5. Sahith Theegala (USA)
This was not supposed to be the year the rising star stalled. Yet that is exactly what happened to crowd favourite Sahith Theegala. Injury played a big part in his struggles. He picked up an oblique problem in February and tried to play through it which altered his motion and eventually caused a more serious neck issue. He withdrew from several key events and took a six week break to recover.
The return did not go well. He missed the cut in all three events he played after coming back at the Open and finished a miserable 147th in the FedEx Cup standings. This was his first real career hurdle and it will be fascinating to see how he responds.
4. Max Homa (USA)
This year has tested Max Homa in ways he probably did not expect. After several seasons of elite golf and three straight USA team appearances he had climbed to a career high of fifth in the world in 2023. But this season he wrestled with a bone spur and a dip in confidence.
Homa even quit X due to online toxicity which says a lot about where his mind was. He missed five cuts in a row between February and April and failed to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs. There were signs of life late in the year with three top twenties in the FedEx Fall stretch including a top ten to close the PGA Tour season. A T14 at Gary Player Country Club was another small step forward. Still this was a shockingly poor campaign for a player of his quality.
3. Tony Finau (USA)
This one really raised eyebrows. Finau has always been accused of lacking that ruthless edge yet he still looked like a player built to live among the elite. That flowing swing seemed bulletproof. But a left knee injury late last year required off season surgery and he has not looked right since.
He collected only one top ten this year a tie for fifth at the Genesis Invitational. His short game deserted him and he tinkered with his swing in search of rhythm. He even made major equipment changes after narrowly squeezing into the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Now ranked 80th in the world Finau suddenly finds himself in danger of losing his full PGA Tour exemption.
2. Cameron Smith (AUS)
It feels like only yesterday Cameron Smith was ripping up the Old Course and breaking European hearts with that famous win over Rory at the 2022 Open. But unlike Bryson and Rahm the Aussie has struggled to maintain sharp competitive instincts on LIV.
He was a powerhouse in the early days of the breakaway league but fell away badly this season finishing 18th in the individual standings. The most worrying part was his record in the majors. He missed the cut in all four. He also missed the cut at the Saudi International and the Aussie PGA.
A runner up finish at last week’s Australian Open spared him from topping this list but the fall is still dramatic. The question now is whether 2026 becomes his bounce back year.
1. Yannick Paul (GER)
This may surprise some but Yannick Paul’s drop off has been shocking in its scale. Only a short while ago he was trending toward Ryder Cup contention and emerging as a genuine force on the DP World Tour.
His downfall started in the off season when he injured his lower back during strength training. That set the tone. He missed cut after cut and aside from an out of nowhere solo third at the Volvo China Open he failed to record another top thirty finish. In total he missed 12 cuts and the slump cost him his DP World Tour card.
Now he heads to Q School while his brother Jeremy does the same on the US side. From Ryder Cup hopeful to scrambling for status this is the steepest slide of the season.