Saturday 5 August 2017 17:21, UK
Jordan Spieth ended the run of first-time major winners last month, but will we see a new player reach the major winner's circle at this week's PGA Championship?
Spieth claimed a three-shot win at The Open at Royal Birkdale, making him the youngest three-time major champion since Jack Nicklaus and ending the run of seven consecutive maiden winners in majors.
Jason Day, Danny Willett, Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Jimmy Walker, Sergio Garcia and Brooks Koepka all celebrated a first success in one of golf's "big four" during that spell, with plenty of big-names looking to join that group at Quail Hollow this week.
Six of the last seven PGA Champions have been first-time major winners, so could the run be extended this week in North Carolina? Here are five of those well-placed to challenge for a maiden major success…
Fowler's inability to secure his first major has not been for the want of trying. He was the first round leader at the US Open at Erin Hills but was unable to maintain his fast start. Like on previous occasions the American was unable to sustain his performance over four consecutive rounds, stumbling in the final round when only two shots off the lead.
Further signs of his apparent fragility under pressure were on show on Sunday at the Masters in April, when a final round 76, after featuring in the penultimate pairing, sent him tumbling down the leaderboard.
However, the 28-year-old is without doubt one of the best players without one of the coveted major titles. He finished in the top five in all four majors in 2014 but now needs to take the next leap.
Matsuyama, who burst on the scene in 2014 by winning the Memorial, has been a consistent performer on the PGA Tour and includes victory at the Phoenix Open this year after defeating Webb Simpson in a play-off.
He also ended last year in fine form taking the WGC-HSBC Champions and Hero World Challenge titles. The 25-year-old hasn't missed a cut at this year's three majors finishing in the top 15 each time. His final round six-under 66 at Erin Hills pushed him into second place as Brooks Koepka held his composure over the back nine.
He is third on the PGA money list and a first major title this week would only add to his popularity not only in Asia but around the world.
He gave it everything at Royal Birkdale - only an inspired finish by Spieth prevented Kuchar from lifting the Claret Jug on the 18th green.
Kuchar, who turned professional back in 2000, has always been a steady player but his performance at Royal Birkdale was a 'breakthrough' at a major. His best previous finish at a major was at the 2012 Masters with a T-3, one month before he won the Players at Sawgrass.
Coming so close to securing that elusive first major should act as a huge boost of confidence for the 39-year-old rather than deflating his ambitions. Can 'Kooch' continue his run of making the cut at the majors and replicate his consistency from The Open at Quail Hollow?
Rahm is a rising star of European golf, who has primarily chosen to play on the PGA Tour. Largely unknown to the European audience before this year he first won the Farmers Insurance Open before narrowly losing to Dustin Johnson at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
However, the Spanish 22-year-old hasn't performed to his best capabilities at the majors. He missed the cut at the US Open and laboured to a 27th and 44th place finish at the Masters and The Open respectively.
In his two solitary European Tour starts he has impressed winning the Irish Open in emphatic fashion while he finished in 10th place at the French Open, the week before, around Le Golf National which will host next year's Ryder Cup.
Fleetwood is reveling in his current purple patch over recent months which has seen the 26-year-old Englishman win twice this year and propelled him to 15th in the world rankings.
The French Open winner came into The Open with high hopes at a course he was familiar with but an opening round 76 set him backwards before battling back over the next three rounds.
A solid showing at Erin Hills underlined his credentials in America and Fleetwood will be hoping to maintain his form in the lead-up to the lucrative season-ending Final Series en route to Dubai.
