Now that the season is over and the last putts have dropped, it’s time to look back at who truly levelled up in 2025.
While Scottie Scheffler continued his dominance as World No. 1, this season wasn’t defined by the established superstars. It was defined by the rookies who won, the veterans who found a new gear, and the rising stars who officially broke through. From the PGA Tour to the G4D Tour, here are the biggest improvers of the 2025 season.
The Main Tours
Men: PGA Tour
The “Most Improved” story on the PGA Tour is a two-parter. First, the veteran: Tommy Fleetwood. Long considered one of the best players without a PGA Tour win, he finally shattered that ceiling in August, capturing both the TOUR Championship and the FedExCup, his first PGA Tour title and a moment years in the making.
But the breakout star was Michael Brennan. Playing on a sponsor’s invite, he won the PGA Tour’s Bank of Utah Championship at Black Desert in October, earning a two-year exemption and skipping the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. He had already impressed with multiple results on PGA TOUR Americas, so this felt like the natural next step.
Men: LIV Golf
While Jon Rahm captured the 2025 LIV Golf Individual Championship, the season’s biggest improver was his nearest challenger, Joaquín Niemann. The Torque GC captain enjoyed a stellar year with five individual wins, showing just how far he has pushed his game.
Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin also made headlines. The 22-year-old moved into the Lock Zone conversation and ended his year with a statement round, a course-record 60 at the International Series Hong Kong, hinting that a first individual title may not be far away.
Men: DP World Tour
This season was all about the leap, and Marco Penge made the biggest one. After just retaining his card in 2024, he bounced back with three wins in 2025, including the Hainan Classic, the Danish Golf Championship, and the Open de España. He is on track to secure a 2026 PGA Tour card via a top-ten Race to Dubai finish, under the published DP World Tour to PGA Tour pathway.
The tour also saw a surge of new winners, none more popular than Junghwan Lee, who thrilled home fans by winning the Genesis Championship in Korea.
Women: LPGA Tour
The LPGA was shaped by a remarkable rookie class. The standout was Miyu Yamashita of Japan, who captured the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Porthcawl to become a major champion in her debut season. She then added another title at the Maybank Championship and stayed in the thick of the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year race.
She was joined by another breakout rookie, Ingrid Lindblad of Sweden, who claimed her first LPGA title at the JM Eagle LA Championship. Together, they proved that the next generation has truly arrived.
The Pipeline: Who’s Next?
G4D (World Disability) Tour
The G4D Tour continued its inspiring rise, and its stars delivered once again. At the G4D Open at Woburn, Ireland’s Brendan Lawlor defended his title to become a two-time champion. In the women’s competition, Daphne van Houten of the Netherlands also secured a brilliant repeat victory.
Korn Ferry Tour Graduates (The New PGA Tour Rookies)
These are the 20 players who fought all year to earn a PGA Tour card for 2026. Keep an eye on these names:
• Johnny Keefer – Finished No. 1 on the points list and was named 2025 Player of the Year, per the PGA Tour’s graduate summary.
• Neal Shipley – Proved his professional credentials with two wins, including The Ascendant.
• Chandler Blanchet – Won the Korn Ferry Tour Championship.
World Amateur Tour
The amateur scene continues to overflow with talent. Jackson Koivun claimed the McCormack Medal as the world’s top male amateur. The Global Amateur Pathway also did its job, helping players like Dominic Clemons and Charlie Forster progress onto the HotelPlanner Challenge Tour while the top eligible non-collegiate player earned a DP World Tour card through the same system.
World Children (Junior) Tour
The future looks bright. The AJGA rankings are led by Miles Russell for the Boys and Aphrodite Deng for the Girls. And yes, that familiar name is climbing fast. Charlie Woods has cracked the top 10, marking his arrival as one of the game’s elite junior players.
The Irish Corner: A 2025 Review
It was a brilliant year for Irish golf across every level.
- Men (Pro): The standout improver was Mark Power. In his first full professional season, the Wake Forest graduate broke through by winning the Clutch Tour Championship. He is one of a strong Irish contingent, including Conor Purcell, Dermot McElroy and Max Kennedy, heading to DP World Tour Q-School.
- Women (Pro): Lauren Walsh enjoyed a career-best year. Representing Carton House, she secured a T-3 finish in Taiwan and climbed to 10th on the LET Order of Merit, putting her within reach of an LPGA card for 2026.
- Disabled: Brendan Lawlor remains a standard-bearer for the G4D Tour, defending his G4D Open title, while Kipp Popert claimed the G4D Irish Open.
- Amateur and Junior: The pipeline is healthy. James Sugrue earned a full 2026 Challenge Tour card via the Clutch Tour standings, and Joe Hannigan topped the Flogas Order of Merit.
What This Sets Up For 2026
From Fleetwood’s long-awaited breakthrough to Yamashita’s stunning major win and Penge’s surge, 2025 delivered stories of belief and momentum. With so many young and emerging players now established, next season already looks loaded with intrigue. If the current arcs hold, expect Brennan to become a regular contender on the PGA Tour, Niemann to keep stacking trophies, and McKibbin to turn sparks into silverware. The base is set. Now we get to see who kicks on.
