The Fall from Grace: PGA Tour Stars Who Struggled in 2025

As the 2025 PGA Tour season draws to a close, the spotlight has naturally fallen on champions like Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, and Tommy Fleetwood. Their victories and consistent performances dominated headlines throughout the year. However, behind the celebration and glamour lies a more sobering reality for several once-prominent players who experienced dramatic downturns in their professional careers. While some managed to retain their Tour cards due to past successes, others weren’t so fortunate, finding themselves on the outside looking in as the 2026 season approaches. These stories of struggle remind us that even at the highest levels of professional golf, success is never guaranteed, and the journey can be as unpredictable as it is challenging.

Among the most notable disappointments was Max Homa, whose decline has been steady and concerning over the past two seasons. After barely squeezing into the top 50 of the FedEx Cup rankings in 2024 (finishing 46th), Homa’s performance deteriorated further in 2025, where he missed eight cuts in 24 tournaments and managed only two top-10 finishes. This poor showing resulted in a precipitous drop of more than 50 places in the rankings, leaving him outside the top 100 at 105th. While his six PGA Tour titles between 2019 and 2023 secure his card until 2028, his game clearly requires significant reconstruction if he hopes to return to the elite tier of players. Similarly, Tony Finau experienced a substantial fall from grace, dropping from 23rd in the 2024 FedEx Cup standings to 83rd in 2025. With only one top-10 finish all year and five missed cuts in 20 tournaments, the six-time PGA Tour winner now faces an uphill battle to qualify for majors and Signature Events in 2026 – a stark reality for a player who had become accustomed to competing on golf’s biggest stages.

Perhaps the most dramatic reversal of fortune belongs to Adam Scott, the beloved Australian and former major champion who plummeted from fourth in the 2024 FedEx Cup rankings to 112th in 2025. For a player with Scott’s pedigree and popularity, such a decline is particularly noteworthy, as fans have grown accustomed to seeing him contend in prestigious tournaments year after year. His poor 2025 campaign means he’ll need to fight his way back to earn spots in premier events for the upcoming season. The PGA Tour faithful will certainly be rooting for his resurgence, as Scott’s elegant swing and gentlemanly demeanor have made him a fan favorite for years. Joel Dahmen’s story, meanwhile, represents the harsh reality faced by players on the bubble of retaining Tour privileges. After walking a tightrope for several seasons, Dahmen finally lost his full PGA Tour card in 2025. Despite one second-place finish and two other top-10 results, missing the cut in 16 of his 28 events proved too much to overcome. Finishing 122nd in the FedEx Cup standings, he’ll continue in 2026 with Conditional Status – a precarious position that will require exceptional performances to improve.

The concept of the “sophomore slump” became painfully real for Nick Dunlap in 2025. After bursting onto the scene in 2024 with wins at The American Express (as an amateur) and the Barracuda Championship, expectations were sky-high for the young talent. However, his follow-up season proved disappointing, with 12 missed cuts in 25 tournaments and only two top-10 finishes, resulting in a 135th-place FedEx Cup ranking. While his card remains secure thanks to his earlier victories, Dunlap now faces the challenging task of rebuilding his game and confidence as he moves forward in his professional career. The contrasting fortunes of these young players highlight the unpredictable nature of professional golf, where early success guarantees nothing about future performance.

The struggles of established veterans Adam Hadwin and Sahith Theegala round out this sobering review of the 2025 season’s disappointments. Hadwin’s consistency had been remarkable since joining the PGA Tour in 2015, never once losing his card – until this year. With 12 missed cuts in 29 tournaments and just one top-10 finish, his 139th-place FedEx Cup ranking ended his impressive streak of Tour membership. Theegala’s fall was perhaps even more shocking in its suddenness and severity – from third in the FedEx Cup rankings in 2024 to 146th in 2025. In a season devoid of top-10 finishes and with only two top-25 results in 23 events, Theegala saved his card solely due to his 2023 Fortinet Championship victory. Both players now face the daunting challenge of rebuilding their games under the pressure of uncertain professional futures. Their situations serve as powerful reminders that in professional golf, as in life, nothing can be taken for granted – today’s champion can become tomorrow’s struggler in the blink of an eye.