The best photos from the 2012 PGA Tour season

There were plenty of great moments in 2012, and as we’ve always said, a picture is worth a thousand words. Look at these great Getty Images shots from the past PGA Tour season and get ready for golf to kick off in just a few days.

(The above picture, taken at Olympic Club with an infrared camera, is one of my favorite shots of the year.)

This look of Keegan Bradley became a staple on the PGA Tour in 2012, with no situation deserving it better than the final round at Riviera, where Phil Mickelson and Bradley gave us arguably the most exciting moment of the season with back-t0-back birdie putts to land in a playoff with Bill Haas.

Golf fans had been waiting for this moment for too long, but Tiger Woods was finally able to snag a victory with his win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He went on to win two more times in 2012.

Streeter Lecka landed this incredible photo of Bubba Watson’s second shot during the playoff against Louis Oosthuizen that not only won him the green jacket but was easily the shot of the year on the PGA Tour in 2012.

The U.S. Open had plenty of drama, but maybe the most entertaining came after all the golf had been played, when this gentleman dubbed “The Bird Man” crashed the trophy ceremony only to get “escorted” away by USGA executive director Mike Davis.

Bird Man didn’t stop U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson and former winner Graeme McDowell from having one of the coolest, and most candid, moments of the PGA Tour season as they check out the new name on that wanted piece of hardware.

Heading into the final round at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, Tiger Woods was five shots back of Adam Scott but his chances at a major comeback were dashed when he found this bunker on the sixth hole that led to a triple-bogey.

Loved this Harry How photo of British Open winner Ernie Els shaking hands with buddy Adam Scott, who all but had the Claret Jug wrapped up before a collapse on Sunday gave Els a chance. To say Ernie was humble even after winning could be the understatement of 2012.

This kiddo won the award for the coolest outfit of 2012, as he dressed up as Rickie Fowler (And his new ‘stache) during the second round of the PGA Championship.

This reaction from Rory McIlroy after his birdie putt on the 72nd hole at the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island said it all. His win was the second time in consecutive seasons that McIlroy was able to snag a major championship by eight shots.

The lasting image of the Ryder Cup comes from Andy Lyons, who landed this shot of Jim Furyk hunkered over after missing a putt that would have kept the Americans alive during an epic comeback by the Europeans on Sunday at Medinah.

Paul Casey had to deal with quite the hazard when a dog snagged his golf ball off the green at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October.

And finally, the lasting image from the final few months of the PGA Tour season might have been the relationship between Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. Here, they both seem pretty chummy after the Ryder Cup ended at Medinah.