Elite-level golf’s events have been dominated by players from Europe and North America throughout history, but that has not stopped players from the rest of the world securing rare victories and that could yet happen again this year.
The United States is the most successful nation in major competition history with a remarkable 285 titles having been won by its players before the 2024 US Open. Scotland and England follow behind with 55 and 36 titles respectively.
From the nations outside of North America and Europe, South Africa has experienced the most success in majors history with 22 titles and Australia has been the recipient of 18 major wins.
Collectively the rest of the world has combined for 53 titles although there is the potential for that figure to grow this summer. Here we will look at the top golfers from outside of the two main continents set to compete in the remaining major events of the year.
Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith was the last rest of the world winner of a major golfing honour and he is seen as the most likely to be the latest champion in 2024 too. In a bet on US Open he is offered at 33/1 to win the June event and in the subsequent Open Championship, he is also strongly positioned in a golf bet on the competition at 22/1.
The odds suggest the Australian will be an outsider for each of the remaining events of 2024 although a win would not be massively unrealistic considering his position in the markets ranks him in the top 10 of the most likely players to succeed in either the United States or Scotland.
Smith’s 2022 victory in the Open Championship at St Andrews in Scotland was his first career win. Now his greatest chance of securing further glory for himself and bringing a halt to the North American and European dominance could come in the nation where he experienced career-high glory.
Smith is undoubtedly the rest of the world’s leading hope of capturing at least one of the Grand Slam honours on offer this summer.
Hideki Matsuyama
Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama was the most recent star from outside of Europe – barring Smith – to win a major competition and he is also seen as one of the top candidates to achieve future success in 2024.
The 32-year-old’s chances in the two remaining events of 2024 are rated equally at 40/1. A win for Matsuyama and a second-ever title for his nation would be a remarkable feat, and it cannot be ruled out purely due to the fact he has produced a shock on the highest-pressure stage before.
Ultimately, if the rest of the world is to inflict a rare break in the monopoly that the top two continents hold over the sport, then this duo from Oceania and Asia are most likely to be the surprise champions.
Smith will have the upper hand this summer, especially in the Open Championship as he has won that prize before. Matsuyama though will have the boost of having won in arguably the toughest event in the past – The Masters – and that experience could prove to be vital against the top-ranked players.
