the rise, the TOUR was forced to make a change. The biggest alteration came late in the 2022 season, as it announced a new schedule format for 2023. When we return to golf in the new year, an abundance of tournaments will have newly elevated statuses - meaning larger purses and fields made up of the TOUR's best golfers.

It's hard to predict whether or not the new format will genuinely add new excitement week in and week out on TOUR, but it will add an opportunity to see how the TOUR's elite directly compare to one another over many tournaments - not just four times a year.