Sport is always looking for its future stars and, in terms of golf, there are plenty of names finding their way into the top ranks.
Certainly, with so much young talent in the game, it can be hard to know who the upcoming players are so, in this piece, we have listed just some of the best players under the age of 25 currently involved in professional and amateur golf.
Men's Professional Game
Nicolai Hojgaard
Born 12th March 2001, Nicolai Hojgaard is already an established player in the professional game, with the Dane currently racking up three DP World Tour victories, including the DP World Tour Championship.
Turning professional in 2019, he was part of the winning European Ryder Cup side in 2023 and, at the 2024 Masters, briefly led over the weekend. In the end he would finish T16th, but continued to grow his stock on the worldwide stage.
Rasmus Hojgaard
Along with Nicolai, there's his twin brother Rasmus, who is also an incredible golfer. Currently possessing five DP World Tour wins, Rasmus has claimed some big victories, including the Omega European Masters and Irish Open.
At the Irish Open, he went toe-to-toe with four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy, defeating him by one shot. Impressively, despite missing out on a PGA Tour card by a single stroke in 2023, the Dane fired back in 2024, finishing second in the Race to Dubai standings.
David Puig
Many have claimed that David Puig is a future Ryder Cupper and with a range of good performances in the LIV Golf League, DP World Tour and Asian Tour, it's hard to argue that he may well be in Team Europe colors for events to come.
Born 2nd December 2001, the Spaniard claimed the International Series Singapore event by five shots and also the Malaysian Open on the Asian Tour. He's also played a big part in the LIV Golf team success, winning multiple times with Torque GC and Fireballs GC.
Tom Kim
Tom Kim burst on to the scene in 2019 when, at the age of 17, he won three times on the Asian Tour's Development circuit to secure automatic membership to the Asian Tour.
Currently, he has three wins on the PGA Tour, two on the Asian Tour and has top-10s at the US Open and Open Championship. Born 21st June 2002, he is already a two-time Presidents Cup player with the International Team.
Nick Dunlap
At the start of 2024, Nick Dunlap shocked the golf world when, as an amateur, he won The American Express on the PGA Tour, becoming the first amateur to win on the circuit since 1991.
Shortly after, the American turned professional and he made history in becoming the first player on the PGA Tour to win both as an amateur and professional during the same season. Born 23rd December 2003, Dunlap is predicted to go far in the game.
Tom McKibbin
Claiming his first DP World Tour at the 2023 Porsche European Open aged just 21, McKibbin became the youngest winner from the island of Ireland since Rory McIlroy.
Funnily enough, McKibbin grew up playing at Holywood Golf Club, the same home club as McIlroy, with the now LIV Golfer highly regarded in the professional world after a strong start to his career.
Yubin Jang
Born 11th June 2002, Yubin Jang has already racked up a number of successes in his short career, most notably winning the KPGA Korean Tour's Player of the Year in 2024, topping the Order of Merit in the process.
Now a member of Iron Heads GC on the LIV Golf League, Jang is predicted to go far in the game of golf, having already been a gold medalist in the team event at the 2022 Asian Games.
Akshay Bhatia
As of writing, Akshay Bhatia already has two wins on the PGA Tour and enjoyed an incredible amateur career that included being the youngest and first ever high schooler to represent the United States in the Walker Cup.
Born 31st January 2002, the American finished inside the top 30 of the FedEx Cup standings in 2024, securing a spot at the Tour Championship in the process.
Caleb Surratt
A former World No.1 Amateur, Surratt has started to find his feet in the professional world, securing a number of fine performances on both the LIV Golf League and Asian Tour.
The American was born 16th March 2004 and, although hasn't won as a professional yet, he is showing plenty of potential, playing a big part in Legion XIII's team wins on the LIV Golf League.
Luke Clanton
The current World No.1 Amateur made waves on the PGA Tour in 2024, securing two runner-up finishes at the John Deere Classic and The RSM Classic. In the process, he became the first amateur since 1958 to finish in the top-10 in back-to-back PGA Tour events.
On the cusp of securing a card for the PGA Tour, Clanton has several huge amateur victories, including the 2024 Seminole Intercollegiate, Valspar Collegiate and Lewis Chitengwa Memorial. He also made the cut in the US Open that year.
Wenyi Ding
Claiming the Chinese Amateur Open in 2019, 2020 and 2021, Ding is also a former US Junior Amateur champion, defeating Surratt in the final 3&2 back in 2022.
Enjoying an incredible amateur career, he turned professional in 2024 and forfeited his exemptions into the Masters and US Open, which were gained from his Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship win. Born 19th November 2004, he is set-up for a big career in the pro ranks.
Aldrich Potgieter
Born 13th September 2004, Aldrich Potgieter is already making waves in the pro ranks, with the South African becoming the youngest winner in Korn Ferry Tour history by winning The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic in January 2024.
A former winner of The Amateur Championship in 2022, Potgieter is regarded as one of, if not, the longest hitters on the PGA Tour, and just lost out on a first PGA Tour title in February 2025, losing a playoff to Brian Campbell at the Mexico Open.
Casey Jarvis
Another South African star is Casey Jarvis who, in 2023, shot a 59 at the Stella Artois Players Championship. Later that year, he became the Sunshine Tour's Rookie of the Year.
Born 28th July 2003, he currently has one victory on the Challenge Tour and, whilst an amateur at the age of 16, he captured the South African Stroke Play Championship and the South African Amateur Championship.
Women's Professional Game
Yuka Saso
Born 20th June 2001, Yuka Saso already has a career that many could only dream of, with the Japanese star a two-time Major winner, having claimed the US Women's Open in 2021 and 2024.
A multiple-time winner on the LPGA of Japan Tour, Saso became the joint youngest winner of the US Women's Open in 2021 at 19 years, 11 months, 17 days and also has multiple gold medals at the Asian Games.
Jeeno Thitikul
Jeeno Thitikul burst on to the scene in 2017, winning the Ladies European Thailand Championship on the Ladies European Tour at just 14 years, 4 months and 19 days. In fact, she was the youngest golfer ever to win a professional golf tournament until 2023.
A former Amateur World No.1, Thitikul turned professional in 2020 and, just two years, later became the second youngest World No.1 at 19 years, 8 months and 11 days. Born 20th February 2003, she already has 17 wins worldwide, including four on the LPGA Tour.
Ruoning Yin
After a glittering amateur career that included nine wins in one year, Ruoning Yin already has one Major and five LPGA Tour titles to her name, as well as being a former World No.1.
Born 28th September 2002, she won the 2023 Women's PGA Championship at the age of 20, becoming the second women's Major Championship winner from China. In 2024, she also claimed three wins on the LPGA Tour in a four month stretch.
Ayaka Furue
Born 27th May 2000, Ayaka Furue is a two-time LPGA Tour winner and secured the 2024 Amundi Evian Championship by one shot after eagling the final hole.
Furue has a knack of coming in clutch at the big events. In July 2022, the Japanese star shot a course record 10-under-par 62 during the final round at the Women's Scottish Open to win by three. She also has eight wins on the LPGA Tour of Japan.
Rose Zhang
On her LPGA Tour debut, Rose Zhang claimed victory at the Mizuho Americas Open and became the first player to win in her professional debut on the LPGA Tour since 1951.
Enjoying an incredible amateur career that included the 2020 US Women's Amateur and the 2022 and 2023 NCAA Division I Championships, Zhang has already made waves in the professional world, playing on two US Solheim Cup teams.
Hae-ran Ryu
Born 23rd March 2001, Hae-ran Ryu secured the 2020 Rookie of the Year on the LPGA of Korea Tour, as well as the LPGA Tour's Rookie of the Year honors in 2023.
A two-time winner on the LPGA Tour, Ryu already has top-10s in all but one Major championship and also moved inside the world's top-10 in 2024.
Miyu Yamashita
A 13-time winner on the LPGA of Japan Tour, Miyu Yamashita already possesses an incredible record despite only turning professional in 2020.
Born 2nd August 2001, the Japanese star finished second at the 2024 Women's PGA Championship and currently sits around the World's top-10. As mentioned, her record on the LPGA of Japan Tour is exceptional, with 12 of those wins coming in a two year period.
Lottie Woad
Currently still an amateur, Lottie Woad has some notable victories on her CV, including the 2022 Girls Amateur Championship and the 2024 Augusta National Women's Amateur title.
Sat in the Amateur World No.1 spot, the Englishwoman finished inside the top-10 at the AIG Women's Open in 2024 and was named the Mark H. McCormack Medal winner, the first woman from England to win that accolade.
Jasmine Koo
Born in 2006, Jasmine Koo already possesses an excellent career record, with the amateur finishing tied 13th at the Chevron Championship back in 2024.
Winning the 2023 Women's Western Amateur, Koo has several victories at amateur and collegiate level and was the top performer at the 2023 Junior Solheim Cup.
