Stephan Jaeger

When world No.1 Scottie Scheffler had his incredible run this spring of four wins and a joint-second place in five starts, the one player to beat him was Jaeger, whose maiden PGA Tour victory came in March at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.  

Not even in the sport’s top 100 at the start of the year, he went into the event ranked 71st following two third place finishes and came out of it 43rd. Then, by staying in the leading 50 until the end of May, his Open debut was secure.

He turned professional in 2012 after playing school and college golf in Tennessee, qualified for the 2015 US Open and the following season shot a 12-under-par round of 58 en route to the first of six titles on the Korn Ferry Tour. He was the circuit’s Player of the Year in 2020-21.

The former German amateur international then established himself on the PGA Tour and when his first success came it was certainly earned the hard way, going head-to-head with Scheffler on the final two days and shooting 66-67 to triumph by one.