Golf World UK - August 2017

August 2017 Golf World 85

Will we get another

first-time major winner?

WHO IS NEXT? Golf World highlights six contenders to be the next first-time major winner.

When Sergio Garcia
secured an emotional
victory at the 2017
Masters, he became the
sixth first-time major
winner in a row. This run
of virginal victors has
surprised a lot of
people, but leading golf
statistician Professor
Mark Broadie isn’t one
of them: “I don’t think
it’s too surprising,

because golf is a very

unpredictable sport.

The game also doesn’t

currently have a

dominant player in the

mould of Tiger Woods

at his peak. When Tiger

was at his best he went

into every major with

a roughly 25% chance

of winning and this

dramatically reduced

the probability of a first-

time champion.”

It’s also worth noting

that although the last

half-dozen champions

have been first-time

major winners, none of

them were what you

would call a surprise

winner. Jason Day,

Dustin Johnson and

Henrik Stenson were all

ranked in the world’s

top six, Danny Willett

and G

in the

Walke

PGA

previ

“It jus

that

are ve

becau

four o

there

skilful play

field,” says

DEKI MATSUYAMA

: 25 ,PGA/Euro Tour wins: 4

tmajorfinish:T4,2016 US PGA

rwins infive weeks saw Japan’s biggest

e begin this season faster than a bullet

.He’scooledoffsincethenandfinished

attheMasters.Hisball-strikingis exquisite,

all depends on his putter. If it gets hot, he

run away with any tournament he enters. If

esn’t,he’llcomeupshort.

PATRICK CANTLAY

25, PGA/Euro Tour wins: 0

majorfinish:T21,2011USOpen

rstrugglingthroughabackinjuryanda

or personal tragedy (his caddie and best

dwaskilledinahit-and-runincident),the

merWorldAmateurNo.1isbeginningto

scoverhisbestform.He’soneofveryfew

previousexperienceatErinHills, wherehe

hed runner-up in the 2011 US Amateur.

ANE LOWRY

30 ,PGA/Euro Tour wins: 3

majorfinish:T2,2016USOpen

nd’stopgolfercouldhavewonthe2015

nat ChambersBay,andheshould have

the2016USOpenatOakmont,whenhe

tintothefinalround withafour-strokele

headsayshe’soutofformaroundthe

greens,but theheart sayshis short game ca

be fixed and Erin Hills will suit him.

JON RAHM

Age: 22, PGA/Euro Tour wins: 1

Bestmajorfinish:T23,2016USOpen

Hisrisehasbeentrulymeteoricasheclimbedinto

theworld’stop15withinayearofturnin H

finished 3rd in hisfirst PGA Tour event

and 2nd in his first twoWGCeventsand

6 0-footeagleputttowinhisfirstPGA

Nothing fazes the young Spaniard and

got a major-winning game.

RICKIE FOWLER

Age:28,PGA/EuroTourwins:6

Best majorfinish: T2, 2014 US Open an

Gonearethedayswhenpeopledescrib

“themostoverratedplayerontour”.Th

greatworkonhisswingwithButchHarmon,hes

nowathreateveryweekheteesitup.Hisapproach

play, scrambling and putting stats are outstanding,

sohe’llbeupthereifhisdriverbehavesandhe’s

recovered from a poor final round at the Masters.

RANDEN GRACE

29 ,PGA/Euro Tour wins: 8

jorfinish:3rd,2015USPGA

ingcloserinthemajorsandfeellikethe

ofgolfIamplayingshowsthatIdon’t

epdownforthetopguys,”saysGrace.

ds,butfourtop-fivefinishesinhislast

orssuggestthathecanbackitup.His

ball-striking statistics suggest that the

n is a test that suits his game the best.

US OPEN