The 2024 season on the PGA Tour was a great one for first-time winners.
More than 25 percent of events were won by a golfer picking up their first Tour victory. The first came in January, when Nick Dunlap became the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour since 1991. The last was in the final event of the year, with Maverick McNealy finally breaking through at the RSM Classic. In total, 15 golfers picked up their first PGA Tour win in 2024.
As we look ahead at the 2025 season, here’s a look at 10 golfers who we predict will get their first PGA Tour victory.
Luke Clanton
This one seems obvious, right? Yes, he’s still an amateur, but he’s bound to have earned a Tour card in May via PGA Tour University Accelerated. He darn near won the RSM Classic last month and had a dominant summer as an amateur playing against the best. Imagine what he can do when he’s fully focused on pro life.
Eric Cole
The 2023 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year has a pair of runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes in his first two years on Tour. He has made more than $9 million in his first two years, but his first winner’s check will be cashed in 2025.
Tommy Fleetwood
The fact Tommy Lad hasn’t won on Tour is one of golf’s greatest mysteries in recent years. Ranked ninth in the Official World Golf Ranking, Fleetwood had flirted with a win numerous times but hasn’t been able to get to the finish line in front. That changes in 2025.
Max Greyserman
A PGA Tour rookie in 2024, Greyserman collected three runner-up finishes. He was one bad hole away (a quadruple bogey) at the Wyndham Championship from winning, and he finished T-2 at the Zozo Championship two months later. Experience in those clutch moments pays off next year.
Ben Griffin
Griffin recently completed his second year on Tour, and he has had his close shares with victory, most recently a runner-up at the 2024 RBC Canadian Open. Sundays have been a mixed bag when he has been in contention, but a couple shots here and there make a big difference between winning and a top-five finish.
Rasmus Hogjaard
The twin brother of Nicolai, Rasmus earned his PGA Tour card via the DP World Tour rankings in 2024 and will join his twin in the U.S. in 2025. Although Nicolai flirted with victory in 2024, his brother is going to best him as a rookie, and Rasmus will get a win.
Thriston Lawrence
Lawrence was the only other player who could’ve topped Rory McIlroy to win the DP World Tour Race to Dubai in 2024, and he earned his Tour card with stellar play on the DP World Tour. Now his talent is coming to play a U.S.-heavy schedule, and American fans will learn quickly Lawrence is one of the world’s best.
Aldrich Potgieter
The South African can smash a golf ball and last year became the second-youngest player ever to win on the Korn Ferry Tour. He was also the second youngest to win a PGA Tour card, behind Jason Day. Next year, he’ll be one of the Tour’s youngest winners ever.
Michael Thorbjornsen
Sensing a theme with the youngsters? Thor is bound to join the ranks of winners soon. He earned his card via a first-place finish in the PGA Tour University Class of 2024 rankings, and he collected a runner-up finish at the John Deere Classic this summer.
Cameron Young
Cam Young is another player, like Fleetwood, where you question why and how he hasn’t won yet on Tour. He has a runner-up finish at the 2022 Open Championship, a year he recorded five runners-up. Entering his fourth year on Tour, expect Young to finally finish and get his long-awaited trophy.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Predicting 10 first-time winners in 2025 on the PGA Tour
