Earlier this month, I covered the five players without a major who I believe are most likely to change that in 2019. Now it’s time to take a look at the budding stars, as well as some late bloomers on the PGA Tour without a victory who are primed to make the breakthrough in 2019.

*Being 13th in the Official World Golf Ranking and on the list of five players without a major who are most likely to win in 2019, it didn’t feel necessary to include Tommy Fleetwood here.

5. Luke List

Luke List came agonizingly close to becoming a winner on the PGA Tour in 2018, with only a clutch performance from Justin Thomas at the Honda Classic preventing him from doing so. In the 2017/18 season, the 34-year-old proved that he belongs on the PGA Tour claiming five top-10 finishes, and with two top-five finishes in just five events played in the 2018/19 season, List looks ready to make the breakthrough in 2019.

What has prevented him from winning so far in his career? Well, apart from an inspired Justin Thomas, List’s putting has been very costly. The American finished 176th for strokes gained putting in 2017, and last year he came in at 181st. So far this season, List sits 50th, which shows a significant improvement, and with the talent he possesses, it may just take one strong week on the greens for him to get his hands on a trophy in 2019.

4. Beau Hossler

In 2018, Beau Hossler was on the receiving end of a dagger of a putt from Ian Poulter on the 18th green at the Houston Open. The putt, as well as the subsequent collapse in the playoff, prevented the Colin Montgomerie doppelgänger (in swing and apparel, at least) from entering the winner’s circle on the PGA Tour and booking his ticket to Augusta National in the process. But in that event, as well as subsequent ones, including the Travelers Championship where he finished T2, Hossler showed he has the game to win on the PGA Tour.

With so many tournaments on the Tour being decided by who can putt out of their skin for four days, Hossler’s streakiness on the greens could well be the catalyst to the 23-year-old getting his first win. In 2018, Hossler gained over five strokes over the field in seven events. To put that in perspective, one of the best putters on Tour, Jason Day, only achieved that feat three times last year. Continuing to have red hot weeks on the greens may allow Hossler to record a victory in 2019.

3. Alex Noren

Sitting 21st in the Official World Golf Ranking, a win on the PGA Tour is surely around the corner for Alex Noren. Just like Luke List, Noren came within touching distance of capturing the Honda Classic last year and had it not been for J.B. Holmes waiting until Christmas to hit his layup at the Farmers Insurance Open, Noren may well have tasted victory at Torrey Pines in 2018.

10 wins on the European Tour show Noren’s pedigree, and with him now plying his trade full time on the PGA Tour, it looks to be more of a question of when and not if the Swede will win a title stateside.

2. Sungjae Im

Not a household name as of yet, Web.com Tour graduate Sungjae Im is making his debut season on Tour, and the 20-year-old has begun very impressively. Im has already notched two top-20 finishes in his three appearances so far in 2019, and he also claimed a top-five finish at the beginning of the wraparound season at the Safeway Open.

In 2018, Im was the only player on the Web.com Tour to win multiple events, and what’s more, Im also claimed three runner-up finishes. The South Korean is undoubtedly a name to look out for in 2019, and at his current trajectory, he has every chance of emulating his slightly older countryman Si-Woo Kim, and becoming a PGA Tour winner very early on in his career.

1. Abraham Ancer

At just 5′ 7″, you probably wouldn’t think that Ancer is one of the top performers on the Tour off the tee. However, entering this week’s Waste Management Phoenix Open, the Mexican sits fifth in the field for strokes gained off the tee over his previous 50 rounds. With this significant weapon in his arsenal, Ancer’s results continue to grow, and with it, my belief that a first win on Tour is just around the corner for the 27-year-old.

Ancer ended his 2017/18 season with two top-10 finishes in his last five events, and in his seven subsequent events to begin the 2018/19 season, the Mexican has recorded four top-25 finishes, including top-five finishes at both the CIMB Classic and Shriners Open. Look for Ancer to get his maiden win on Tour in 2019.