The men’s professional golf season is picking up steam and features a unique team event in New Orleans this weekend, but let’s be real, chances are you’ll be following the NFL Draft this weekend on a second screen or at the very least your phone.
With the first round on Thursday night live from Detroit, I got to thinking … who would be in the top 32 picks if it were professional golfers and not college football players? How many LIV Golf players would feature? It’s tough to compare players across the various tours, and yes this is all very subjective, but let’s not let semantics get in the way of a little fun.
1st pick — Scottie Scheffler
Jon Rahm puts the green jacket on Scottie Scheffler for winning the 2024 Masters Tournament. (Photo: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports)
Do we really need to explain this one? Four wins in his last five starts, which includes his second Masters title in three years. He’s the undisputed world No. 1 and will be for quite some time it appears.
2nd pick — Ludvig Aberg
Ludvig Aberg reacts after making a birdie on the fifth hole during the third round of the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links on April 20, 2024 in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
Two runner-up finishes and eight top 25s in 10 starts on Tour this season. The only person who beat him in his major championship debut at the Masters was Scheffler. Give me all the Aberg stock.
3rd pick — Wyndham Clark
Wyndham Clark walks off the No. 2 green during the first round of the 2024 Masters Tournament. (Photo: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Network)
Yes, he ejected on Friday at the Masters, but on the season he has a win at Pebble Beach (in a shortened event) but also has two runner-up finishes and four top 10s in 10 starts. He’s consistently been in the mix for the last two years.
4th pick — Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy walks off the eighth green prior to the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana on April 24, 2024 in Avondale, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
The world No. 2 has six top-25 finishes in eight PGA Tour starts and bagged a win against a weak field in January on the DP World Tour in Dubai. Sure, he isn’t winning or competing at the clip he should be, but McIlroy has shown glimpses that make me believe he’s got the chance to rattle off a few wins this season.
5th pick — Jon Rahm
Jon Rahm tees off on No. 1 during a practice round at Augusta National Golf Club ahead of the 2024 Masters. (Photo: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Network)
Rahm’s Masters title defense didn’t go as planned (T-45, 9 over) but at his best he’s still a top player in the world. He hasn’t finished worse than eighth place in five LIV starts and has three top-fives. He’ll win at least one of those this year and should be a factor in the three majors still to come.
6th pick — Xander Schauffele
Xander Schauffele plays his shot from the 14th tee during the first round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
I mean, he’s gotta win again soon, right? The drought is pushing two years for Schauffele, two earned his 12th major top 10 at the Masters. Nine top 25s and seven top 10s in 10 events on Tour. He’s due.
7th pick — Max Homa
Max Homa chips onto the No. 7 green during the final round of the Masters Tournament. (Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Network)
It’s Max Homa’s time to shine. He’s won on Tour every year since 2019 (the COVID-riddled 2020 season aside) and just earned his best-ever major finish with his T-3 at the Masters. Expect him to nab a PGA Tour win, and don’t be surprised if his ballstriking shines at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst.
8th pick — Patrick Cantlay
Patrick Cantlay plays his shot from the 14th tee during the first round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
You may not love his pace of play but his game is undeniable. He hasn’t missed a cut in nine starts and has five top-25 finishes. Even a ho-hum Masters still saw him finish T-22.
9th pick — Joaquin Niemann
Joaquin Niemann of Torque GC poses for a photo with his trophy after winning the LIV Golf Invitational – Jeddah at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club on March 03, 2024 in King Abdullah Economic City , Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
With two wins in five LIV Golf starts this season and a win in December at the Australian Open, few players are hitting the ball as well as Niemann these days. After he earned a special invitation to the 2024 Masters, Niemann rebounded from a Friday 78 to finish T-22, his second-best major finish behind last year’s Masters (T-16).
10th pick — Bryson Dechambeau
Much like in the NFL Draft with quarterbacks or linemen, it’s a run of LIV players. His LIV team is rolling with two wins, and after a T-25 in the season opener, he’s gone on to finish T9-4-T6-T7 in the four events since.
Pick Nos. 11-15
Brooks Koepka seen on the eighth green during a practice round prior to the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images)
No. 11 — Brooks Koepka
No. 12 — Collin Morikawa
Morikawa made some key changes and appears to be back to his competitive ways.
No. 13 — Viktor Hovland
No. 14 — Tommy Fleetwood
134 PGA Tour starts. 23 top-five finishes. Zero wins. If Schauffele is due, Fleetwood is well past due and racking up late fees. This season he has three top 10s in eight starts. If he keeps banging on the door, eventually it’ll open up.
No. 15 — Sahith Theegala
Pick Nos. 16-20
Tyrrell Hatton of Legion XIII gestures during day one of the LIV Golf Invitational – Mayakoba at El Camaleon at Mayakoba on February 02, 2024 in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. (Photo by Manuel Velasquez/Getty Images)
No. 16 — Tyrrell Hatton
He’s been okay so far with LIV Golf (T8-T12-T15-T21-T4) but did pick up a top 10 at the Masters (despite hating the course).
No. 17 — Matt Fitzpatrick
No. 18 — Hideki Matsuyama
No. 19 — Justin Thomas
No. 20 — Jordan Spieth
Every draft has a reach and Spieth may be it for this one. Yes, his tournaments are a roller coaster of “wow” and “yikes” performances but that’ll sell tickets.
Pick Nos. 21-25
Will Zalatoris plays a shot from a bunker on the second hole during the third round of the 2024 Masters Tournament. (Photo: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Network)
No. 21 — Will Zalatoris
Zalatoris is still working his way back from injury but a runner-up and three top 10s (including the Masters) in nine events is a nice start.
No. 22 — Cameron Young
No. 23 — Denny McCarthy
No. 24 — Brian Harman
No. 25 — Min Woo Lee
Pick Nos. 26-32
Jason Day and his caddie, Luke Reardon, wait on the 15th hole during the continuation of the first round of the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
No. 26 — Jason Day
He might dress poorly but he’s playing well with three top 10s this season. Keep an eye on JDay the rest of this season (and once again, not just for his bad outfits).
No. 27 — Sam Burns
No. 28 — Tom Kim
No. 29 — Tony Finau
No. 30 — Akshay Bhatia
No. 31 — Cameron Smith
No. 32 — Talor Gooch
I’d hate for this list to have an asterisk.
