The greens of golf, often a stage for triumph, can also be a ruthless theater of shattered dreams. As each stroke unfolds, the intense pressure and high stakes can unravel even the most poised golfers. A prime example of such a situation was at the recent US Open, where Rickie Fowler, much to the dismay of his followers, faltered when the championship was within his reach. He had an opportunity to finally seize that elusive major title but sadly ended up spiraling out with a disheartening +4 74 in the final round.
Fowler’s stumble, however, brings us to an intriguing question: who are the top active golfers on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf yet to notch a major championship victory? Let’s dive in and discover.
Top 5 Active Golf Players Who Have Not Won a Major Championship
In the esteemed and history-laden sport of golf, earning a major championship title is often viewed as the zenith of a golfer’s career. It’s a testament to their skill, tenacity, and ability to perform under the most demanding circumstances.
It’s no surprise, then, that those who’ve come close but fallen short carry with them a mixture of anticipation and potential. Today, we’ll look at five such golfers, their impressive careers to date, and why they might be poised to finally break through at the major level. As they gear up for another shot at glory, let’s start with the man who recently felt the bitter sting of disappointment at the US Open, Rickie Fowler.
5. Rickie Fowler
- Age: 34
- OWGR: 35
- Career Prize Money: $46.5 Million
- PGA Tour Wins: 5
- Best Major Finishes
- Masters: 2nd (2018)
- PGA Championship: T3 (2014)
- US Open: T2 (2014)
- The Open: T2 (2014)
What better place to start than with the man himself. Fowler has found himself in contention for majors on several occasions, but is always the bridesmaid and never the bride. While his best friends, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas have captured several major victories between them, Fowler is yet to experience the thrill of victory in a major.
One of his best chances came this weekend at the US Open. Fowler was atop the leaderboard at the beginning of every round after shooting a US Open record 62 on Thursday. However, he could not close it out despite being in the last group on Sunday, shooting a disappointing 74 in the final round. He added to his list of close calls, but we are still yet to see the famous Sunday orange colors lift a major trophy.
4. Matt Kuchar
- Age: 45
- OWGR: 53
- Career Prize Money: $57.6 Million
- PGA Tour Wins: 9
- Best Major Finishes:
- Masters: T3 (2012)
- PGA Championship: T7 (2015)
- US Open: T6 (2010)
- The Open: 2nd (2017)
Matt Kuchar, a stalwart of the PGA Tour, has remained competitive on the world stage thanks to his enviable consistency and excellent short game. Despite his advanced age, he continues to show promise, particularly at the Open Championship, where his strategic play and experience in diverse conditions have led to success.
As the clock ticks on his career, Kuchar will be hoping to seize his remaining opportunities and cap off his distinguished career with a major title. Time may be running out for fan favorite ‘Kuch’ but he still has multiple shots to make his way off this list and etch his name into golfing folklore and capture his first major championship.
3. Patrick Cantlay
- Age: 31
- OWGR: 4
- Career Prize Money: $38.6 Million
- PGA Tour Wins: 8
- Best Major Finishes:
- Masters: T9 (2019)
- PGA Championship: T3 (2019)
- US Open: T14 (2022 & 2023)
- The Open: T8 (2022)
Despite his eight PGA Tour victories, Patrick Cantlay has yet to shine at major championships. His most notable performance came in the 2019 PGA Championship, where he finished six shots back of eventual champion, Brooks Koepka.
Cantlay’s career prize money of $38.6 million puts his 23rd in all-time career earnings, but he would likely swap all of that for a lead after the 18th on a major Sunday. Coming into the prime of his career at just 31, Cantlay should be a figure that will be hovering around the top of major leaderboards for a long time yet, and his inaugural major victory could be on way soon.
2. Xander Schauffele
- Age: 29
- OWGR: 6
- Career Prize Money: $37.6 Million
- PGA Tour Wins: 7
- Best Major Finishes:
- Masters: T2 (2019)
- PGA Championship: T10 (2020)
- US Open: T3 (2018)
- The Open: T2 (2019)
Xander Schauffele is a perennial contender at major championships, but as yet to capture one of the four biggest tournaments in golf. Schauffele has a top-10 finish at every major and much like Patrick Cantlay is now entering the prime of his golfing career.
Schauffele does have an Olympic gold medal in his collection, and while that is certainly a feather in his cap, we wonder if he would swap that out for a green jacket on Masters Sunday. Schauffele is knocking at the door at majors, and it surely won’t be long before he kicks that door open and takes what every golfer dreams of, a major championship victory.
1. Viktor Hovland
- Age: 25
- OWGR: 5
- Career Prize Money: $22.3 Million
- PGA Tour Wins: 4
- Best Major Finishes:
- Masters: T7 (2023)
- PGA Championship: T2 (2023)
- US Open: T12 (2019)
- The Open: T4 (2022)
Viktor Hovland is one of the most prodigious talents on the PGA Tour. Coming off the back of a very successful amateur career where he won the US Amateur in 2018, he turned professional just four short years ago. In that span, Hovland has already won four times on the PGA Tour.
Given his age and talent level, Hovland has many years of peak performance ahead of him, making him a strong contender for future majors. Surely, it is just a matter of time before the young Norwegian becomes his country’s first ever major winner.
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