Golfers To Watch In 2026: Major Contenders And Breakout Stars

It's time to start looking at who could take the golfing world by storm in 2026, including players primed to strike in the Majors, those tipped to make a breakthrough and some comeback kings.

There are a few golfers on an upward trajectory that could take that next step and win a Major championship in 2026, while we had to work hard to pick out just a few players who could have a big breakthrough year.

And what about a few extra players to watch who have had a tough year or two and really need to hit back in 2026. See who we've picked, and let us know your picks in the comments section below.

Golfers to watch in 2026 - primed to win a Major

Tommy Fleetwood

The monkey came off the back in style with that brilliant FedEx Cup victory for Tommy Fleetwood, followed by Ryder Cup glory and another title in India during a sumbline run of consistency down the stretch on both tours.

That consistency will see him challenge again in the Majors, but the boost of winning that FedEx Cup can't be underestimated. He's ready for a first Major win.

Tyrrell Hatton

Will Tyrrell Hatton or Tommy Fleetwood win a Major first? That's a big question as they have similar profiles with Hatton proving in 2025 that he can challenge for the big ones - as shown by his US Open near-miss.

One mistake was enough to give JJ Spaun the advantage, but having been in the thick of things and largely kept his head it's experience you just can't buy. His game has never been an issue.

Cameron Young

Russell Henley and Harris English have gone close, but Cameron Young has the Major game for me. His maiden PGA Tour win and excellent Ryder Cup return were validations he truly can be among the best in the game.

Even on what was a rocky year at times he managed a T4 at the US Open, his sixth top 10 in 15 Majors. Those boosts in confidence could be all he needs to get over the hump in 2026.

Robert MacIntyre

Second in the US Open then T7 in the Open Championship - I bet Robert MacIntyre can't wait to have a crack at the Majors again and the more times you get involved at the business end the more you get used to the intense pressure.

Winning the Ryder Cup then lifting the Dunhill Links trophy at St Andrews can't be bad for confidence either.

Ludvig Aberg

You may have forgotten but Ludvig Aberg won the Genesis Invitational back in February and then was bang in contention at The Masters before a bogey-triple bogey finish, but I've seen enough of him in Majors to know he can win one.

Augusta seems the most likely venue but his game should prosper anywhere really - he's one of the best drivers in the game when he's on it.

Jeeno Thitikul

The Thai superstar and World No.1 is the best player in the game yet to win a Major, and she's done everything but so far in her remarkable career.

She was agonizingly pipped by Grace Kim's eagles to lose the Evian, and you feel Thitikul needs to capitalize on her incredible form next year to rightly call herself a Major champion.

Charley Hull

Only one answer in women's golf as Charley Hull just surely has to win a Major one day, right? She's one of the biggest draws in the game, if not the biggest, and one of the best players around with a thrilling, attacking style - but as yet no Major victories.

Hull claimed her fourth runners-up finish at this year's AIG Women's Open and has six other top 10 finishes to her name - it's surely just a matter of time.

Lottie Woad

You'd normally have an amateur sensation who recently turned pro as a breakout candidate, but Lottie Woad has already done that with her Major performances that mean she'll be among the favourites in 2026.

After her third low-amateur finish when coming third at the Evian, she turned pro and then finished T8 at the AIG Women's Open when heading to Royal Porthcawl as the outright favorite in the betting.

That's remarkable to such a recent pro, but shows why Woad is not only tipped to win a Major but to make a run at being the dominant force in the game in the future.

Breakout stars to watch

Marco Penge

I absolutely can't wait to see how big-hitting Marco Penge performs on the PGA Tour. He's a big bomber with a glorious swing and seemed pretty comfortable battling Rory McIlroy down the stretch in the Race To Dubai.

That confidence will be crucial to his chances Stateside, but his enormous hitting prowess means his game is ideally suited for the PGA Tour challenge and at 27 he has enough experience to deal with the transition. Expect big things.

Harry Hall

Suppose you could say finishing T17 at the Tour Championship is a big breakthorugh, but I'm expecting even more from the big Englishman in 2026 after proving he can hang with the very best on the PGA Tour.

One of the best putters in the game, Hall only missed three cuts in America and had five top 10s and a further seven top 20s, but I want to see them turned into a win or two next year.

Angel Ayora

With David Puig and Jose Ballester Spain have two brilliant young talents, but could 21-year-old Angel Ayora prove to be even better? He only just missed out on bagging a PGA Tour card from his debut season on the DP World Tour after a late flurry of top 10s.

Moving up the ranks has come easy for the silky swinging Spaniard, who ended up 17th on the Race To Dubai, so expect some major performances in Europe in 2026.

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen

Yet another talented Dane coming through as Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen birdied three of his last four holes to finish T3 at the DP World Tour Championship and bag one of the 10 PGA Tour cards.

He celebrated by beating Cameron Smith to win the Australian Open, and following his three-win season on the second-tier HotelPlanner Tour in 2024 he knows how to get over the line. The progression is obvious and with a T12 at his first US Open he can clearly handle the big occasion.

Johnny Keefer

All eyes will be on Korn Ferry No.1 Johnny Keefer in his debut PGA Tour season - not least because of how he made his way into the OWGR top 50 despite playing just five events at the highest level and missing the cut in three.

Two wins and a record scoring average means he's the Korn Ferry Tour graduate to watch in 2026, who can launch bombs off the tee, averaging 320 yards, so if he can carry that form onto the PGA Tour he could make a big splash.

Mimi Rhodes

English golfer Mimi Rhodes fits the profile of rising star perfectly - a NCAA Div 1 team champion at Wake Forest, All-American and Curtis Cup winner as an amateur, she turned pro in 2024, won LET Rookie of the Year after a stellar 2025 and will play on the LPGA Tour in 2026.

The 23-year-old had a stunning spell of three tournament wins in four starts on the LET in 2025 so knows exactly how to get over the line. She also hit a hole-in-one during a top-20 finish in her AIG Women's Open debut. Big things are expected in her maiden LPGA season.

Yana Wilson

You have to admire anyone who decides to skip college to turn pro early, but the gamble paid off for Yana Wilson as she won twice and claimed Epson Tour Rookie of the Year honors to earn her LPGA Tour card for 2026 aged just 19.

It's obviously a huge step up to the LPGA Tour but showing that sort of ability and consistency, with 12 top 10s in 19 starts, should mean Nevada native Wilson is well equipped to make a splash in 2026.

Bounce back seasons for.....

Will Zalatoris

One of the best ball strikers around on his day, Will Zalatoris has been stricken with back trouble for three years, but hopefully 2026 can be the year he finally gets a decent run at things.

He was one of the best players in Majors for a time when he could've easily won a couple - if he can stay fit he has the game to get back involved in the big ones again.

Max Homa

After a down year in 2024 it was even worse for Max Homa this year with eight missed cuts and a huge tumble down the world rankings to outside the top 130, so he really needs a response in 2026.

This guy is a six-time PGA Tour winner and former World No.5 though, so surely his game will return and after some improved displays to end last season next year could be the moment things turn.

Jordan Spieth

Injuries hampered Jordan Spieth at the start of 2025 but he's spoken of how his best form isn't far away and could come after a solid offseason - and who are we to argue with the three-time Major champion?

Having The Open back at Royal Birkdale, the scene of his incredible 2017 victory, can't hurt either.

Hinako Shibuno

A disappointing 2025 for the Japanese player, who is a Major champion after a surprise 2019 AIG Women's Open victory at Woburn - but she really needs a spark to reignite her LPGA career.

The 27-year-old made just 10 cuts from 23 events in 2025 with just one top 10 - but that was at the US Women's Open where she came T7 so she can still perform in the big events. Going through LPGA Q-Series to improve her status for 2026 shows she's keen to climb back up the ranks again.