10 European Tour Golfers to Watch in 2014

The 2014 European Tour got underway some three weeks ago, but most people view the desert swing at the start of January as the effective beginning of the new season. Keith Waters, the European Tour’s Chief Operating Officer, recently announced an all-encompassing 48-tournament schedule for the 2014 Race to Dubai, a reflection of encouraging global economic signs and an the ever-growing prestige of the circuit. But who are some of the players to look out for next year? Below, we list 10 golfers we’re keeping an eye on...

Retief Goosen

Retief Goosen has almost become one of the forgotten men of world golf. At the start of the millennium he was utterly unstoppable – as highlighted by two US Open victories – and enjoyed an extended period of time inside the world’s top ten. But he’s failed to win on the European Tour since 2009, with niggling injuries and a lack of form hampering his progress over the last six years. He’s declared himself fit and ready for the new season, though, and his last couple of performances have offered cause for optimism. He’s a class golfer with an excellent temperament and a gorgeous languid golf swing, so don’t be surprised to see the South African appear on leaderboards this season. 

Kevin Phelan

Irishman Kevin Phelan enjoyed a sterling amateur career, representing his country in two Eisenhower Trophies and UK & Ireland at the 2013 Walker Cup. The highly-rated youngster turned professional just after the contest at the National Golf Links of America and dealt adeptly with the pressures of Q-School in November, finishing well inside the top 25 to earn a European Tour card at the first time of asking. In his first start will full playing privileges, the Alfred Dunhill Championship, he notched a top-25 finish.

Edoardo Molinari

Cast your mind back to 2010, when Edoardo Molinari birdied his final three holes at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship to secure a Ryder Cup captain’s pick from Colin Montgomerie. He was on top of his game and looked like a mainstay in the European side for years to come, but golf has a habit of bringing people back down to earth. The Italian has suffered from a mixture of poor form and injuries over the past three years, and has only recorded three top 10s in the last three seasons. Still, he’s a talented player with the ability to make a significant mark on golf’s biggest stage, so I don’t see his spell in the wilderness continuing for too much longer.

George Coetzee

Coetzee is widely regarded as one of the most naturally talented players on the European Tour, but, so far, that latent ability hasn’t manifested itself in meaningful tournament success. The South African missed a significant part of the 2013 season with injury, but he showed in the early part of the year – most notably with a sterling performance at the Qatar Masters, where only Chris Wood’s heroic final-hole eagle deprived him of a play-off berth – that he’s ready to win at the top level.

Peter Uihlein

Peter Uihlein endeared himself to the European Tour fans last season with his exciting style of play and refreshing attitude towards both golf and life. He opted to start his career on the Challenge Tour so he could develop an all-round game and see the world at the same time, something that could set a precedent for young Americans going forward. Uihlein claimed a maiden tour title at the Madeira Islands Open and challenge at both the Wales Open and Alfred Dunhill Championship, where he lost out in a play-off. This season, he’s demonstrated all-round ability and made a huge impression on the tour, and his career is only going to go in one direction from here.

Alvaro Quiros

Like Molinari, Quiros is another player whose career has stagnated somewhat of late. He excelled in 2011, winning the season-ending DP World Tour Championship with a brilliant 72nd-hole eagle to secure a top-five Race to Dubai finish. Everyone expected the Spaniard – blessed with unparalleled power and a great touch around the greens – to push on, but a nagging injury hindered his progress. He underwent wrist surgery at the end of 2012 and spent four months on the sidelines, but restoring confidence after such a serious injury was always going to take time. He’s now had plenty of time to recover and he’ll be raring to go and desperate to make up for lost time.  

Thorbjorn Olesen

Thorbjorn Olesen has arguably been the European Tour’s best newcomer over the course of the last couple of seasons, but, as yet, his victory tally isn’t reflective of his talent. He struggled somewhat in 2013 – thanks, in part, to efforts to modify his golf swing – but started to show some positive signs towards the end of the season. It remains to be seen how many tournaments he will play in Europe, and it isn’t easy as a youngster to compete on both global tours, but he certainly has the talent to make an impact on both circuits in 2014.

Brooks Koepka

Brooks Koepka, another American who bucked the trend and opted to start his professional career in Europe, has been very impressive over the past couple of months. He won three tournaments on the Challenge Tour in 2013 to secure immediate promotion to the European Tour, and put in a string of impressive performances in more esteemed company. Phil Mickelson has already predicted big things for the 23-year-old and given the start he's made to his professional career, it's easy to understand why.

Victor Dubuisson

Victor Dubuisson had been a solid, if unspectacular, performer on the European Tour until the Turkish Open, where he impressed everyone with his skill, his mental strength and his exciting brand of golf. He made birdie after birdie with a stellar cast chasing him to secure the title and carried that form over to the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, where only an inspired Henrik Stenson prevented him from winning back-to-back tournaments. He’s an exciting prospect with no discernible weakness in his game, and I’ll be watching his progress intently next season.

Paul Casey

Paul Casey suffered a well-documented career lull following an untimely snowboarding accident in late 2012, but he’s managed to turn things around. He secured the Irish Open with a stunning final-hole eagle and I think we’ll see the best of the Englishman again next season, especially with the Ryder Cup edging closer every day.

Image Credit: Tourprogolfclubs (www.tourprogolfclubs.com)

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