Golf’s Biggest Résumé Gaps

Golf has just passed a rather large inflection point. The Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson era of golf, a transformative time in the sport where golf went from casual to cool, has ended and the new era of stars have taken over. We’ve seen the likes of the Dustin Johnson type of player dominate and age out of major relevance while the younger players are starting to buck.

So with that, I figured it would be a good time to check in on what the biggest names in golf are actually missing in terms of what would be the most substantial in terms of boosting their résumés. Here we go.

Rory McIlroy: An Open at St. Andrews

Rory has won an Open Championship so maybe this is a bit unfair in terms of things he needs, but considering what he did in his first Open Championship at the Old Course (a short miss away on the 17th in the opening round for a then-major record 62) to the way he played the last time the Old hosted the Open, it seems missing in the résumé.

If Rory actually wins the Open in 2027, it’ll put a lasting period on a résumé that has seen Rory come in a time Tiger was fading out of golf and actually growing as a golfer the older he got.

It would also place Rory in the top-five all-time in terms of golfers.

Scottie Scheffler: U.S. Open

This answer became a lot easier after his ridiculous 2025. The knock, if such a thing existed, with Scottie before the start of this season was his lack of success in the non-Masters majors. That quickly changed with his PGA and Open Championship wins, meaning the last of the majors to tick off in terms of a career Grand Slam is the U.S. Open.

An interesting note for Scottie in his quest for the Grand Slam is this; Scottie also has an Olympic gold medal, meaning if and when he wins his U.S. Open, he will be the lone golfer to ever accomplish the Golden Slam as its called in tennis (winning all the majors plus a gold medal). Considering golf has only recently been added to the Olympics, it isn’t quite far to compare that to past generations but I do think it’ll be something for future generations to focus on considering it is likely Scottie will be the first to ever win all the majors plus a gold medal.

Jordan Spieth: PGA Championship

Also an easy one with Spieth as he sits a Wanamaker away from his own career Grand Slam. Jordan had a really good shot at it during his epic major season of 2015, finishing second to a red-hot Jason Day at Whistling Straits, but has never really contended in another PGA Championship.

The golf courses tend to ask the questions that Spieth’s golf game can’t quite answer at this point in his career and the results back that up, so who knows if he can find a way to contend again at some point in his career, but Spieth winning the PGA will always be something of note when we arrive at the second major of the season.

Brooks Koepka: Masters

Koepka was so polished in the major championships during his run that it felt a win at Augusta National was inevitable. Brooks finished T-2 in 2019 to Tiger and again in 2023 to Rahm, but the consistency has been the most perplexing for Koepka at the Masters.

In between those second-place finishes, Brooks has missed a boatload of cuts (2021, ’22, and ’25) and just doesn’t appear to be the golfer capable of winning major championships at this point in his career. If he can find that level of game again, snagging a green jacket would be the highest priority of a guy who made winning majors a regular occurrence in his prime.

Dustin Johnson: A Claret Jug

There are two majors that DJ is still seeking, but I continue to think of the Open Championship as a major that Dustin could have and should have won. The ball-striking, the ability to flight the golf ball, the distance, the attitude; it all adds up to success across the pond.

Of course, DJ had his best shot in 2011 when he trailed Darren Clarke by a single shot entering Sunday and struggled to get anything going at Royal St. George’s. Who knows if we will ever see DJ at his best again, but if we do, it would be cool to see Dustin find a way to play himself into an Open Championship (his exemptions ended this season) and potentially contend again.

Xander Schauffele: U.S. Open

It’s pretty crazy that the major that Xander has been the most successful at is one of the two he still hasn’t won. Xander’s U.S. Open record is one of the most consistent in the modern era, and his game seems suited for this style of golf (fairways, greens, pars, grind).

I think Xander wins one eventually but we’ve said that about so many golfers over the years (think, Mickelson, Phil) … you don’t win it until you win it and Xander has burned a lot of good opportunities at the toughest major in men’s golf without a trophy.

Justin Thomas: Masters

I continue to be perplexed at the lack of success from Justin Thomas at Augusta National. It just seems like a place that would fit into his hands when his game is on point. You have to be a great pitcher of the golf ball (check), you have to be creative and willing to lean into that creativity (check), and you can get away with a foul ball or two off the tee over the course of four days.

On top of that, you are besties with a man that won this thing five times in his career.

The fact that Thomas has never really been in contention on a Sunday is wild and his game seems to be going the other way at this point in his career when it comes to playing well at Augusta National.

Patrick Cantlay: PLAYERS Championship

Sure, it’s easy to say that Cantlay needs to win a major, but why don’t we start with a PLAYERS? The most prestigious event in non-major golf is famously democratic in its champions, so why not Cantlay as an upcoming PLAYERS champion?

His major record is surprisingly bleak, but a PLAYERS win would do a lot for how we look at the guy as an actual threat in terms of major championship golf. Win the PLAYERS first and we can start to focus on a potential major championship.

Nelly Korda: U.S. Women’s Open

This year has been a strange one for Nelly; the stats say she’s as good as past seasons but the trophies have not.

Unlike the men’s game, in terms of LPGA majors, there is a clear number one that matters to these golfers more than the others and it’s the U.S. Women’s Open.

Nelly has been close (very close this year) but has still failed to win this coveted major championship. Hopefully she can get one sooner than later.

Bryson DeChambeau: A Non-U.S. Open Major

I’m not sure anything defines a golfer’s skill set like winning USGA Championships throughout their career, and that is something Bryson has been great at. He dominated on his way to his U.S. Amateur week in 2016 and he has picked up two U.S. Opens at two iconic rota courses in his relatively young professional career.

But winning a solo major is one thing, having a game that can blend at other spots is another. Bryson seems to have the game to win U.S. Opens and PGA Championships; we still need to see if he can do it at a Masters or Open Championship for four straight days.

If he can, it’ll put him in a new class amongst his peers and could open the doors for a few more majors considering his commitment and obsessive approach to getting better every single day.

Tiger Woods: U.S. Senior Open

Tiger Woods hits his approach the 4th hole during the first round of the 2012 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am at Spyglass Hill Golf Course.(Photo by Chris Condon/PGA TOUR)

Who knows if we will ever see Tiger compete again on the golf course considering the continued surgeries the man has undergone, but if we do see him back at some point, this should be his focus.

Nobody has ever won a U.S. Junior, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open in a single career. Tiger’s focus has always been on legacy and this would, once again, separate him from everyone else.

Tiger turns 50 at the end of this year, meaning he will have a real crack at accomplishing this if it’s something he wants to pursue. And just to save you a search, the upcoming U.S. Senior Open sites are:

2026: Scioto C.C.

2027: Oak Tree National

2028: Crooked Stick Golf Club

2029: Prairie Dunes

2030: Spyglass Hill