As we steadily progress toward 2016, the game of golf at the professional level is global. To that point, global access and coverage, even if somewhat limited, of relevant professional golf tours is a necessity for those already looking toward next year’s professional majors and yes, the summer Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.

The European Tour is one such professional golf tour and while it is not yet (and may never be) a true rival to the PGA Tour, some of the best players in world like Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia and Henrik Stenson maintain membership on that tour. Notably, eligible players seeking consideration for the European Ryder Cup team must be members in good standing of the European Tour. New membership rules were recently announced by new chief executive of The European Tour, Keith Pelley, and essentially require members to play only five events outside of the professional majors and World Golf Championship events.

On Sunday, Nov. 22, 2015, McIlroy closed with 66 to beat hard-charging Andy Sullivan and win not only the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, but the Race to Dubai for 2015 on the European Tour. Alas, the offseason for the European Tour is best characterized as non-existent with the season-opening event, Alfred Dunhill Championship, having been played last week in South Africa before moving to the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa, to close-out the 2015 calendar year (as part of the official 2016 season). Charl Schwartzel won the 2016 Alfred Dunhill Championship for the fourth time (2005, 2013-2014, and 2016). In doing so, Schwartzel became the:

• First South African to win an official event on the European Tour four different times.
• Third South African to win 10 official events on the European Tour, along with World Golf Hall of Fame member, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen.
• The youngest (31 years old) South African to win 10 official events on The European Tour, breaking the previous record held by Els (32 years old).

The 2016 season culminates in The Final Series next November, which is comprised of the Turkish Airlines Open, Nedbank Golf Challenge (yes, that’s not a typo; same tournament twice in same tournament year), and DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

As you may have read or already know, some of the recent focus on the European Tour relates to the special treatment afforded McIlory by Pelley with respect to last season’s The Final Series, Paul Casey’s recent decision to decline tour membership in 2016, and Ian Poulter’s shenanigans in Hong Kong, rather than some of the incredible play by its members. More importantly, the European Tour remains, however, a hub for young, up-and-coming professional players, such as Brooks Koepka, Peter Uihlein, and 2016 rookie Paul Dunne, to name a few, as well as much of the upper echelon of international talent outside of the U.S.

The over-arching point being, whether in the midst of a Ryder Cup year or not, it seems apt to transition to a new and exciting year of professional men’s golf with an eye, not only toward the PGA Tour, but its relevant counterpart, the European Tour.

5 Players to Watch in 2016

As noted above, some of the best players in the world make the European Tour a priority, if not their home tour, such as Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuize, and Rory McIlroy. Here are some other lesser known, but extremely talented players to watch in 2016 on the European Tour.

Kiradech Aphibarnrat

Only 26 years old and a three-time winner (2013 Maybank Malaysian Open, 2015 Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play, and 2015 Shenzhen International) already, Aphibarnrat is quickly becoming a regular threat on the European Tour. Apart from two wins in 2015, Aphibarnrat posted another six top-10 finishes in 25 total events and finished 13th in the Race to Dubai.

Born in Thailand, Aphibarnrat was seemingly considered, but ultimately not chosen by captain Nick Price for the 2015 Presidents Cup in South Korea as a member of the International team. Having finished fifth last year in Sun City, Aphibarnrat will be looking to start the 2016 season strong and it should be no surprise if he is competing for the win late on Sunday or any final round, for that matter, this upcoming year.

Lucas Bjerregaard

Hailing from Denmark, Bjerregaard is just 24 years old and turned professional in 2011. He successfully earned playing privileges on the European Tour after two full seasons on the European Challenge Tour by surviving the European Tour’s Qualifying School Final Stage in 2013. Bjerregaard is long off the tee, having averaged more than 304 yards in each of 2014 and 2015, making him a prime candidate to flourish when he has average to above average putting weeks.

Admittedly, Bjerregaard did not play as one might expect at the Alfred Dunhill Championship last week finishing T-138th and missing the cut. In 2015, he did, post nine top-25 finishes in 33 total events, however, which was highlighted by a late season second place finish at the UBS Hong Kong Open won by Justin Rose. Don’t sleep on Bjerregaard in 2016, as he just might stake his claim to more than one tournament this season on The European Tour.

Paul Dunne

Dunne is best known for holding a share of the 54-hole lead at The 2015 Open Championship played at the Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland. Eventually, Dunne finished T-30th after a final-round 78. Shortly thereafter, he made it to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur before losing to eventual champion, Bryson DeChambeau. He was also a member of the victorious Great Britain and Ireland team at the Walker Cup in 2015.

He is 23 years old and after the Walker Cup triumph in which GB&I beat the U.S. handily, Dunne turned professional and ultimately earned full privileges for 2016 on the European Tour after surviving all three stages of qualifying school. Dunne missed the cut last week in South Africa, but posted two top-25 finishes at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and British Masters after turning professional back in October. Short in stature by modern professional golf standards, Dunne seems to have something intangible that will inevitably make him a force to be reckoned sooner rather than later.

Eddie Pepperell

On the verge of turning 25 years old in January 2016, this Englishman turned professional in 2011. He posted three top-10 finishes in 2015 and lost in a playoff to Soren Kjeldsen on the first hole of sudden death at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. In sum, Pepperell closed out 2015 with a 49th-place finish in the Race to Dubai. He also displayed strong form at the 2015 The Open Championship before posting a final round 76 and finishing T-49th.

Pepperell started the 2016 season strong with a T-8th last week at the Alfred Dunhill Championship in South Africa. Unlike some other players listed above, Pepperell’s pedigree is less obvious, but what is undeniable is his steady improvement since becoming a member of the European Tour. In 2013, Pepperell played 25 tournaments and finished 76th in the Race to Dubai. In 2014 and 2015, he finished 49th each year, but was able to do so in 2015 while playing four fewer events (i.e., 27 v. 23). Keep Pepperell on your short list of players to watch in 2016.

Thomas Pieters

Realistically, the professional golfer set to make the biggest impact in 2016 on the European Tour, Pieters seems to be a can’t-miss-type player. Pieters played college golf in the U.S. at the University of Illinois and won the 2012 NCAA Division I men’s individual golf championship during his sophomore year. In 2015 on the European Tour, he won twice first at the KLM Open and later at the D+D REAL Czech Masters.

Pieters turns 23 years old in January 2016, stands 6 feet 5 inches tall, and finished 29th in the Race to Dubai in 2015. Born in Belgium, he played his rookie season in 2014 after earning full privileges at the 2013 European Tour Qualifying School, where he survived all three stages to earn his tour card. A bit erratic off the tee, Pieters is long (averaging over 304 yards in 2015) and capable of playing the modern power game now prevalent at all levels of competitive golf. With a documented ability to close and win tournaments, Pieters could be an absolute monster in 2016 with some consistency off the tee and a reliable putter.