Another crop of stars is coming to push the best in the world, it’s just a matter of who will step up
Think about some of the top players in the game of golf today. Then consider where they were only a few years ago. In 2022, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was without a win on the PGA Tour. In 2023, Wyndham Clark found himself in the same boat before he claimed two of the biggest titles on the playing calendar. This past year, Xander Schauffele went from a good, consistent player to a two-time major champion.
Breakouts happen every season on the PGA Tour, and while some like Scheffler and Schauffele are foreseeable, others such as Clark’s surge come as more of a surprise. Entering 2023 as world No. 162 — a spot currently occupied by incoming PGA Tour rookie Taylor Dickson — Clark was an afterthought. He went on to out-duel Schauffele at the Wells Fargo Championship before doing the same to Rory McIlroy at the U.S. Open. Suddenly, he became center of mind when prognosticating significant golf tournaments.
The American has since played for U.S. Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams and represented his country this past season at the 2024 Paris Olympics — all while climbing as high as No. 3 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Clark’s rise came during his late twenties as it took time for him to find his footing at the professional level. Others like Scheffler and Ludvig Åberg develop more suddenly.
With the 2025 PGA Tour season set to begin, let’s take a look at a mix of breakout candidates for the 2025 season ranging from those who are young and bubbling at the surface to others that have been close to sustaining success previously but could be in store for a lot more success in the new year.
