In professional golf winning one of the four major events is the ultimate achievement for any player. The competitions typically see the best of the best compete against each other and for that reason, they each carry enormous prestige.
Some great players will retire without ever having a major victory etched into their legacy as finishing on top at a major is a remarkable ask for any player.
This year though several players will certainly have outside chances of finally winning a maiden major honour. Here we will look at some well-known stars that could finally get over the line in securing their ultimate career dream in 2024.
Xander Schauffele
Xander Schauffele is without doubt a legend of the sport despite not having a major title to his name. He has two runner-up finishes on his record and one of those was in the US Masters of 2019.
Five years on he is one of the stars that are slight outsiders for the opening major of the year as he is offered at +1600 in the Masters odds. In recent years though it has been rare for an outright favorite in the golf betting odds to genuinely deliver on expectations.
Scottie Scheffler is the favorite for all of this year’s majors, for example, he is offered at +350 to win the Masters. Although there was a familiar theme in 2023 in which he and the world number two Rory McIlroy failed to win any of the four competitions.
Winning a major is generally not at all about season-long consistency but it is about peaking and playing the highest quality golf despite the greatest pressure.
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— Xander Schauffele (@XSchauffele) January 5, 2024
Schauffler is certainly a player who has dealt with immense pressure despite not being a major champion yet. He won Olympic gold for the United States at Tokyo 2020 and some would argue that is even more impressive than a major victory.
The Masters will undoubtedly represent his greatest chance of success although any of the US-held events should see him viewed as a genuine contender.
Viktor Hovland
Viktor Hovland is another long-term high-level player who has yet to polish his legacy with a major triumph – he has maintained a place in the top five rankings for more than three years.
At the age of 26, he already has six PGA tour wins to his name, as well as two on the European Tour which would suggest it’s just a matter of time before his crowning moment in major competition arrives.
The Norwegian finished second in the PGA Championship last year and this year his greatest chance of going one better is predicted to be at the Open Championship in which he is offered at 14/1 to win.
Like Schauffele though he will undoubtedly be a serious contender for each of the four events across the year and his first-ever major win could truly come from anywhere.
Augusta National has become Viktor Hovland Fashion Week. 🔥
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) April 3, 2024
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Hovland is perhaps the most likely player to become a new major champion this year although the American has a superior level of experience which could work in his favor in the highest-pressure moments.
The golfing world has seen a player achieve first-time major glory in each of the last nine years, if that streak continues then at least one of the pair discussed here will surely be involved.
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