2024 was a brilliant season. The standard of golf across all of the tours was magnificent and there were so many different memorable moments to savour and enjoy.
For these players 2024 will be a year they never forget. Here is a quick recap of who will be hoping to use this year as a springboard for even greater things next season.
Xander Schauffele
You are always going to make this list if you end your season winning two majors and that is exactly what Xander Schauffele was able to achieve.
Starting out the season as arguably the best player in men’s golf not to have tasted major success, Schauffele flipped that narrative on its head when winning his first major title, the PGA Championship.
Leading from the front after the conclusion of the first round, many were left wondering how he would handle the pressure but he would handle it with aplomb and despite Bryson DeChamebeau (there will be more about him later) trying to make a late surge through the field, Schauffele saved his best golf for last and was able to hold off his former Ryder Cup colleague by one stroke.
With that major title behind him, he wasted no time in adding a second.
The 2024 Open held at Royal Troon was played in exceptionally difficult conditions. With the wind swirling and the course playing long, Schauffele once again saved his best golf for last and produced another brilliant final round to come off from the pace and overhaul Billy Horschel and Justin Rose to claim major number two.
Schauffele has now firmly positioned himself as one of the best players in the world and seems fully comfortable when competing in the best tournaments in the world. A superior ball striker, he will hope that more major success is just around the corner in 2025.
Scottie Scheffler
With eight titles in 2024, Scottie Scheffler has cemented his position as the best player in golf and there are people now talking about the world number one in a similar way to how they talked about Tiger Woods back in his peak.
Having claimed a second Green Jacket when cruising to a second Masters title, everytime the Texan teed it up this season it seemed like he would be in contention for victory.
The first player to successfully defend the Players Championship, Scheffler would also taste success at two other signature events, the Travelers Championship and RBC Heritage.
Due to his consistent form over the course of the regular season, it wasn’t a surprise that he cantered to a first ever FedEx Championship but there would be further glory to follow when he produced one of the best rounds of his career to come from way off the pace to win the 2024 Olympic Gold medal.
Worryingly for the rest of the field, there could be much more to come in 2025 for Scheffler. Yet to win a major away from Augusta, more major glory will be right at the top of his list, he will also hope to steer America to another Ryder Cup success when hostilities resume with Europe at Bethpage Black next September.
Nelly Korda
With each passing year the status of the LPGA is increasing and some of the LPGA Tour’s very best players are now becoming bonafide superstars.
Leading this exciting new wave of female players is Nelly Korda. The undisputed world number one, Korda has enjoyed a tremendous season, winning seven different LPGA events and creating history in the process.
One area of disappointment will be the fact that she wasn’t able to win any of the LPGA Tour’s five majors but with her dominance set to continue long into the future, a third major will surely just be around the corner.
Jon Rahm
Rewind to this time a year ago and it was fair to say that Jon Rahm shocked the world of sport when he decided to accept a mega deal to join the LIV Tour.
Seen as the man to help move LIV into the golfing mainstream, the jury is still out when it comes to determining how effective Rahm has been when it comes to bringing new eyes into the sport but one thing that can’t be denied is his impact on the course.
Only failing to finish outside of the top ten on one occasion, when having to withdraw from LIV Houston’s event, Rahm was a model of consistency in 2024.
Winning a first LIV title during the hugely popular LIV UK event, another title would follow at the season ending event in Chicago. With his victory being enough to capture the season ending title, Rahm has proved to be worth every penny.
Used to competing at the head of affairs when it comes to the majors, he was largely a non factor in golf’s biggest events this season and he will be hoping to change that narrative next season.
Bryson DeChambeau
The final name on our list of golfers who have had a brilliant 2024 is Bryson DeChambeau.
Whilst his move to LIV was frowned upon at the time, it’s clear to see that if one man is bringing more attention to the breakaway tour it is the American.
Once seen as a figure of derision in the game, DeChambeau’s magnetism and energy is infectious and has now seen him quickly rise into one of the game’s most popular players.
Off the course he has become a social media star and has earnt millions of views through his collaborations with Donald Trump and his hole in one challenge which saw him try to make a hole one by hitting shots over his house.
On the course things were going even better. Unlucky not to have won the PGA Championship, he put that right when securing his second US Open crown. Needing a par to wrap up the victory he produced one of the moments of the year when hitting an exceptionally difficult bunker shot to just a few feet of the hole.
DeChambeau looks to be the new face of the game with a whole host of younger fans and he will hope to use his new found popularity to take the game to even greater heights.
Jack Hartman
A keen golfer and huge fan of the game, Jack has been covering golf for the last five years. Bringing you all the latest coverage and news from the PGA, LIV, LPGA and DP World Tours, never before has golf been so popular and Jack can’t wait to bring all the excitement to his readers.
