Prime storylines and golfers to observe on the PGA Tour in 2025

After only a 39-day offseason, the PGA Tour’s 2025 schedule tees off Thursday on the Sentry at Kapalua Resort in Hawaii, certainly one of eight signature occasions with restricted fields and $20 million purses.

Followers should wait a couple of extra weeks to observe Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy compete on tour. The wait could be even longer to see 15-time main champion Tiger Woods again on the course.

However defending Sentry champion Chris Kirk is again in Hawaii, together with two-time main champ Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas, Ludvig Åberg and others.

Listed here are the highest storylines and golfers to observe on the PGA Tour in 2025:

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Scheffler’s dominance (and harm)

Scottie Scheffler will miss this week’s season opener, The Sentry, after chopping his proper hand on a damaged glass whereas cooking dinner on Christmas Day. The world’s No. 1 golfer had surgical procedure to take away small glass particles from his proper palm, his agent, Blake Smith, mentioned in a press release.

Scheffler is anticipated to be sidelined for 3 to 4 weeks, and he hopes to return for The American Specific in La Quinta, California, on Jan. 16-19.

If nothing else, Scheffler’s absence within the first two tournaments in Hawaii will give another person an opportunity to win. The reigning PGA Tour Participant of the Yr received seven occasions on tour final season and captured a gold medal on the Paris Olympics. He additionally completed first in his most up-to-date begin on the Hero World Problem, an unofficial occasion within the Bahamas.

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Tiger on the mend

Ultimately month’s Hero World Problem, Woods instructed reporters that he is not near being bodily prepared to compete on tour. The 15-time main champion introduced in mid-September that he had undergone what’s believed to be his sixth again surgical procedure. He mentioned his again harm induced ache down his leg, which grew to become progressively worse throughout the 2024 season.

Woods made simply 5 begins on tour in 2024, lacking three cuts and withdrawing from the Genesis Invitational due to sickness. On the Masters, he completed sixtieth, final amongst golfers who made the minimize.

Woods and his son, Charlie, competed in final month’s PNC Championship in Orlando, Florida, dropping in a playoff to Bernhard Langer and his son, Jason. It was Tiger’s first competitors since he missed the minimize at The Open in July. He was allowed to make use of a cart on the PNC.

Tiger is scheduled to make 5 appearances in TGL, the brand new tech-infused golf league, on Jan. 14, Jan. 27, Feb. 18, Feb. 25 and March 4. If he is bodily prepared, his first look on the PGA Tour would possibly come on the Genesis Invitational, a event he hosts at Riviera Nation Membership close to Los Angeles. If not, we would not see him till the Masters, the primary main of the season in April.

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Schauffele’s rise

Till final yr, Xander Schauffele was thought of among the many greatest golfers on the planet who hadn’t received a significant championship. He picked up the PGA Championship and The Open final season, and now he is midway to finishing the profession Grand Slam.

Schauffele seemingly does not have a weak point in his sport. Final season, he ranked second in strokes gained: complete (1.941) and tee to inexperienced (1.431), sixth in method (.678), tenth off the tee (.557) and twelfth in placing (.510).

With the can’t-win-a-major monkey off his again, Schauffele could be Scheffler’s largest risk on the massive 4.

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McIlroy’s main drought

Rory McIlroy’s victory on the DP World Tour Championship on Nov. 17 put a bow on what would have been a terrific season for many golfers. McIlroy received twice on the PGA Tour, on the Zurich Basic of New Orleans (with teammate Shane Lowry) and the Wells Fargo Championship, and on the DP World Tour (he additionally captured the Dubai Desert Basic for the fourth time in January 2024).

However the 35-year-old golfer faces greater expectations than most, so his 2024 season can be remembered most for his collapse within the closing spherical of the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. He had a two-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau with 5 holes to play and misplaced by one. It was McIlroy’s greatest probability to finish a 10-year drought and not using a main championship victory.

He’ll be among the many favorites once more on the Masters, which he must win to finish the profession Grand Slam, and on the PGA Championship at Quail Hole Membership in Charlotte, North Carolina, the place he has received 4 occasions in his profession.

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Spieth’s comeback

Jordan Spieth had surgical procedure on his left wrist in late August to restore an ulnar nerve situation that dated again to the spring of 2023. The three-time main championship winner recorded a career-low three top-10s and career-high seven missed cuts in 22 begins final season.

Spieth did not compete in any of the PGA Tour fall occasions and hasn’t but introduced when he’ll compete in 2025. He did not qualify for the Sentry, however his caddie, Michael Greller, is filling in for Max Homa’s caddie in Hawaii this week.

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Prime FedEx Cup contenders

Scottie Scheffler: Rinse and repeat. With an improved placing stroke, chic ballstriking and delicate fingers across the greens, Scheffler is once more the golfer to beat in 2025.

Xander Schauffele: It wasn’t simply the majors for Schauffele in 2023. He practically received three extra occasions, ending runner-up on the Gamers, Wells Fargo Championship and the FedEx. St. Jude Championship. He had 20 top-25s and did not miss a minimize in 22 begins.

Rory McIlroy: McIlroy is kicking off his season within the Center East once more. He’ll compete within the Dubai Desert Basic on Jan. 16-19. He in all probability will not compete on the PGA Tour till the AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am on Jan. 30-Feb. 2.

Ludvig Aberg: Aberg, the No. 5 golfer on the planet, performed a lot of final season with ache in his left knee. He underwent surgical procedure in September to restore a torn medial meniscus. Aberg mentioned he was 100% wholesome when he tied for seventeenth on the RSM Basic in November.

Collin Morikawa: Morikawa did not win throughout the 2024 season, however he completed within the prime 16 in every of the 4 majors, together with a tie for third on the Masters and for fourth on the PGA Championship. He additionally was runner-up on the Memorial Match and Tour Championship. If Morikawa’s iron play is healthier in 2025, he could be troublesome to beat along with his improved placing and work across the greens.

Patrick Cantlay: Cantlay did not win in 2023 or 2024, across the time he grew to become closely concerned in reshaping the PGA Tour. He tied for third on the U.S. Open and had 12 top-25s in 19 begins on tour.

Sahith Theegala: The 27-year-old appears near changing into an everyday contender on tour after amassing 9 top-10s in 26 begins in 2024. He was runner-up on the Sentry in January 2024 and was third on the Tour Championship.

Sam Burns: He closed the 2024 season with a bang by ending within the prime 12 in every of the three FedEx Cup playoffs occasions, together with a tie for second on the BMW Championship. Burns has turn into one of many higher putters on tour, and if his iron performs are extra dialed in, he might return to the winner’s circle in 2025.

Hideki Matsuyama: The 2021 Masters champion captured victories on the Genesis Invitational and FedEx St. Jude Championship final season, together with a bronze medal on the Paris Olympics. Matsuyama’s historical past of again and neck accidents is a priority, however he is troublesome to beat when he is wholesome.

Russell Henley: Few golfers have been taking part in higher than Henley on the finish of the 2024 FedEx Cup season. He completed fifth at The Open and tied for fourth on the Tour Championship. He has a terrific all-around sport and ranked within the prime 40 in strokes gained: method, placing and across the inexperienced.

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The majors

Listed here are the dates, areas and defending champions of the 4 main championships:

Masters
When: April 10-13
The place: Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership, Augusta, Georgia
Defending champion: Scottie Scheffler

PGA Championship
When: Might 15-18
The place: Quail Hole Membership, Charlotte, North Carolina

Defending champion: Xander Schauffele

U.S. Open
When: June 12-15
The place: Oakmont Nation Membership, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
Defending champion: Bryson DeChambeau

The Open
When: July 17-20
The place: Royal Portrush Golf Membership, Portrush, Northern Eire
Defending champion: Xander Schauffele

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Signature occasions

Listed here are the dates and areas of the eight signature occasions in 2025 which have restricted fields, elevated prize cash ($20 million) and FedExCup factors (700 factors to the winner).

The Sentry
When: Jan. 2-5
The place: Kapalua Resort, Kapalua, Hawaii
Defending champion: Chris Kirk

AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am
When: Jan. 30-Feb. 2
The place: Spyglass Hills Golf Membership/Pebble Seaside Golf Hyperlinks, Pebble Seaside, California
Defending champion: Wyndham Clark

Genesis Invitational
When: Feb. 13-16
The place: Riviera Nation Membership, Pacific Palisades, California
Defending champion: Hideki Matsuyama

Arnold Palmer Invitational offered by Mastercard
When: March 6-9
The place: Bay Hill Membership & Lodge, Orlando, Florida
Defending champion: Scottie Scheffler

RBC Heritage
When: April 17-20
The place: Harbour City Golf Hyperlinks, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Defending champion: Scottie Scheffler

Truist Championship
When: Might 8-11
The place: The Philadelphia Cricket Membership, Philadelphia
Defending champion: Rory McIlroy

The Memorial Match offered by Workday
When: Might 29-June 1
The place: Muirfield Village Golf Membership, Dublin, Ohio
Defending champion: Scottie Scheffler

Vacationers Championship
When: June 19-22
The place: TPC River Highlands, Cromwell, Connecticut
Defending champion: Scottie Scheffler

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The Ryder Cup

The forty fifth Ryder Cup can be performed on the Bethpage Black Course at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, New York, on Sept. 26-28. The house crew has captured every of the previous 5 matches; the European crew final received on overseas soil in 2012. The Europeans routed the U.S. crew 16½-11½ at Marco Simone Golf & Nation Membership outdoors Rome in 2023.

The highest six finishers within the Ryder Cup standings will qualify for every crew. U.S. crew captain Keegan Bradley and European captain Luke Donald will then make six captain’s picks.

Schauffele (9,580.96), Scheffler (9,145.56), DeChambeau (6993), Morikawa (2478.13), Brian Harman (2,250.56) and Billy Horschel (2,037.22) lead the U.S. factors standings heading into 2025, adopted by Clark (1,936.21), Cantlay (1,613.26), Russell Henley (1,600.43) and Tony Finau (1,575.88). Ryder Cup veterans like Thomas (twentieth, 611.64), Brooks Koepka (thirty third, 381.64) and Spieth (forty first, 245.89) have work to do.

On the European facet, McIlroy (792.07) leads the factors standings, adopted by Rasmus Højgaard (706.53), Tyrrell Hatton (587.84), Matt Wallace (505.42), Paul Waring (465.13) and Niklas Norgaard (419.73). Tommy Fleetwood is sixteenth in factors (268.73), Jon Rahm is seventeenth (257.8), Shane Lowry is 18th (229.73), Nicolai Højgaard is forty seventh (105.41) and Justin Rose is 77th (50.91).

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Rookies to know

Michael Thorbjornsen: The previous Stanford star joined the tour in June 2024 however remains to be thought of a rookie. At 17, he received the U.S. Junior Novice and made the minimize within the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Seaside. He was runner-up within the John Deere Basic and tied for eighth in two different occasions in 2024.

Rasmus Højgaard: Højgaard will be a part of his twin brother, Nicolai, on the PGA Tour after ending second within the DP World Tour’s season-long factors race (behind solely McIlroy). The 23-year-old was a seven-time winner around the globe, and he was the youngest participant to gather 5 DP World Tour victories since José María Olazábal in 1989.

Matt McCarty: The left-handed golfer picked up his first PGA Tour victory on the Black Desert Championship in Utah on Oct. 13 in simply his third begin on tour. He received thrice in a six-week span on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2024 to earn his PGA Tour card.

Thriston Lawrence: A four-time winner on the DP World Tour, the South African golfer certified for the 2025 Masters and The Open by ending solo fourth at Royal Troon Golf Membership in July.

Aldrich Potgieter: Potgieter, one other golfer from South Africa, grew to become the youngest winner in Korn Ferry Tour historical past, at 19 years and 133 days, when he completed first on the Bahamas Nice Abaco Basic in January 2024. He led the KFT in driving distance (336.5 yards) and posted a 59 within the second spherical of the Astara Golf Championship in February.

Karl Vilips: One other former Stanford golfer, Vilips is an extended hitter off the tee (326.6 yards) and led the Korn Ferry Tour in birdie common (4.97). Vilips was born in Indonesia, raised in Australia and moved to the U.S. when he was 11.

Luke Clanton: Clanton is anticipated to hitch the PGA Tour after his senior season at Florida State, however he has already made fairly an impression as an beginner. Clanton made eight begins on tour final season, making the minimize in all however one, and tying for second on the John Deere Basic and RSM Basic.