Sports About Fame, Triumph and Trophies. It’s about records, suing me and celebrating. But for every winner there are many losers.
For them, there is disappointment and despair. There are unwanted records, criticism and cat calls.
Who will be the poorest in golf in 2025? Let’s take a look.
1. The PGA of America
The appointment of Keegan Bradley as PALELA’s RYDER COUD looked like a fool and nothing happened in 2025, or in the image itself, changed anyone’s mind with a sad decision in July 2024.
Bradley, remember, was overlooked in opposition to the 2023 game by Captain Zach Johnson and filtered to get news about the Netflix series Full of Swing. It would have been possible if the PGA of America wanted to make things better when they gave Captain and travel back to manage them.
Bradley was already playing well when he won the intelligence of the June travelers so he had to decide not to be the playing captain. Rory McIlroy revealed that he had heard of such a role and quickly dismissed it. Bradley snapped that the Northern Irishman had no idea it was possible. It wasn’t a good look or a good attitude for the captain and it wasn’t needed.
In the game itself Bradley did not go well in the first two days but the PGA of America doubled down on his recruitment by hiring a comedian who joined his sketches clashing with him: “f ** k you rory!”
Oh, and then PGA CEO Derek Sprague had to send an email of apology to MICLOOY for that draft, and about the trauma to him and the beer to his wife.
Overall? Easily the biggest flops of the year.
2. Liv Golf
You know you’ve nailed it when you confirm the doubts of your critics and, at the same time, disappoint your fans – and that’s what Liv Golf did when it was announced that the 2026 schedule will include 72 events.
So, the short length is there, one of the Rebel District Signatures is going to change its mind and it will be nothing but a stop. Inevitably, therefore, there was a Crower from the smugger’s critics. Others are simply frustrated (which may be more of a snub).
But when Livy’s followers rose to anger, or felt betrayed, it was a time of danger.
3. Joaquin Niemann
Get it completely wrong: the Chilean is one of the best golfers in the world and he proved it many times in 2025, not least when he won five times at LIV.
But he remains a huge bore in the majors. He played 26 of them and only came to the top. That was this year’s PGA Championship and you had a final score of 68.
He then missed the cut at the US open and is open to resuming his special challenge.
4. Wyndham Clark
In 2023, the Colorado Golfer won the open at the US Country Club but this year he missed the cut at Oakmont and took out his lock.
The broken furniture appeared on social media and his broken reputation went with it. He was banned from Oakmont and issued a sweet apology.
He finished fourth in the open, which was his only major tournament top 30 finish without a win, so maybe letting off steam helped him.
It’s still a pretty bad looking thing, though.
5. Max Homa
There are few golfers more popular than the Californian who is a six-time winner on the PGA Tour – the last of them in 2023.
But something strange happened in his work. When he won all those titles he was poor in the majors. Then at the start of 2024, he completed a back-to-back 10 back at the majors and the PGA Championship.
But in the 36 starts since then he’s only reached the top 10s anywhere and in early 2025 he fell far short. A return to his best golf is among many friends of Golf’s greatest hopes for 2026.
6. Dustin Johnson
DJ insisted late in the summer that he would find something in his game that would improve his golf to continue and he achieved a third in three at Liv IndiaSpolis.
But as a Major Membership Maker he was a significant flop for the second year running in 2025. He missed the cut in the first three majors of the year and followed it up after opening with a 73. He finished T23 but his opening rounds at the 2024 and 2025 majors didn’t spoil it.
They read: 78-73-74-74-75-73. It’s bad for the eyes.
7. Patrick Cantlay
In eight seasons from 2017 to 2024, the 36-year-old registered 203 top threes and had the most power in 2022 when he hit seven of them.
But this season he recorded one of the top three and while it has an advantage – in a tour tournament – it is a very poor return for a golfer of his quality. He is back and hasn’t won since 2022.
8. Rickie Fowler
The 36-year-old impressed when he finished sixty-seven in the St. Jude Championship and the BMW Championship in the FedEx Cup Play-offs, but many viewers did not discuss his mere presence in them.
Why is that? He would only make the top 10 all year before he also played in many invitational tournaments that were considered an unfair advantage over other golfers who were competing early on. Fowler will want to avoid such concerns in 2026 and will need to play better to do so.
9. Yannik Paul
When the German sought a first DP World tour win in late 2022 and then added a trio of TOP TOP PEPS in 2023 he was on many lists for the European Ryder Cup.
2025 was different. It’s very different. In 27 First he managed only the top 30. He didn’t keep his card, had to go back to school – and missed the cut.
Read more: The most massive stars from the 2025 era
