The 2025 PGA Tour season begins this coming week in Kapalua with The Sentry.
This year’s rookie class has a tough act to follow after a strong 2024 season. Nick Dunlap won the American Express in January as an amateur before getting his first professional win in July. His win 11 months ago marked the first win by an amateur since 1991. Dunlap’s two victories also helped him secure PGA Tour Rookie of the Year honors.
In addition, there’s Robert MacIntyre, who won in his home country at the Scottish Open in July. He also won the RBC Canadian Open a month before. Also, Matthieu Pavon became the first Frenchman to win a PGA Tour event in 117 years with his win at the Farmers Insurance Open.
As a result, the rookies will have themselves a challenge, especially with the heightened competition the PGA Tour has instilled going into 2026.
Here are 10 rookies to watch in 2025.
Matt McCarty
Matt McCarty won three times last year on the Korn Ferry Tour to earn an automatic promotion to the PGA Tour. That came in a six-start stretch in the summer for the 27-year-old. That helped him be exempt into the FedEx Cup Fall season where he won his first PGA Tour event by three shots at the Black Desert Championship in Utah. As a result, McCarty became the first player since 1997 to earn the victory promotion and win a PGA Tour event in the same season. He will be the only rookie to compete at the Sentry.
Also read: PGA Tour announces newly proposed changes to increase competition
Frankie Capan III
Frankie Capan III finished third on the Korn Ferry Tour points list to earn his tour card for the first time in 2025. He won the Nationwide Children’s Hospitals Championship during the Korn Ferry Tour finals for his first win. Capan III also had a couple of runner-up finishes in 25 starts. He also led the Korn Ferry Tour in par-5 scoring average and even had a round of 58 last season.
Related: How to play into the U.S. Open
Aldrich Potgieter
At 20 years old, Aldrich Potgieter finished just inside the top 30 of the Korn Ferry Tour points list at No. 29. He became the second youngest player to graduate from the Korn Ferry Tour, only trailing former World No. 1 Jason Day in 2007 at 19 years old. He had three top 10s in 24 starts, highlighted by winning The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic. That came in the second event of the 26-event Korn Ferry Tour schedule.
Rasmus Hojgaard
Rasmus Hojgaard might be the most familiar name of the rookie class because he has a twin, Nicolai, on the PGA Tour. Hojgaard finished first in the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai Rankings among those not otherwise exempt from the PGA Tour. That pathway, which was initiated a couple of years ago, gives Hojgaard his PGA Tour card for 2025. He only trailed Rory McIlroy in the Race to Dubai Rankings. Hojgaard won the Irish Open in September to highlight his eight top 10s in 2024.
Also read: Who has the most PGA Tour wins of all time?
Quade Cummins
Quade Cummins finished 11th in the Korn Ferry Tour standings to earn his PGA Tour card for 2025. In his third season on the Korn Ferry Tour, he led the tour in putts per round and total eagles. He was practically neck and neck with McCarty last season. Cummins posted a 68.39 scoring average, which was one stroke worse than McCarty.
Jackson Suber
Jackson Suber also finished in the top 30 of the Korn Ferry Tour points standings to earn PGA Tour membership this season. Suber, who finished in 20th, had five top 10s, including back-to-back top-three finishes. He finished third in putting average and eighth in putts per round. He also ranked second in birdie average.
Thriston Lawrence
Thriston Lawrence’s most notable performance in 2024 was his fourth-place finish at The Open in July. He at the lead at one point in the final round before Xander Schauffele took charge on the back nine to hoist the Claret Jug. Lawrence finished third in the DP World Tour Race to Dubai Ranking and one spot behind Hojgaard to earn his PGA Tour card. He had 10 top 10s, including five runner-up finishes last season.
Also read: 10 winners and losers from the 2024 Open Championship
Takumi Kanaya
Takumi Kanaya earned his PGA Tour card for 2025 by finishing in the top 5 of the PGA Tour’s Q-School a couple of weeks ago. He finished third at TPC Sawgrass’ Dye’s Valley course to get his first PGA Tour card. The 26-year-old has already appeared in 11 major championships despite not holding a PGA Tour car. He won seven times on the Japan Tour and is a former top-ranked amateur in the world. Â
Also read: The Showdown 2024: Highlights from the PGA vs. LIV match, including Rory McIlroy making clutch putts
Matthew Riedel
Matthew Riedel also earned his PGA Tour card through Q-School. Ridel finished fourth on the Q-School leaderboard despite shooting 2-over in the final round. Riedel, a Vanderbilt alum, finished fourth in the 2024 PGA Tour University Ranking before his performance in Q-School. He joined the Korn Ferry Tour last June and made 13 starts. It was highlighted by a runner-up finish at The Ascendant.
Will Chandler
Will Chandler is a third, 2025 PGA Tour rookie who qualified through Q-School. Chandler shot 7-under across his final 36 holes to earn his PGA Tour card. That included going a bogey-free 5-under 30 on the back nine during his final round. He was not able to finish in the Korn Ferry Tour top 30 points list to earn direct entry to the PGA Tour, resulting in going through Q-School.
Also read: WM Phoenix Open makes huge changes for 2025 after drunk fans created chaos this year