Players to watch: Predicting 10 first-time PGA Tour winners in 2024
After taking a nearly two-month holiday hiatus, the PGA Tour will return to action the first week of January with the 2024 Sentry in Hawaii.
The last time we saw the boys in action, rookie Ludvig Aberg earned his first win on Tour at the RSM Classic in November. There were 13 first-time winners on Tour in 2023, up one from 12 the year prior. Golfweek predicted four of them.
So who do we have our eyes on for next year? From veterans to rising stars from the amateur ranks, here are 10 players who we predict will hoist a trophy on Tour for the first time in 2024.
Cameron Young
It’s not a matter of if Young is going to win on Tour, but when. The 26-year-old finished runner-up once last season and five times the season prior. He’s consistently in the mix and should be in the winner’s circle any week now.
Tommy Fleetwood
Fleetwood’s past due for a win on the PGA Tour, right? He finished runner-up at the RBC Canadian Open and in third place twice this season as part of nine top-10 finishes. He also compiled a 3-1-0 record at the Ryder Cup in the fall. Don’t be shocked if Fleetwood finally picks up his first win on Tour this season.
Min Woo Lee
The 25-year-old Aussie has the potential to be a star for a while in the game. He’s a three-time winner on the DP World Tour and earned four top-10 finishes last season on the PGA Tour, including a T-5 at the U.S. Open. The Tour could use more young, outgoing players like Lee, and next year could be where he takes the next step.
Thomas Detry
Detry got off to a hot start last fall with a runner-up showing at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship and he added two more top 10s. He only missed five cuts over 29 starts and is a consistent player who avoids trouble. That kind of game travels. Mix in a couple low rounds and that’s the recipe for a win.
Sam Ryder
You know Ryder more from commercials than his on-course production, but the 34-year-old had his best season to date in 2022-23 with five top 10s and 10 top 25s over a whopping 35 events. A T-4 at the Farmers and T-3 at the Valero were his closest calls in 2023 and could be the necessary learning experiences that lead to his first win.
Adam Schenk
Schenk finished ninth in the FedEx Cup standings in 2023, the best season of his career, and had two runner-up finishes at the Valspar Championship and Charles Schwab Challenge. He’s put in the work and it showed last season. Now all he has to do is finish the job.
Eric Cole
The 35-year-old rookie had a banner year last season that included seven top-10 finishes and two runner-up showings at the Honda Classic and Zozo Championship. He ended the fall with a T-3 at the RSM Classic and will get to show his skill in the signature events in 2024.
Gordon Sargent
The Vanderbilt junior and No. 1 amateur in the world has earned PGA Tour status via the accelerated program and has shown he’s got the game to compete against the pros already as the low amateur at the 2023 U.S. Open. His speed and distance are faster and longer than the Tour average, and it’s only a matter of time until Sargent is contending at the next level.
Michael Thorbjornsen
Aberg earned his place on the Tour via PGA Tour University and Thorbjornsen is currently first in the ranking. If he were to retain his spot, the Stanford senior would have a little less than half a season on Tour. He’s won big amateur events – 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur, 2021 Western Amateur – and a handful of college tournaments for the Cardinal. Oh yeah, he also finished T-17 at the John Deere Classic last year. If he can get some starts in 2024, there’s a case to be made that he’ll be in contention at least once.
Christo Lamprecht
At 6-foot-8, Lamprecht isn’t your average college golfer. The Georgia Tech senior is second behind Thorbjornsen and could also make some noise on Tour if given the opportunity. He won the 2023 Amateur Championship and was briefly the No. 1 amateur in the world. He’s got the length off the tee to keep up on Tour, and given how many young winners the game has seen in recent years, Lamprecht has to be in the conversation if he finishes first in PGA Tour U.
