In a COVID-shortened 2020, the quartet of Brendan James (Editor), Jimmy Emanuel (Deputy Editor), Michael Jones (writer) and Rod Morri (columnist) tipped 20 winners between them as well as an incredible 103 top-10s across the main Tours.

At the beginning of the New Year, the foursome looked a little further ahead to reveal the players they thought would play well, hoist trophies and grab a few headlines in 2021.

Each selected their player to watch from the PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, European Tour and the Asian/Japanese Tours. They also chose a player to keep an eye on from outside the Top-100 of the world ranking (man or woman), a nomination for biggest improver of 2021 and the Australian player they thought would excel this year.

Let’s see if these guys have any idea …

PGA TOUR

It is hard to describe the World No.6 as being in a position to have a breakout year, but I firmly believe 2021 will signal XANDER SCHAUFFELE as a future No.1.

Schauffele’s five PGA Tour wins at just 27 is impressive, but the American could be a major winner already and has yet to consistently lock down a place in the top-10 of the world rankings.

From my observations, the Californian is still learning to win as consistently as his talent suggests he perhaps should, however he is certainly well placed to do so. Schauffele finished inside the top-25 in 13 of his 14 starts post the PGA Tour’s coronavirus hiatus, has recorded a podium finish in every major bar the PGA Championship and is strong in every area of the game except driving accuracy.

Expect big things from Schauffele this year, including a first major. – Jimmy Emanuel

While it’s tempting to focus on the likes of Dustin Johnson or Bryson DeChambeau, one name stands out to me: XANDER SCHAUFFELE. He has everything it takes to explode this year and break into the top two or three players in the world.

It’s hard to believe Schauffele is only in his fifth full year on the PGA Tour, considering he had already amassed four victories and 26 top-10 finishes through the end of 2020.

The 27-year-old is yet to break into the major-winner’s circle – but check out his record at the big four: 13 of 14 cuts made, seven top-10s, five top-5s and two runner-up performances at the Open (2018) and Masters (2019).

Schauffele is consistently ranked highly tee-to-green and is becoming more and more lethal with the putter as he matures. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him capture his maiden major title this year, two additional victories and a place inside the world’s top-three ranked players. – Michael Jones

If you spend any time at the back of the practice range at a Tour event, you will notice there are a few players that other players will stop their hitting just to watch. Tiger Woods is an obvious one. Patrick Reed gets some looks, as does Adam Scott, Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy.

You can add SUNGJAE IM to that list. He is a first-class ball-striker. The hit is crisp and sounds different to those playing alongside him. Yes, different … and better.

He’s got a wonderful range of shots, while his temperament is, again, very different to many of his Tour colleagues. He genuinely loves being a Tour pro. He loves the travel, the practice and the competition. Most importantly, he loves to hit shots. His buzz comes from picturing a shot and pulling it off, something he does with great regularity.

In a year cut short by COVID, Sungjae still found 28 tournaments to play, which is more than most pros in a normal year. His four wins in the past three years, and a T2 at the Masters in November, is enough of an apprenticeship to see him push for major championship or world golf championship honours in 2021. – Brendan James

As the cliché goes, he’s got all the tools but Sydneysider (now Seattle) CAMERON DAVIS has more than just that.

His win at the 2017 Australian Open was no fluke, the final round 64 the best of the day by two shots and an inkling of a special talent.

He’s since won on the secondary Tour in the US and comfortably kept his card on the main circuit and begins 2021 a vastly better player than the one who triumphed at The Australian three years ago.

But don’t take my word for it: no less than Mr Statistics himself, Justin Ray, is in agreement. He notes Davis is typical of the top young players in today’s game in all ways but one: consistency.

“Davis in 2019-20 was consistent,” he wrote recently: “He had positive Strokes Gained in all six denominations – Off-the-Tee, Approach, Around the Green, Putting, Tee to Green and Total. Davis ranks well above average in five of the six metrics, and is right on the middle line when it comes to putting.

“Davis should pop up on more leaderboards in 2021.”

I concur. – Rod Morri

LPGA TOUR

The shutdown of the world’s golfing Tours effected players in many different ways. Some used the time to recuperate from niggling injuries, while others worked hard on their game waiting for tournament golf to begin again. The LPGA was the last main Tour to return and, while some players hit the ground running. JENNIFER KUPCHO, won the Colorado Open during the break and was expected to be one of those form players, but she struggled.

The 23-year-old American finished T60 in the return event, before missing four consecutive cuts in as many weeks. A week away from the Tour saw Kupcho make some changes before the ANA Inspiration, where she finished T22. A runner-up result and a T7 soon followed.

At the time of writing, Kupcho had risen to World No.19 and was still in search of her first LPGA Tour win. It will come in 2021, as will a position in the Top-10 of the Rolex World Ranking. – Brendan James

MEL REID managed to get her first LPGA Tour win in 2020, and this year is positioned as one of the most exciting players to watch as she benefits from the confidence boost breaking her duck will have provided.

Reid was a prolific winner on the Ladies European Tour prior to moving to America, winning six times and recording 41 top-10 finishes, and having noticeably improved with the putter last year, looks set to fulfil her potential on the biggest stage in women’s golf.

I have long been a fan of Reid’s game, especially her outstanding ball striking, and her world ranking of 35 (at the time of writing) will be a distant memory in my opinion come the end of this year when she will have added to the trophy cabinet and returned as the heart and soul of the European Solheim Cup team. – Jimmy Emanuel

How on earth is LYDIA KO still only 23? It’s crazy to think six years have passed since the two-time major winner first reached the pinnacle of the world ranking.

It hasn’t been an easy few years for the South Korean-born New Zealander, who hasn’t added to her 15 LPGA Tour titles since 2018. She fell as low as World No.55 in August last year and faced plenty of criticism. But she’s since found something – and it has been terrific to watch her contending again.

I don’t think we will ever see her back to her dominant best. But I do think she will be one of the major players on the LPGA this year. – Michael Jones

2020 was set to be a breakout year for MADELENE SAGSTROM after she claimed her first LPGA title at the opening event in January.

Having steadily improved in each of her three previous seasons on Tour, the 28-year-old looked to have worked out the path to the next level.

But what followed were two disappointing weeks in Australia where poor final rounds at both the Vic Open (81) and Australian Women’s Open (78) shook her confidence.

Then COVID-19 came along and stalled, for five months, any progress she might have made.

Sagstrom was less than her best when the Tour restarted in July, posting a string of missed cuts and poor finishes.

But her last two events showed signs of improvement and she will be one to watch in 2021. – Rod Morri

EUROPEAN TOUR

WILCO NIENABER made headlines at the Joburg Open when he opened with an eight under 63, which included three bogies. Also in the round was a measured drive of 439 yards (401 metres). Social media went into meltdown about ‘the freakish big-hitter from South Africa”.

Nienaber is a star on the rise, who has a cool temperament, sharp short game and the ability to go on lengthy birdie runs during a round. Then there is his immense power which allows him the luxury of hitting short irons into greens. He had five top-12 finishes in 2020, including a runner-up display at the Joburg Open.

The 20-year-old has made an impressive start to his career on the European Tour and I’ll go out on a limb here and predict we’ll be hearing a lot more of his exploits during the next 18 months and will be an outside chance of making the International Presidents Cup team in 2022. – Brendan James

THOMAS PIETERS has yet to truly harness his incredible talent for the game and secure himself as one of Europe’s best players, and 2021 could be the year the Belgian does exactly that.

Pieters’ early career success suggested a truly special player was on display, and despite falling outside the top-100 on the world rankings at times since, at just 28 there is plenty of time to deliver on that promise.

The former University of Illinois student appears to have a desire to play more in America in the future and a solid year on the European Tour in 2021, where he will add to his four previous victories, will help him achieve that goal.

Solid results in late 2020 post the birth of his first child are a positive sign for Pieters, who appears a player who will greatly benefit from a more balanced off course life. – Jimmy Emanuel

How can you possibly go past CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT?

He absolutely dominated the closing stages of 2020, hits it far enough, scrambles well and possesses one of the best putting strokes on the planet.

The South African won his national Open last December, claimed the Alfred Dunhill Championship the week prior and finished the year entrenched inside the world’s top-50 players. Not bad for a guy who almost died after accidentally drinking rat poison as a child.

I’m excited to see where the 26-year-old will be this time next year. If he can improve even slightly tee-to-green, I don’t see any reason why he can’t become a top-20 player for the next decade. – Michael Jones

RASMUS HOJGAARD is yet to turn 20 but already has two European Tour titles to his name and all indications are there will be more to come.

While the victories are impressive in their own right, both came in play-offs and that suggests the Dane is not only a fast learner but has the nerve to perform in big moments.

Some may point to the weaker European fields in 2020 as diminishing Hojgaard’s achievements but that would be short-sighted.

A player can only beat the field that is in attendance on the day and those winning experiences will hold him in good stead in the longer term. – Rod Morri

ASIAN/JAPANESE TOURS

Thailand’s PHACHARA KHONGWATMAI is already a veteran with seven professional victories on various Tours. He will celebrate his 22nd birthday in May.

Khongwatmai was destined to have a breakout 2020, having pulled together a string of outstanding performances between October 2019 and March 2020 when COVID shutdown the Asian and secondary Asian Tours. In 14 events, he had one win and a further seven top-10 results.

Choosing to stay in his homeland during the height of the pandemic, he played a handful of secondary Tour events later in the year and watched his world ranking unfortunately slip to No.309.

However, he will bounce back in 2021 and recapture the form he enjoyed in his teens. His ability is certainly not reflected in his current world rank. – Brendan James

TAKUMI KANAYA is an out and out superstar of the future and it won’t be long before he is playing a lot more outside of the very hard to follow Japan Golf Tour and climbing much higher than 122nd on the world rankings.

Kanaya claimed his first win on his home circuit in late 2019 while still an amateur, before winning the historic Dunlop Phoenix tournament in November 2020, his fourth event post turning professional.

Ranked as the No.1 amateur in the world when he joined the play for pay ranks, Kanaya has a solid all-round game, with his putting of particular note.

Having watched the diminutive 22-year-old up close at a number of Australian Opens – he finished T3 in 2019 – and the 2019 Masters, I can assure you he possesses a game that will work on any Tour. – Jimmy Emanuel

Three-time Asian Tour winner ANDREW DODT has shown he still has what it takes to get the job done, winning the Sarawak Championship in 2019 and finishing runner-up to Trevor Simsby at the Malaysian Open last year.

The 35-year-old Queenslander will benefit from more consistent starts throughout 2021, following last year’s obvious interruptions. And his experience should prove valuable against his younger competitors, many of whom weren’t able to continue their development during 2020.

Dodt has bagged an impressive 17 top-10s from his 122 career starts on the Asian Tour. I’m confident he will add to that with at least one more victory this year. – Michael Jones

No circuit was hit harder by COVID-19 than the Asian Tour. When the pandemic struck in March, the season was just four events old and that’s the way it stayed with not a single tournament staged after the Malaysian Open in the first week of the month.

TRAVIS SMYTH entered the 2020 season with a sense of purpose and confidence after a strong finish to 2019, which included a play-off loss at the NSW Open.

Having secured his 2020 Asian card in the two weeks following that performance, the third year professional started strong in January with a T13 finish at the Hong Kong Open.

He followed a week later with a T11 at the Singapore Open but hasn’t stuck a shot in competition since.

Having recently tweeted about a comprehensive equipment fitting at the PING factory in the US, Smyth is itching to get back to tournament golf and I expect him to jump out of the gates fast. – Rod Morri

AUSSIE TO WATCH

ADAM SCOTT was primed for a successful year in 2020 – his 20th year as a professional. He won at Riviera in February and, within a month, COVID-19 had shut the PGA Tour down for three months.

When the Tour restarted, he played six events to round out the year, starting at the PGA Championship and ending with the Masters. In between, he tested positive for COVID and strung together a series of midfield finishes without any missed cuts.

If the 2013 Masters Champion can make an impact with a win and some top-10 finishes before venturing back to Augusta in early April, he will climb back into the World Top-10 and be part of the conversation around favourites for the majors, especially the Masters and The Open at Royal St George’s in July. – Brendan James

Although I am fascinated to see what happens in the ongoing narrative that is Jason Day’s career, it is STEPHANIE KYRIACOU that is worth keeping an eye on this year.

The Sydneysider was a somewhat surprise winner of the Australian Ladies Classic, whilst still an amateur, but once joining the pro ranks proved the victory was no fluke.

Perhaps jumping into the paid ranks slightly earlier than planned following a steady amateur career, Kyriacou made the cut in her final eight events last year, and recorded seven straight top-20s.

Rising to 140th on the world rankings at one stage last year despite playing the Ladies European Tour, where ranking points are sparse and she was crowned Rookie of the Year, Kyriacou appears to be taking to the professional game like a duck to water.

I don’t expect second year syndrome to be an issue as Kyriacou sets her sights on the LPGA Tour. – Jimmy Emanuel

One of the biggest Aussie golfing stories this year is whether CAMERON SMITH will be able to back up his history-making runner-up finish at Augusta.

The softly-spoken Queenslander became the first player in Masters history last November to shoot four rounds in the 60s – and he was only bested by World No.1 Dustin Johnson, who recorded the lowest score in tournament history.

Smith is still, at times, an afterthought to Adam Scott, Jason Day and Marc Leishman. But I don’t think that will be the case throughout 2021. In fact, I believe he will be our highest-ranked male player by year’s end. Hopefully that will include multiple victories and his maiden major title. – Michael Jones

CAMERON SMITH was the leading Australian at Augusta National in November and that is a spot I expect the Queenslander to hold more often in 2021.

Steady improvement has been the hallmark of Smith’s career and after a blip of poor play in the middle of 2020 he finished the year strong, including that Masters performance.

Smith is known predominantly for his short game and wedge play – understandably as he is a brilliant exponent of both – but his other defining characteristic is the innate ability to perform under the pump.

He is one of that rare group of golfers who seem to play better the greater the pressure, an encouraging sign for the major championships in particular.

Already a two time winner on the PGA Tour it would be somewhat surprising if that total wasn’t at least three by the time the clock strikes midnight on December 31. – Rod Morri

ANY PLAYER RANKED OUTSIDE THE TOP-100

“I try to keep in my head that I want to be the oldest-ever player to win on the European Tour. That keeps me out here. Even when I’m not shooting low scores, you can look at me and not know it. I try to stay positive.” They’re fighting words from World No.299 and three-time major champion, PADRAIG HARRINGTON, in a recent Golf Australia magazine interview.

The Irishman hasn’t hoisted a trophy since the 2016 Portugal Masters but he has eyes on joining the Champions Tour after he turns 50 in August and is keen on doing so as a recent winner.

Wouldn’t it be a great story if Harrington, the current European Ryder Cup Captain, played his way into contention for team selection as a result of a memorable Open Championship finish in July? – Brendan James

MARIA FASSI was perhaps unfairly earmarked for instant success as a pro following an amateur career including a NCAA Division I individual title and runner-up finish at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

Fassi has shown steady development in her early days as a professional, without truly challenging for a trophy, and from her mixed bag of results is clearly still learning her craft. However, 2021 could be the year she makes big strides forward and becomes a regular on the top of leaderboards.

One of the longest hitters in the women’s game and owning a golf swing with huge potential, the 22-year-old’s ability to make plenty of birdies and eagles (she led the LPGA Tour for Eagles in 2020) suggests that when it all clicks for Fassi, she  could run away with a fair share of victories. – Jimmy Emanuel

If you’ve followed the progress of TAKUMI KANAYA in any way it’s almost difficult to believe he is outside the world Top-100.

However, the rankings say there are 122 players on the planet better than him and since I disagree he’ll happily get my money as the one to watch outside the top 100.

Having seen him up close here in Australia he’s very impressive and winning one of Japan’s biggest events – the Visa Taiheiyo Masters – as an amateur in 2019 is testament to that.

Within a month of turning professional in October 2020 Kanaya added another of Japan’s biggest events – The Dunlop Phoenix – to his resume and it would be difficult to imagine he won’t parlay that form into international success in 2021. – Rod Morri

Last year couldn’t have started any better for MIN WOO LEE, who won his maiden European Tour title on home soil at the Vic Open. But apart from his share of sixth place at the English Championship in August, Lee failed to really contend.

The 22-year-old Perth product has much more to give. And an uninterrupted year would almost certainly see him entrench himself well within the world’s top-100 players.

Lee is right up there with the longest drivers in Europe – averaging 300.37 metres last season to be ranked third on Tour – and his putting prior to 2020 was more than solid. Don’t be surprised if he adds further titles to his CV this year. – Michael Jones

BIGGEST IMPROVER IN 2021

Remember this name … CHIARA NOJA. If her name doesn’t make headlines in 2021, it will only be a matter of time before it does.

Give her time … she’s only 14.

The German-born, Brit-raised teen made her Ladies European Tour debut as an amateur at the Dubai Moonlight Classic back in November and will be better for the experience.

Earlier in 2020, the +5 handicapper, who now resides in Dubai, narrowly missed the quarter-finals of The Women’s Amateur, which has seen her World Amateur ranking climb to No. 625. I can guarantee you her ranking will be significantly higher by the end of 2021.

Don’t believe me … search for Chiara Noja swing on YouTube and decide for yourself. – Brendan James

There weren’t many people playing better golf anywhere in the world than RASMUS HØJGAARD when the European Tour resumed from its coronavirus-enforced hiatus last July.

The 19-year-old Dane, competing in his first full season on the European Tour, began his run by finishing runner-up to Renato Paratore at the British Masters, before adding two additional top-10s prior to collecting his second Tour title at the UK Championship.

Højgaard had his struggles with the putter at the backend of 2020 and consequently missed several cuts. It will be interesting to see if he’s addressed this issue heading into 2021, because his game tee-to-green is up there with anyone on Tour. If he has, look out. – Michael Jones

Despite the numerous career obituaries written for JORDAN SPIETH last year, the former World No.1 is far from done.

Spieth slid all the way to 78th on the world ranking at the conclusion of his 2020 campaign and hasn’t recorded a victory since the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. However, the Texan continues to show dogged determination to return to the game’s highest heights and 2021 hopefully delivers just that.

Despite his struggles, Spieth, at least from the outside looking in, hasn’t thrown the baby out with the bath water in terms of the methods that delivered three major titles, and at just 27 has plenty of time to find his game and win again.

Adding another major to his resume might not occur this year, but at least one PGA Tour win wouldn’t be a surprise and a stack of high finishes would be a great result for golf. – Jimmy Emanuel

There have been high hopes for LEONA MAGUIRE since she joined the pay for play ranks in 2018 and this year might just be the one when she begins to deliver on her significant potential.

The world’s top ranked amateur for 135 weeks it would be fair to say her performance as a pro, while far from poor, has not met expectations.

However, having now played a full year on the world’s premiere circuit it will be a more comfortable and relaxed Maguire who tackles the 2021 season and that should be the catalyst for her talent to shine. – Rod Morri