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Former amateur prodigy still searching for first PGA Tour win after 16 years

Originally posted on HITC | By Charlie Walker | Last updated Jan 2, 2026 1:55 PM ET

Golf fans reminded of amateur star still searching for PGA Tour breakthrough after 16 years

There’s a long history of young golf prodigies being hyped up early, only to fall short of the expectations set for them.

That doesn’t always mean they fall flat, either. Rory McIlroy came in with huge expectations and still managed to carve out an impressive career, even if he didn’t quite hit the heights people imagined early on.

Jordan Spieth, who won two majors before turning 22, had some saying he could challenge Jack Nicklaus’ major record. We’re always quick to look for the next Nicklaus or Tiger Woods, so when someone catches fire early, it’s easy to get swept up in it.

And then there are those who reach their peak before even turning professional. No one can say a player without a PGA Tour win isn’t talented – not after being the youngest ever to win the US Amateur – but 16 years later, he’s still searching for that first pro victory.

Young US Amateur champion still searching for a PGA Tour win

Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images

Byeong Hun An was just 17 years old when he won the U.S. Amateur in August 2009, beating Ben Martin 7 & 5. A year later, he became the first defending champion since Tiger Woods in 1996 to reach the semi-finals of the same event.

An’s amateur career put him in elite company before he even turned professional, but things haven’t unfolded quite as many had anticipated.

Across 226 starts over 14 years on tour, An has yet to claim a victory. He’s come close on several occasions, losing three playoffs, but his record in majors suggests he hasn’t been able to break through against golf’s elite.

An’s best finish in a major came at The Open in 2014, where he finished tied for 13th and has never finished inside the top-10. But there was still a bright spot during that period across the Atlantic.

By winning the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, An became only the second player – after Arnold Palmer – to win both that event and the U.S. Amateur. Despite his name appearing alongside legends like Palmer and Woods at various stages of his career, it hasn’t quite worked out as expected when his journey started back in 1996.

Fleetwood’s win leaves An with an unfortunate PGA Tour distinction

Tommy Fleetwood’s 2025 Tour Championship victory left Byeong Hun An holding a record he probably didn’t want.

An has become the all-time leader in PGA Tour earnings without a victory, having collected $20,783,722 over 15 years. During that time, he’s had five runner-up finishes – three of which came in playoffs – along with 15 top-fives and 30 top-10s.

Despite those numbers, it hasn’t translated into a win. He may now be looking to follow Fleetwood’s path and finally break through for his first PGA Tour title, which would see the record pass to Denny McCarthy, who sits just $200,000 behind him.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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