Changed PGA... A Series of First-Time Winners Emerge

4 First-Time Champions Crowned 'Unknown Storm'
Top World Ranking Players Matsuyama and Clark Reach the Summit
Attention on Star Players Scheffler, McIlroy for Comeback

The wave of unknown players is gaining momentum.

Nick Dunlap became the first amateur winner in 33 years at American Express.

This is the phenomenon of this year's U.S. Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) Tour. Out of nine tournaments held, as many as four players have tasted the joy of their first career victory. Nick Dunlap, Jake Knapp, Austin Eckroat (all from the U.S.), and Matthieu Pavon (France) all experienced the thrill of reaching the top of the PGA Tour for the first time.

On the other hand, wins by top-tier star players have been rare. Only Hideki Matsuyama (Japan), winner of the Genesis Invitational, and Wyndham Clark (U.S.), champion of the Pebble Beach AT&T Pro-Am, have collected winning trophies. Among the current top 20 in the world rankings, only Matsuyama and Clark have tasted victory.

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (U.S.) and No. 2 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) have yet to win. Viktor Hovland (Norway), Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa, Jordan Spieth (all U.S.), and Ludvig ?berg (Sweden) are also still without a win.

The top stars are aiming for a comeback at the fourth designated major tournament, the Arnold Palmer Invitational (total prize money $20 million), held on the 7th (local time) at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida (par 72, 7,466 yards). All the top-ranked players, who took a two-week break from tournaments, will participate. Among players ranked within the top 20 worldwide, everyone except Jon Rahm (Spain) and Tyrrell Hatton (England), who left for LIV Golf, has gathered.

Scheffler and McIlroy are trying to open the season’s winning floodgates. Scheffler won this tournament in 2022, and McIlroy in 2018. World No. 4 Hovland is challenging for his first victory at this event. Cantlay, Schauffele, Spieth, and Tommy Fleetwood (England) are considered favorites by experts. Kurt Kitayama (U.S.) is defending his title. Korea has four players entered: Kim Joo-hyung, Im Sung-jae, An Byeong-hun, and Kim Si-woo.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.