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