The 2010s gave us golf’s biggest stars—Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, and Jordan Spieth dominated. But not everyone stayed in the spotlight. Some players had their moment, looked like future stars, and then disappeared. Whether due to injuries, lost confidence, or just golf being cruel, these names faded fast.
5 Amazing and Forgotten Golfers From the 2010s
Kevin Chappell – The comeback that never quite came back
For a while, Chappell looked like a regular contender. He finished third at the 2011 U.S. Open, lost in a playoff at The Players, and finally won the 2017 Valero Texas Open. Then his back gave out. Surgery in 2018 sidelined him for nearly a year. When he returned, he shot a 59—great sign, right? Nope. His game never fully recovered, and he’s been mostly grinding on the fringes of the tour ever since.
Camilo Villegas – The Spiderman lost his swing
Few players looked cooler than Camilo Villegas. His athletic, crouched-down putting stance made him a fan favorite, and he backed it up with three PGA Tour wins before 2010. Then his game slowly faded. After winning the 2014 Wyndham Championship, he vanished from leaderboards. Injuries, swing changes, and personal tragedy hit hard. He’s popped up for a few good finishes, but the days of “Spiderman” contending in big events are long gone.
Hunter Mahan – From top 5 to forgotten
Mahan was rock solid in the early 2010s. Six PGA Tour wins, multiple Ryder Cup appearances, and a swing that looked built for longevity. Then he fell off a cliff. Swing changes, putting struggles, and lost confidence sent him tumbling down the rankings. By 2017, he was playing Monday qualifiers. A guy who once battled Rory McIlroy in the Ryder Cup now struggles to make cuts. Golf can be cruel. And now he makes our list of amazing but forgotten golfers of the 2010s.
Ben An – So much talent, so little putting
Ben An looked like a rising star after winning the 2015 BMW PGA Championship. He crushed the ball, contended in big events, and seemed poised for more. But there was one problem—his putter. An’s ball-striking kept him competitive, but his short game never caught up. Over time, his missed putts piled up, and so did his missed cuts. He’s still lurking around professional golf, but that next big win hasn’t come.
Smylie Kaufman – From Masters final group to the TV booth
In 2016, Kaufman played in the final group at the Masters. One bad round later, his career started unraveling. His Sunday 81 at Augusta was just the beginning of a brutal slump. Injuries, swing issues, and shattered confidence followed. By 2019, he was completely off the PGA Tour. But Smylie still found a way to stay in golf—just not as a player. Now, he’s a TV broadcaster, proving he can still deliver a great performance. Just not on Sundays at Augusta.
Golf builds stars fast, but it forgets them even faster. These players had the talent, the wins, and the hype—until they didn’t. Some are still fighting to regain form, others have moved on. Either way, their stories are reminders that in golf, nothing is guaranteed.