Young guns - The future fairway kings.
Tommy Does Golf - The Podcast
EPISODE 4
SEASON 01
4 Feb 2026
tommy: Welcome to Tommy Does Golf, the podcast where three old timers give you our opinions on everything. Golf. I'm Tommy Long, joined by fellow PGA professionals, James Morgan and Paul Charman. With over a hundred years and counting in the golf industry between us, we are well into our back nines. We'll do our best to stay on topic, but just like our tee shots these days, this podcast could go anywhere.
We are hoping you enjoy the banter and maybe just maybe we'll share a few pearls of wisdom along the way. Let's get into it.
Right gents. The mission today is simple. Name the young players you think will dominate the next 10 years.
James: oh
Tommy: yeah. James, I wanna start with you. Who's your number one pick and why do you think he's won two? Watch
James: well dominate the next 10 years. I that's a tough call actually.
Yeah. I've gone for some young talent. . On the, , U-S-P-G-A tour. I've gone with Blades Brown, he's only 18 years old. , Instead of doing what everybody else does, which is they go, after college, university, and then they then turned pro from there, he just decided, that's it.
I'm gonna go and turn pro so at 16, he broke Bobby Jones' record as the youngest medalist. In the stroke player for the US amateur.
Tommy: Wow.
James: So that's pretty impressive. And Jones said that at the age of 18. He made his professional debut at the American Express in January, 2025, shooting 64 in the second round.
So he's already got the ability to shoot those scores now. He's just played really well, but unfortunately choked on the last day. He was tied going into the last round and then shot two over in the last round when everyone else was shooting miles under par.
That's the stuff you've gotta learn how to deal with the pressure, the media, , all the bits and pieces going into that last round. But up to that point, he had a put, , for a 59 or
Tommy: Yeah, he did it would've been 13 under par
James: Yeah. , And the way, but the shot that he hit into the last. I mean there was water there and he's just rifled it at the flag.
Absolutely. And he's ended up hit it 10 foot from the flag under the pump. Under pressure.
Paul: Yeah.
James: So you look at that and you go, he's definitely got, the game, he's got the belief. Now it's just a matter of can you deal with all the external stuff? And that's probably now where by staying in the college and university systems, they get taught that they get taught, media skills. They get taught all about the business side of things, so he's just gone, you know what Sod that, sod all of that.
tommy: Yeah.
James: I'm just gonna go and tell Do, do my thing. Do my thing. I'm good. I'm gonna do it. Yeah.
Tommy: And he's got a pretty cool name. Let's be honest. I mean, that's one that you're gonna remember, isn't it? Blades Brown.
Paul: That's exactly what I've written. I've, let's cool. I've actually gone with Blaze Brown as well. And I've literally just put Cool name,
Tommy: yeah.
Paul: But as you've also just mentioned. There's so much about this kid that I have to like, and I've literally put, this kid can go low.
The amount of scores that he has put together let's not forget. He's what? He's 18. 18 years old.
tommy: Yes.
Paul: You know, 18 years old. And I like what you say about the fact that, there's all these kids that go to college and they want to get a degree and all this sort of stuff and he's just jumped the gun and gone straight into it so yes, you can go to university and you can be taught all this sort of stuff supposedly, or you can just. Bite the bullet and go, you know what?
I'm gonna learn on the road. Yeah. And I think that's exactly what this kid has done.
Tommy: Yeah.
Paul: You know, he believes in himself. Backs himself. Go for it.
Tommy: My pick I guess I've cheated a little bit. I've gone a little bit outside of the PGA tour, but I found myself watching a little bit of YouTube, which sometimes I do. And I was watching breaking, 50 with Bryson DeChambeau and he Partnered up with a kid called Miles Russell. He's a lefty. He's got ice. Cool composure. His resume a is ridiculous.
At 15, he became the youngest ever player to make a Korn Ferry tour. Cut. I think that if he, continues on the trajectory that he's on now and he doesn't get injured, he's gonna win a major and he's gonna be a top 10 player in the world if not higher.
James :Yes.
Tommy: We just have to see how he goes. But just the maturity that came across. when he was being interviewed and when he was talking and when he was playing with Bryson, 17 years old and he’s just got the head of a 25-year-old already they are saying that he's going to possibly go to Florida State. But yeah, I looked at him swing the club, the rhythm was there. He's powerful. It's, just everything about him. He's obviously technically very good, but he doesn't seem to be robotic.
He's got flare, he's got a bit of talent. So anybody listening, if you haven't heard of Miles Russell, get into William Hills and try and place a bet on him becoming world number one 'cause it could well happen. Check out that video with Bryson DeChambeau with him on YouTube.
Alright, James. Give us somebody else.
James: I've got a guy called Luke Clanton. This Is gonna be an interesting one as well. Purely 'cause it was said in the press.
In the press. How old do I sound? It was said in the press.
tommy: Sound like you're 60. You, the scary thing is we all know what you meant.
James: Yeah. Yes. So he's bulked himself up to gain around 15 pounds. So what's that? In kilos? Six, six and a half kilos to try and handle the rigors of the PGA tour.
'cause he just felt like he wasn't strong enough. Not just for, playing the game, but practicing the game and competing at the highest level. Now 15 pounds for me, he was very easy. I just have to get into a little bit of chalk and a few beers and I can do it. He's done this properly. See. And again, this has happened before for other players.
They've bulked up. Nick Faldo tried. It didn't work. Bryson DeChambeau tried. It didn't work. Mm-hmm. But this guy was really skinny and all it was, was that having looked at his swing from before and after, before without the strength the shaft was just heading into the wrong plane every now and then.
Now it just looks so solid because he's stronger. ' Because when you're generating that much clubhead speed, you're losing your spine angle. You get pulled in and he's just now holding it and he's just swinging the club so much better.
tommy: I'm gonna, I'm gonna go home and have a look at him. Luke Clanton.I'm have, look at him. Luke Clanton, and he's 22 years old.
James: He's 22 years old
Tommy: And he’s playing on what tour? Korn Ferry
James: no I think he's on the PGA tour. But then he says here, Clanton became the first amateur since 1958 to finish in the top 10 and back to back PGA tour events.
So he did it as an amateur. He's had that experience. Now he's gone on tour, he's learning, he's using his brain. And at 22 it's like Scottie Scheffler He reckons he actually didn't, fully mature until he was like 24, 25.
tommy: Yeah. Yeah.
James: So this guy's working out a little bit earlier. But I mean, there are so many amazing young players out there.
tommy: Yeah. Can I ask, did he go through college? Florida State.
Okay,
James: and he got, actually got his PGA tour card through the university accelerated program.
Tommy: Okay. . So you gotta be pretty good to get it through that program because we know it's like a conveyor belt, isn't it?
James: A hundred percent.
Tommy: You know, it's unbelievable. Okay, Paul,
Paul: so. I'm gonna go with, a South African, finally, look, Aldrich Potgeiter This kid has won titles in Australia, in South Africa, in the us. He won the amateur championship in 2022.
Second youngest to do so. He's long, he's. Strong. He's South African. What more can I say? You guys can take over from there.
Tommy: Look, I was also gonna go with Aldrich Potgeiter. It's quite significant that all three of us severe marked him for big things. The only thing I'll add is that he led the PGA tour driving distance last season, averaging 325 yards, which is just ridiculous. James, Back to you.Who's the next name on your list that you think could achieve great things?
James: He's already doing big things. Ludvig Aberg.
Tommy: Okay. And what age is Ludvig now?
James: He’s 25. I mean, he was thrust in at the deep end. You don't get picked for a Ryder cup having hardly played an event at that point.
But the guy's got a talent. He's got an attitude that I absolutely love. You see him in a bad shot and he's just like, oh, well, he's like a Lydia Ko. Oh, well I've hit a bad shot. Now let's just move on. And I think he will grow. I'd love to see him win a major and I just think he's got big things ahead of him. Really do swings it. Great.
Tommy: Yeah.
James: Understands his swing. I actually use his swing a lot for models when I'm teaching. He hits so many good points
Tommy: and he doesn't Mess About does he I mean, he, he walks into the ball. and then just boof he's gone.
I'd love to see him. Get a major over the line because I think if he does, it could open up, he could win a hat full,
James: and if he doesn't say like, in three years time, he's 28, 29, 4 years, he then all of a sudden hold on in the 30 and I've not really done it.
But there's so many unbelievable players out there. that's the thing. They really are, is the depth of the players coming through. So to be a standout player, you've gotta be something special. Now
Tommy: you do. You really do. That's so true.
James: More than any other era.
Tommy: Paul Go on.
Paul: Okay, so has anybody gone for Tom Kim?
James: Oh, he was my next pick.
Paul: Tom Kim is 23. Okay.
tommy: Okay. Is he really?
Paul: 23, but been around a while. This kid is 23 years old, okay? And I'm just gonna literally read a little bit of what I've written down, okay? He's from Korea. His dad was a golf pro. He was based in Australia. PGA tour wins three, Asian tour wins two term Pro, 2018. Played mainly on the Asian tour Masters. Okay? US Masters. Tied 16th in 2023, 30th in 24 US open tied eighth in 23 PGA championship tied. 26 in 2024. Open championship tied second 2023.solo third in the Scottish open. US PGA tour card. 2023 season. He earned it with a seventh place finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Following week, shot 61 in the final round to win the Wyndham Championship, even though he started the tournament with a quadruple bogey on the first hole of that tournament.
2023 Shiners Children's Open winner he's 23 years old. I Could have written more about this kid.
James: That would've been quite boring. When did he turn Pro ?
Paul: 2018.
James: So that she's been a pro for eight years.
Paul: He has a resume that a lot of, players in their thirties that have been playing on the tour would love to have, . He's 23.
Tommy: How's he going these days? Because I haven't heard his name no that much lately. So is he injured? Is he doing military
service? What's going on with Tom?
Paul : I think He's retired.
James: retired at 23 your career You know, he's, he's made enough,
Tommy: okay. My next pick, I'm going for Martin Couvra, the 23-year-old Frenchman Plying his trade on the European tour. You're both rolling your eyes at me. Okay. You've both got him to, well, I'll keep this brief then.
I just remember the first time I watched him for sort of six or seven holes and I just thought he looked so young. He didn't look 23, he looked more like 17 probably. 'cause he's so lanky and slender and he hasn't filled out yet. I mean, he probably weigh what, 55 kilos ringing wet. But he was fearless and he's definitely got that French flare. Given that you boys have both written him down, do you wanna add anything? Do you wanna jump in and finish this one off?
Paul: I'll jump in in front of James.
James: please do cause I've run out now
Paul: interestingly, he was the first player in history to win both the South African Stroke Play Championship and the South African Amateur Championship in back to back weeks. He won the Turkish Airlines Open, and he was rookie of the year in 2025. He's 23 years old. I think this is now gonna be your next, big French player making a mark in the world I think this is the kid that's gonna do it for them.
Yeah. I can see him playing in Ryder Cup in the future for sure. 100 percent,
Tommy: I agree with you.They've always had flare the French, haven't they? Mm-hmm. And he strikes me as somebody that has got flair.
What about, Spanish players, any young Spaniards coming up?
Paul: I have one.
Tommy: Tell me.
Paul: So there's a young kid at the moment, his name's Angel. Ayora,
James: there's another one crossed off my list, honestly.
tommy: Tell us about Angel Ayora
Paul: Okay, so basically what I like about this kid is that He gained his tour card through the Challenge tour. And what I do like about this kid, I think it's just to do with the whole Spanish, flair. We talked about flair before with French, but the Spanish have also got that sort of, you know je ne sais quois . Um, but,
tommy: but we dunno what Spanish is for je ne sais quois So you use the French,
Paul : uh, no, we, we, but I know what you mean. We could, we're with you. But, this kid has shot some low scores. He also, he was approached by LIV golf and refused because his desire is to play PGA tour and Ryder Cup, his manager is Javier Ballesteros And he recently signed a contract to wear The SEVE logo. So he is the only player on the DP World tour who actually wears the SEVE clothing range, which was launched by Severiano Ballesteros’s children,
a little stat for you on him. At the end of 2025 season, he had a hot run of six top 10 finishes in seven starts. That's pretty impressive.
That's pretty, that's great. That's quite hard to do. Yeah,
james: that's pretty amazing actually. Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's pretty cool. I'm just trying to find out how old he is. He's 21.
21 years old.
Tommy: That's young. Definitely one to watch. Okay, James, anyone else you wanna mention before we have you crossing them all out?
James: I've got, Rasmus Neergaard- Petersen
Tommy: Yep.
James: He has turned pro. He's done, really, really well. But again, he didn't clinch a card To the PGA tour last year, so I think he's going to stick to the DP world tour. Yeah. And, make a name for himself and then go right now can move over
Tommy: i've got two names left on my list. I will go for another South African Jayden Schaper.
He's 24. They call him Clutch for a reason. Sorry, James scribble it off. He's obviously, recently won a couple of events.
James: That's for my European tour. One I've got him for.
Tommy: So far he is lived up to his nickname of clutch when he is been under the pump. He's been very, very impressive.
Paul: I've only got one, one other player Akshay Bhatia.
James: Oh yeah, good call.
Paul: Akshay Bhatia 23 years old. Lefty? Already a couple of really decent results in Majors, US Masters, tied 35 20 24. US Open Tied 16 20 24. Open Tiied 30 20 25. And he's a character. And that's what I love about this kid. 23 years old. So he made his first PTA tour start in 2019 at the age of 17 after receiving a sponsors exemption into the Valspar Championship. So you admit that at that age 17. It's quite impressive, isn't it? It
James: He actually swings it great. I think he's got a fantastic attitude as well. Yeah, I think he could go places
Tommy: I do too. Okay, fellas. Well that's been a pretty interesting discussion we've obviously come up with the same names, so we've crossed out a lot of times. Another person's kind of covered it, but I'm just gonna say out of everybody, I'm gonna ask you for one. So over the next 10 years, James.
And then Paul give me a name. Give me somebody that you think is gonna win and become a household name. Go for it.
James: I like the look of that Blades Brown.
Paul: I'm gonna go Akshay Bhatia
Tommy: okay. I'm gonna go Miles Russell. So there we go. There you go. They’re our Picks people
Blades Brown I Like that cause obviously he is out there. He is doing it already. Akshay Bhatia obviously been there since he's 17 years old, which is quite phenomenal. But I do think that that Miles Russell is a talent. So, it's gonna be interesting to see, but let's hear from the, listeners. Go to the website.Tell us who you think. You might think we're all crazy, but yeah. There you go. Thanks boys. We'll see you next time.
James: Great stuff.
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