PGA Tour: 10 underperforming players in 2024

The highest-ranked player in the world with a season that needs to quickly turn around is Viktor Hovland. Hovland, ranked No. 7 in the world golf rankings, has just one top-10 finish in 11 starts this season. Hovland is 50^th in the FedEx Cup standings, signifying his disappointing season after winning three times last year, including the FedEx Cup. The top 50 make the BMW Championship and earn exemption into the Signature events. If Hovland wants to retain his FedEx Cup, he has to get to the top 30 before the Tour Championship. He is about 330 points away from the No. 30 position entering the Genesis Scottish Open.

Another struggling player ranked inside the top 20 of the world golf rankings is Max Homa. Homa has just three top 10s in 16 starts after having 13 top 10s and two wins last year. Homa has not been able to put up the strokes gained numbers as he did last year. He was 41st last season in strokes gained: off the tee. This year: 139th. Homa’s putting has also been down compared to last season, going from sixth to 91st in strokes gained putting.

Jordan Spieth is also a player that has just three top 10s this season. Since being disqualified from The Genesis Invitational in February, Spieth only has one top 10 compared to five missed cuts. That lone top 10 came at the Valero Texas Open in April, a week before he missed the cut at the Masters. Playing through a left wrist injury has been one of the primary reasons for a down 2024 season.

Also read: Where Jordan Spieth’s 2015 Masters win stands among the best to wear the Green Jacket

It is hard to identify a player that has underperformed on the PGA Tour, if they have not won. However, when a player has that talent of being one of the best in the world, then it comes. Tommy Fleetwood has not hoisted a trophy on the PGA Tour in six seasons despite recording eight international wins. In 2024, Fleetwood has one missed cut. However, his best finish since his T3 at the Masters was a T13 at Wells Fargo. He ranks 155^th in second round scoring, which has set him back to contend after a solid opening round.

If it was not for Scottie Scheffler winning the Travelers Championship, Tom Kim would probably not be on this list. However, Tom Kim was the runner-up and has only two top 10s. His other top 10 came at the RBC Canadian Open despite only missing four cuts in 20 starts this season. Kim has not been able to be in contention as much, being one of the game’s brightest young stars at 21. He was as low as 99^th in the standings in mid-April but has been starting to turn things around.

In three PGA Tour seasons, Cameron Young has seven runner-up finishes but no wins. In 2024, he came close at the Valspar Championship and the Rocket Mortgage. However, in the Signature events, plus the majors, Young has not done that well. Outside of a T9 at the Masters and the Travelers, the 2022 Rookie of Year has struggled against the game’s best. This was a player that has the makings of being part of that elite tier, even without a PGA Tour win. He still can reach that, even in 2024, but has to find a way to get there first.  

Matt Fitzpatrick has had a down 2024 with three top 10s in 17 starts this season. Two of his top 10s came in consecutive starts weeks. He finished in fifth place at The Players Championship before tying for 10^th at the Valero Texas Open. Fitzpatrick’s only other top 10 came at the Memorial when he tied for fifth. Since his T10 at Valero, he has just one top-15 finish, which came at the Zurich Classic.

The up-and-down season for Wyndham Clark has been more on the down as of late. In a season where Clark has emerged as one of the game’s best, he has slowed down a bit. After winning at Pebble Beach followed by three top fives in a five-start stretch, he only has one top 10 since. That also includes back-to-back missed cuts sandwiched between a T47 and T56.

Also read: Where Wyndham Clark sits in the world golf rankings

The word to describe Patrick Cantlay’s season has been a little more underwhelming than underperforming. Cantlay, who has not won on the PGA Tour in more than two years, has played well this season, but not to the degree of the superstars on the PGA Tour. He has only missed one cut, which has benefitted him to be ninth in the FedEx Cup standings. However, there is another level that Cantlay can get to, despite four top-five finishes this season.    

As the reigning Open Championship winner prepares for his title defense, Brian Harman has not had the best of years. After having three runner-up finishes and seven top 10s a season ago, he has only one and three, respectively. Although he has only missed two cuts, Harman has not been able to have that success on the weekends to contend. He’s 88^th this season in round three scoring average after being second last year.

Related: Where Brian Harman stands on the list of Open Championship winners