THE STARS TO WATCH IN 2022

Who doesn’t like making New Year predictions? We’ve gazed into our crystal ball and picked out four players who we think are destined for big things in 2022. Just remember to thank us when your bets come in!

SAM BURNS

Tipped by Phil Mickelson to make the next US Ryder Cup team, Burns recently cracked the world’s top 10 for the first time after finishing in the top five in 28 percent of his PGA Tour starts in 2021. He also won twice, at the Valspar Championship and Sanderson Farms Championship, and leapt 143 places in the World Ranking. He’s yet to contend in a Major, but we’re expecting that to change in 2022.

ATTHAYA THITIKUL

This Thai teenager is a Major champion in waiting. Thitikul remains the youngest golfer in history to win a pro tournament (she was only 14!) and has already won four times on the LET, including twice last year. That was good enough to see her named Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year – and we’re bold enough to predict she’ll collect even more silverware during her rookie season on the LPGA Tour.

HINAKO SHIBUNO

We haven’t heard much about Shibuno since she won the 2019 Women’s Open in her first-ever tournament outside Japan. Now 23, she’s just joined the LPGA Tour having previously declined membership to compete on the Japanese LPGA Tour, where she’s won six times in her last 44 starts. Another LPGA rookie to watch is Pauline Roussinbouchard, who won on only her second start as a pro at the LET’S Skafto Open in August.

MITO PEREIRA

Although he lost a seven-man playoff for a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics, 2021 was a breakout year for Pereira. In June, the 26-year-old became just the 12th player in Korn Ferry Tour history to earn an automatic three-win promotion to the PGA Tour. He’s only missed three of 13 cuts since then and we make him a strong outside bet to form an all-chilean partnership with Joaquin Niemann at this year’s Presidents Cup.