How Golf Has Changed Since Arsene Wenger Took Over At Arsenal

Legendary Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger announced today that he will be stepping down at the North-London club at the end of the season, 22 years after he first took charge.

Here we take a look at how golf has changed since the 22nd October 1996, the day Arsene Wenger took over the helm…

• Greg Norman was world number one. Here is the how the world’s top 10 looked the day Wenger took over:

1. Greg Norman
2. Colin Montgomerie
3. Ernie Els
4. Nick Faldo
5. Fred Couples
6. Tom Lehman
7. Masashi Ozaki
8. Corey Pavin
9. Phil Mickelson
10. Davis Love III

• John Daly was the PGA Tour’s longest driver with an average of 288.8 yards. The current leader, Trey Mullinax, averages 318 yards. Driving distance has come on 30 yards in Wenger’s reign. The shortest hitter, Ken Duke, currently averages 268 yards – the shortest hitter in 1996 averaged 239.5

• Daly used the Wilson Killer Whale driver:

• Mark Brooks was golf’s latest major champion after winning his only major at the 1996 USPGA Championship at Valhalla. He beat Kenny Perry in a playoff
• Nick Faldo won the Masters in 1996, Steve Jones was US Open champion and the Champion Golfer of the Year was Tom Lehman
• Bernard Gallacher’s Europe were the Ryder Cup holders after being Lanny Wadkins’ USA 14.5-13.5 away at Oak Hill in 1995. Irishman Philip Walton, playing in his first and only Ryder Cup, beat Jay Haas to win the cup
• Tiger Woods hadn’t even won a major yet. At the time of Wenger’s appointment, Woods was 37th in the world rankings. He would win his first major at the 1997 Masters
• Titleist had just released their DCI Starship driver, DCI Oversize + Black irons and Tour Players Forged wedges

• The Pro V1 hadn’t even been launched yet, that didn’t come until 2000
• Current world number four Jon Rahm wasn’t even two years old by the time Wenger was appointed. Jordan Spieth had just turned 3
• Augusta National measured 6,925 yards. Today it is over 500 yards longer at 7,435.

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