It has been a common theme over the last couple of years. Players who are well-established and successful on tour, who take their games up a level. Think Celine Boutier in 2023 or Hannah Green in 2024. Both of whom were LPGA Tour winners and well-respected by fans, but became stars thanks to a great season. These are five players I could see taking that jump in 2025.
Linn Grant – Linn Grant is one of the most talented ball strikers in the world. Despite having no LPGA Tour wins and only five top-10 finishes in 2024, Grant was still No. 15 in strokes gained on tour. She was third in strokes gained driving thanks to her incredible power, and backed that up by finishing nearly top 30 in strokes gained putting. Grant has the tools to be a superstar on the tour, it is more a matter of when she will put it all together.
Megan Khang – A truly great Megan Khang season has felt due for the last five years. While she came close in 2023, making nearly every cut, finishing in the top 10 seven times and getting her first win, 2024 was a bit of a step back. Khang has really made her name known in the Solheim Cup, where she is an incredible 6-0-1 in the last two playings. If she can channel that level of play, we could see her make a big step up in 2025.
Esther Henseleit – Henseleit had by far the biggest moment of her career in 2024, when she captured the silver medal at the Paris Olympics. Around that time, Henseleit showed her potential as a star on the LPGA Tour, finishing top 10 at the Evian Championship and runner up at the Scottish Open. Henseleit is a powerful and well-rounded player who could win not only her first LPGA Tour title of her career, but maybe a couple.
Rose Zhang – Rose Zhang has been as advertised coming off an incredible college and amateur career, now it is time for her to take the step to being one of the best players in the world. Zhang has two wins over her two seasons and has played on the Solheim Cup team both times. Zhang had five top-10 finishes in 2024 to go along with her dominant win at the Founders Cup. Do not be surprised to see Zhang, one of the most all around consistent players in the world, have her true breakout.
Angel Yin – 2024 could’ve been the year for Yin, who missed the beginning of the season with a leg injury. When she came back, she was pretty great. Yin finished in the top 10 at seven events and nearly won the CME Group Tour Championship the last week of the season. Yin is a sensational putter, arguably the best on the tour, and has the power to back up that finesse. The biggest struggle is at times consistency, but that will not hold her back from multiple wins in the new year.
