Golf has seen its fair share of young phenoms, highly touted amateurs, and can’t-miss prospects who seemed destined for greatness. But for every Tiger Woods, there’s a long list of players who never quite lived up to the hype.
Whether it was injuries, inconsistency, or just failing to handle the pressure, these 15 golfers were expected to be stars but never reached their full potential.
15. Ty Tryon
Tryon became the youngest player to earn a PGA Tour card at just 17, and golf fans expected big things. Instead, he faded into obscurity, struggling to even keep his status on lower-tier tours.
14. Anthony Kim
For a brief moment, Kim looked like the next big thing in golf with his fearless play and flashy style. Unfortunately, injuries derailed his career, and he disappeared from the sport entirely, leaving fans wondering what could have been.
13. Casey Wittenberg
Wittenberg was an amateur superstar, finishing as the top-ranked player in college golf and even making a run at the Masters. But despite the hype, he never found sustained success on the PGA Tour, bouncing around the lower levels of professional golf.
12. David Gossett
Gossett won the 1999 U.S. Amateur and was considered a can’t-miss future star. After an early PGA Tour win, he completely lost his game and faded into golfing anonymity.
11. Aaron Baddeley
Touted as a putting prodigy and the next Australian superstar, Baddeley won early but never developed into a dominant force. Despite hanging around the Tour for years, he never came close to fulfilling the lofty expectations placed on him.
10. Charles Howell III
Howell has had a long and respectable career, but considering the hype around him as a college phenom, he never became the dominant player many expected. He made plenty of money but never won a major and rarely contended in big events.
9. Ryo Ishikawa
Dubbed the “Bashful Prince,” Ishikawa was supposed to be Japan’s answer to Tiger Woods after turning pro at 16. While he found success in Japan, he never adjusted to the PGA Tour and failed to live up to global expectations.
8. Sean O’Hair
O’Hair’s story was compelling, overcoming a controlling father to break onto the PGA Tour, and he was seen as a future major winner. He had some early success but never fully reached the elite status many predicted.
7. Justin Rose (Pre-Major Win)
Before he finally won a major, Rose was seen as a classic case of a golfer who couldn’t meet expectations. He turned pro at 17 and missed 21 consecutive cuts before turning things around, proving that some players take longer than others to find success.
6. Danny Lee
After winning the U.S. Amateur and being compared to Tiger Woods, Lee was expected to be a superstar. Instead, he struggled with inconsistency and never developed into the dominant player many had hoped for.
5. Trevor Immelman
Yes, Immelman won the 2008 Masters, but he was expected to be a force for years, not a one-hit wonder. Injuries and inconsistency kept him from capitalizing on his early promise.
4. Matteo Manassero
Manassero was a teenage sensation, winning on the European Tour at just 17, leading to huge expectations. Instead of becoming a global superstar, he struggled with his swing and faded from relevance.
3. Jamie Lovemark
Lovemark was a college golf phenom, winning the Haskins Award as the best amateur golfer in the country. Injuries and inconsistent play prevented him from ever becoming the star many expected.
Read More: 10 Golfers Who Came Out of Nowhere to Win a Major
2. Patrick Cantlay (Pre-Resurgence)
Cantlay was once the world’s best amateur and seemed destined for stardom before injuries nearly ended his career. While he eventually fulfilled some of his potential, for years he was seen as a golfer who never lived up to the hype.
Read More: Ranking the 30 greatest Golfers of All Time
1. Michelle Wie
Wie was supposed to be the golfer who would change the sport, competing against men and winning majors with ease. While she had a solid career, she never dominated the LPGA Tour the way many predicted, making her one of the biggest cases of unfulfilled potential in golf history.
Read More: Ranking the 15 Most Likeable Golfers of All Time
