Last year, it was Lachlan Barker who got his season started right with a win, while it was rookie Kiwi professional Kazuma Kobori who shone brightest, winning three times on the way to securing the Order of Merit title and all the benefits being the Australasian No.1 brings.

As the chase to follow Kobori’s stellar example begins, here’s eight “next gen” professionals aged 25 and under we think you should keep a close eye on as the season unfolds over 10 tournaments over the second half of 2024, with more to come at the start of 2025.

Cameron John

He just slips into this age group for one last season, but as the winner of the final event last season, The National Tournament presented by BMW, he is a worthy inclusion. Turning pro at 19 after an impressive amateur career, it was an up-and-down start in the pro game for the Victorian, however, last season, on the comeback from wrist surgery, he got into a groove. John’s win was one of six top-25s, and after a winter at home he will chomping at the bit to get going.

Jeffrey Guan

Another of the highly successful amateurs now in the early stages of their pro career, Guan looks set for a big season after spending the winter months playing the European Challenge Tour, where he recorded a top-10 in France. Finishing T18 and T21 at the BMW Australian PGA Championship and ISPS HANDA Australian Open respectively, Guan isn’t afraid of the big stage and is growing as a pro with each start.

Harrison Crowe

After winning the 2022 NSW Open as an amateur, and earning major starts via winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Crowe produced a mixed bag in his first season as a professional in 2023/24. Last season was highlighted by a T2 at the Queensland PGA for the New South Welshman who has been plying his trade on the Asian Tour in the winter months and is a proven winner at every level.

Elvis Smylie

Making his major championship debut at The Open Championship at Royal Troon this year, it is easy to think Smylie has been around for a long time given he was a fixture on leaderboards straight after turning pro. Learning a great deal over the past few years when results haven’t come as easily, Smylie is now part of the Ritchie Smith camp that has produced some of our best players. Now has experience at almost every venue on the schedule this season, which the lefthander will hope to take advantage of as he looks to return to the DP World Tour.

Josh Greer

Another of the Ritchie Smith stable, Greer will be better after his first full season as a professional at home, where his best result came in the form of a runner-up at the Webex Players Series South Australia. Settling well into Tour life, Greer will look to make his mark early in his home state of Western Australia, with the Scottish-born Greer very comfortable at the WA Open that he has been playing since the age of 14 and in Kalgoorlie where he was T9 last season.

Hayden Hopewell

Yet another of the promising crop of players coming from the West, Hopewell is already a Tour winner after claiming the WA Open as an amateur back in 2020. Playing a full schedule on the Challenge Tour in Europe this year, Hopewell hasn’t quite produced what he would have liked, but once back home he is one of the players to watch. A renowned hard worker, Hopewell is another who will look to make some noise early in the WA swing.

Max Charles

Turning pro after finishing in a tied fourth at last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Charles’ opportunities to show what he can do as a pro have been limited to date. Losing in a play-off at the final stage of Qualifying School this year, gaining starts won’t be such an issue for the Victorian who enjoyed a strong amateur career that included a five-year stint at Boise State University in America. A member of Kingston Heath, Charles will be keen to start well and perhaps secure Australian PGA and Australian Open starts via the mini Order of Merit in the first half of the season.