Men on a major mission

breakthrough year? Spaniard Jon Rahm is up to No.3 in the world but has yet to claim a major. This could be his year.AP picture

Gone are the days when it was easy to identify the best player without a major because more are winning them.

The 29 players who won majors over the past 10 years were the most in any decade.

Any list starts much younger, and three players might be set to break through for their first major this year.

Jon Rahm is No.3 in the world with three victories worldwide in each of his three full years as a pro.

He has three top fives in majors, but has yet to face serious pressure in the final hour on Sunday.

Xander Schauffele is winning big tournaments and has challenged in majors each of the past two years, as runner-up at the Masters in 2019 and the British Open at Carnoustie the year before, where his hopes ended on the 71st hole.

Patrick Cantlay was among those who had a share of the lead late on Sunday at the Masters until a bogey-bogey-par finish.

He hasn't won as much as the others, but his swing shows up every week. He's missed only one cut in the 12 majors he has played, three of them as an amateur.

All three go into the year among the top 10 in the world.