These Golfers Will Have a Great Year in 2025

Mystic Derek here. As we head towards a new year I have decided to dig out my crystal ball. 

I see another big year ahead for Scottie Scheffler and a thrilling Ryder Cup. I see yet more speculation about framework deals. I see even more money pouring into the professional game.

That’s the easy part. I have also had a look into the future to try to identify the golfers you may not be too familiar with just now but who could make a huge impact in 2025. 

So, without further ado, here are the 10 players I believe you should be keeping an eye on.

Matt McCarty

Finished top of the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour Points List after three victories in six starts in July and August. He became the 13th player in Korn Ferry Tour history to earn the Three-Victory Promotion, which was established in 1997, and the 24th player in Tour history to win three times in a season. He had nine top-10s, eight of which were top-five finishes. Born in Scottsdale, Arizona, he attended Santa Clara University (2016-21), where he earned three All-West Coast Conference honours (2018, 2019, 2021) and two degrees (bachelor’s in finance, master’s in marketing). Turned professional in 2021. Oh, and did I mention that the 26-year-old won the Black Desert Championship on the PGA Tour in October? He is fully exempt for the new season and has secured his place in the Tournament of Champions, Masters, Players Championship and US Open.

Rasmus Hojgaard

Hojgaard narrowly missed out on gaining a PGA Tour card at the end of 2023. But he put it right in sensational fashion in 2024. He produced a finish for the ages to win the Irish Open, snatching the title from Rory McIlroy in the process. And he sealed the deal in style by finishing second to McIlroy at the Dubai World Championship - a performance that also secured second place in the Race to Dubai. Still only 23, he is already a five-time winner on the DP World Tour - look out for him making a BIG impact in America.

Nicolai Hojgaard

Nicolai won the DP World Championship in 2023, a victory that earned him a PGA Tour card. It was his third success on the DP World Tour and he headed to America filled with optimism. It turned out to be well placed. In his first start he finished runner-up to Matthieu Pavon at the Farmers Insurance Open. He made the cut at all four majors and finished seventh at the Olympic Games. He is now ready to win on US soil.

Niklas Norgaard

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

The Norwegian won the British Masters in some style. He hits the ball a country mile but misses a lot of fairways. In Europe that has cost him but he can cross the Atlantic knowing that he will be playing many courses where wayward tee shots will go largely unpunished. Of all the 2025 DP World Tour graduates, Norgaard is the one I expect to see achieve the most on the PGA Tour. His game is made for American courses.

Jesper Svensson 

Svensson won in Singapore and finished second three times on the DP World Tour in 2024. He hits the ball a long, long way and should find that many of the courses he will face are made for his game. I would not be surprised to see him win and qualify for Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup team.

Aldrich Potgieter

At just 20 years and 23 days of age, Potgieter became the second-youngest graduate in Korn Ferry Tour history - Jason Day was 19 years, 11 months, and 23 days of age upon graduating in 2007. He also usurped Day as the youngest winner in Korn Ferry Tour history with his victory at The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at the age of 19 years, 4 months, and 11 days. It made him the fourth teenager with a Korn Ferry Tour victory, joining PGA Tour winners Akshay Bhatia (2022 The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic), Sungjae Im (2018 The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic), and Day (2007 Legends Financial Group Classic). The South African won the 2022 Amateur Championship three months before his 18th birthday, which made him the second-youngest winner in the history of the event. Turned professional in the summer of 2023. 

Frankie Capan III

Capan secured PGA Tour membership by winning the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship. He also had two runner-up finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour. Parred his last two holes as he tied the Korn Ferry Tour record for the lowest 18-hole score relative to par with a remarkable 13-under 58 in the opening round of the 2024 Veritex Bank Championship, where he eventually finished fourth. Turned professional in 2022 and was one of eight players who advanced through every stage of the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament. Made his PGA Tour debut as a 16-year-old amateur at the 2016 Puerto Rico Open.

Ryan Van Velzen

The son of former touring professional Rob van Velzen, Ryan represented Ekurhuleni Golf Union at all age groups and represented South Africa's Junior Boks in the African Teams 2020 at Leopard Creek, finishing third overall. He turned pro in 2021 and won the Limpopo Championship and the MediClinic Invitational in his rookie season on Tour. Van Velzen also boasts wins on the Altron Big Easy Tour. He is a three-time Sunshine Tour winner at the age of 22.

Christo Lamprecht

The 6ft 8in tall South African is noted for the vast distances he propels the golf ball. But there is much more to the 23-year-old’s game. In 2023 he became the third South African in six years to win The Amateur Championship, giving him exemption to that year’s Open, where he won the Silver Medal as low amateur. In September 2023, he rose to number one in the world amateur rankings. He appeared four times at the South African Open and was the youngest player in the field when he made his debut in 2018. He turned professional in May 2024, joining the Korn Ferry Tour, for which he gained exemption through finishing second in the PGA Tour University Ranking, and tied for fifth in only his fourth start.

Nick Dunlap

This is hardly a left-field pick. Dunlap won the American Express while still an amateur - the first man to achieve this feat on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991. He immediately turned professional and initially found it all a bit of a struggle. But not for long. He won the Barracuda Championship and is firmly established in the top 50 in the world rankings. He is in this list because I believe he is one of the most naturally gifted of the next generation and I fully expect to see him challenge for a first major in 2025.

Related Content

Rating The 2024 Seasons of Your Favourite Golfers