Golf fans, take a breath—because the PGA Tour’s 2025 season has delivered drama, dominance, and a fresh wave of international talent, all setting the stage for an electrifying 2026. At the center of it all stands Scottie Scheffler, whose relentless consistency and remarkable achievements have made him the player everyone’s chasing—and the story everyone’s talking about.
Scheffler, just 29, has etched his name alongside Tiger Woods as the only men to win the PGA Tour’s player of the year award four seasons running. That’s not just a stat—it’s a testament to his iron will and skill under pressure. The Jack Nicklaus Award, coveted by every pro, now sits on Scheffler’s mantle for a fourth straight year. Only Woods, with five in a row between 1999 and 2003, has ever done better. Talk about rarefied air!
And it’s not just the awards. Scheffler’s 2025 campaign was nothing short of dazzling: six victories, including two majors—The Open and the PGA Championship—plus a tour-best 17 top-10 finishes. He didn’t miss a single cut all season. That’s the kind of stat line that makes rivals shake their heads and fans shake their fists in delight. PGA Tour chief executive Brian Rolapp summed it up: “Scottie’s consistent level of success has been nothing short of spectacular as he continues to chase history on the PGA Tour, and we’re excited to see what he will deliver in 2026.”
But what’s next for Scheffler? The answer is as tantalizing as it is historic: the career Grand Slam. He’s already conquered the Masters, The Open, and the PGA Championship. The only major left? The U.S. Open. That’s the holy grail for any golfer, and Scheffler’s chance to join the sport’s most exclusive club comes in 2026. If he pulls it off, he’ll join the likes of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods—legends all.
Asked about his ambitions for the new season on The Pat McAfee Show, Scheffler played it cool but made his priorities clear. “I would say that going into years, when I look at my career, I have what I would call dreams and aspirations. But I’m not one of those guys that sits at the beginning of the year and says, ‘I want to have four wins at the end of the year. I want to be top 10 in a certain category.’ I try to get the most out of myself each day,” he said. Yet, with a smile, he admitted, “The majors are always in the back of your head. I think those are the tournaments that mean the most to us as players.”
Staying healthy is now top of mind for Scheffler. Last offseason, a hand injury hampered his preparation. “Last offseason with the hand injury, it kind of set me back a little bit. Going into the year, I felt like I battled a little bit more staying healthy than I would have liked to,” he shared. This winter, he’s doubling down on recovery. “Going into this offseason, I was trying to get back in the gym, do a lot more recovery stuff than I would normally do and really try and get some of that inflammation out of my body and continue to get stronger.”
While Scheffler’s star continues to rise, the PGA Tour’s next generation is making noise too. South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter claimed the Arnold Palmer Award as rookie of the year, the only newcomer to qualify for the FedEx Cup Play-offs. Potgieter joins a select group of South African rookies to win the honor, following in the footsteps of Ernie Els and Trevor Immelman. His breakthrough season saw him become one of five rookies to win on tour in 2025, a sign that the talent pipeline is as strong as ever.
If you’re looking for drama, look no further than the 2025 WM Phoenix Open, where Thomas Detry, a Belgian standout, captured his first PGA Tour win in spectacular fashion. Detry entered the final round with a five-shot lead, but nerves threatened to derail his dream. “I actually felt comfortable on the first tee,” Detry recalled. “I didn’t really have any nerves. I felt like I had my full mind to it, and I was just ready to play my own game and not try to chase something.” He closed with a 65, winning by seven shots—the first Belgian ever to win on the PGA Tour. His secret? Meditation and ice baths, plus a steely focus: “Every time I drive it well and putt well, not much really can happen.”
Another big story from 2025: J.J. Spaun’s dramatic triumph at the U.S. Open. The 35-year-old nailed a 64-foot birdie putt on the final hole at Oakmont, clinching his first major and capping a season with seven top-10 finishes. “I just felt like [if] you keep putting yourself in these positions, like eventually you’re going to tick one off,” Spaun said after his win. “This isn’t—I don’t put myself in this position often—or at all—for a major, that’s for sure. This is only my second U.S. Open. But all the close calls that I’ve had on the PGA Tour this year has just been really good experience to just never, never give up.”
The season also saw Harris English notch his fifth career PGA Tour win at the Farmers Insurance Open, while finishing runner-up at both the PGA Championship and The Open. “When you win, you never know when your next time’s going to be, so you’ve got to really cherish the moment,” English reflected. “It’s so hard to win out here on the PGA Tour, there’s so many good players. There’s young guys coming out here every single year that are trying to take your job, and it’s awesome to see it. It pushes me to get better. And at 35, I feel like I’ve got a lot more years out here to compete and just keep getting better at this crazy game.”
Keegan Bradley, meanwhile, balanced playing duties with serving as captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 2025. Despite the heartbreak of a U.S. loss to Europe, Bradley managed six top-10 finishes and captured the Travelers Championship. “You win, it’s glory for a lifetime. You lose, it’s, ‘I’m going to have to sit with this for the rest of my life,’” Bradley admitted, showing the emotional weight of team golf at the highest level.
Matt Fitzpatrick and Chris Gotterup also made headlines. Fitzpatrick outlasted Rory McIlroy to win the DP World Tour Championship in November, adding to his 2022 U.S. Open title. Gotterup, one of the tour’s longest hitters, broke through with a win at the Genesis Scottish Open, besting world No. 1 McIlroy, and finished third at The Open.
Veteran Alex Norén staged a stirring comeback from a hamstring tear, winning two PGA European Tour events and proving that experience still counts in a sport often dominated by youth.
With Scheffler’s chase for the Grand Slam, Potgieter’s rise, and a global cast of contenders, the 2026 season is shaping up to be one for the ages. Golf’s elite are sharpening their games, and the next chapter promises more history, heart, and heroics. Stay tuned—this show is far from over.
