The year 2025 promises to be a blockbuster one on the golf course, and as things stand at present, we have more questions than answers. Last year, we saw the Americans emerge as the dominant force, with Stateside players winning all four of the major championships, something which hasn’t happened in 46 years. In fact, the Americans have won each of the last seven majors, their longest streak since the 1970s when the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson combined to reel off 15 on the bounce.
This year, they expected to continue in the same vein, and with the Ryder Cup closing out the year in late September or early October, they have the chance to put the cherry on top of an already impressive cake. But which players specifically are expected to claim a major in 2025? And who – if anybody – outside of the USA can take the fight to the current top dogs?
Scottie Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler is the man currently leading the Stateside charge. He was expected to dominate on the tour following his maiden Masters breakthrough back in 2022, claiming the green jacket for the first time after holding off Rory McIlroy’s championship Sunday charge to reign supreme. However, it would take him another two years and a pair of second-place finishes before he finally added another major title to his haul.
That came last year, also at Augusta, and now the online betting providers expect him to push on. Websites offering online betting in Canada currently price him as a mightily short -110 shot to win any of the four majors in 2025, the only player in the tour who is considered ‘odds-on. ‘
The bookies are banking heavily on his all-around game to deliver in the major arenas, particularly on courses where control and accuracy are paramount. Despite his unwavering consistency, critics often point to moments where his putter has gone cold in crucial rounds. However, if 2024 taught us anything, it’s that Scheffler has learned to weather those moments without crumbling. Could this finally be the season he bags multiple majors? At these odds, bettors seem to think so.
Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy has long been considered the main man in the sport, and at odds of +170 to claim a major, the bookies clearly still feel he has a lot to offer. However, the fact that he hasn’t won one of the Big Four in over a decade simply cannot be ignored. The Northern Irishman’s last major triumph came back at the 2014 PGA Championship, and the victory marked his fourth major title in just three years.
That success catapulted him to the top of the world rankings, a position he has held for over 100 weeks throughout his career. However, despite his lofty standing within the game, the time has come for him to finally end his drought after 11 long years. And if recent form is anything to go by, McIlroy is certainly getting closer to returning to the summit.
Over the course of the last three years, he has finished on the podium four times, including back-to-back place finishes at the US Open. However, the most recent of those two silver medals was a heartbreaker, with McIlroy collapsing under pressure and boegying three of the final four holes to throw away victory. That pressure will only continue to grow if the drought continues into a 12th year.
Xander Schauffele
The year 2024 was the year that Xander Schauffele finally emerged from his buddy Scheffler’s shadow and became a superstar. He claimed not one but two major championships last term, finally converting his unrivaled consistency into silverware.
A blistering opening day nine under par helped him build an insurmountable lead at the PGA Championship, a lead that even the charging Bryson DeChambeau couldn’t overturn. Two months later, it was his turn to launch a comeback, rallying to overturn a six stroke deficit after day two to win The Open. Now, he is on the hunt for more glory, and the bookies make him a +185 contender to secure another crown in 2025.
The challenge? Questions remain about his ability to deliver down the stretch when the stakes are highest. In his maiden triumph, he very nearly slipped up and handed the title to his compatriot DeChambeau. Although he answered some of those questions with his triumph at The Open, whether he will be able to consistently keep his cool under pressure – especially with someone like the aforementioned McIlroy rallying behind him – remains to be seen.
Bryson DeChambeau
Bryson DeChambeau at +300 rounds out the leading contenders, though his path back to dominance has been anything but linear. Known for his experimentations with speed training and single-length clubs, DeChambeau remains one of the most polarizing figures in the game. He’s proven before that he has what it takes to win majors, as demonstrated at the 2020 U.S. Open, where his power-based game overwhelmed the course.
However, injuries and inconsistent performances had left some doubting whether Bryson could regain the form that made him a sensation. Well, he answered those critics at last year’s US Open as he held off Rory McIlroy to claim the prize for the second time in four years. Now, he will be aiming to prove the doubters wrong once more.
Bookies are hedging their bets here. At +300, the odds suggest he’s a bit of a dark horse, but one with the potential to upset the field if he strikes the right rhythm. His triumphs on courses where brute force pays off mean that he could be dangerous at layouts like Augusta, where risk and reward often shape Sunday outcomes.