Max Greyserman, a 30-year-old PGA Tour professional from Short Hills, New Jersey, has become synonymous with perseverance in the face of adversity. Despite showcasing exceptional skill and consistency, Greyserman has found himself repeatedly finishing as a runner-up, often in heart-wrenching fashion. In 2025 alone, Greyserman has amassed four runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour. His most recent upset at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, losing to Aldrich Potgieter, who secured his first PGA Tour victory, was what caused him to actually blow up.

In an interview with Chantel McCabe on SiriusXM, he revealed his frustration: “Yeah, there’s no good way to process a close call because you’re so frustrated. You start thinking about what if, what went wrong, what could you have done better… I remember after the Rocket I was very gutted because of the close calls I had previously to that.. I didn’t let it slip away—I just didn’t win it. I remember getting in my car after I’d done media and stuff and driving away and just screaming in my car as loud as I could ever scream… just to let the anger and frustration out. I felt a little better after that.”

He continued to explain the determination those experiences create: “Those close calls… they just stick with you, and I think they provide… it gives you something more to play for. It’s about that feeling—you don’t want that feeling anymore, so you’re just chasing that win. You just become extra determined. I feel like after close calls you just keep putting yourself in those situations over and over again.”

Currently, Greyserman is ranked 56th in the FedExCup standings with 768 points. For Greyserman, the ‘runner-up curse’ started in 2023, when he lost a playoff at the Pinnacle Bank Championship, and continued with a runner-up at the 2024 ZOZO Championship before this season’s streak. In 2025 alone, he has four second-place finishes: the Valspar Championship (March), Rocket Mortgage Classic playoff (June), Travelers Championship (June), and John Deere Classic (July). 

However, despite the disappointment, Greyserman emphasized how these experiences fuel his determination to succeed. He explained that the sting of defeat motivates him to keep striving for victory. Furthermore, Greyserman also acknowledged the value of learning from others who have faced similar challenges. He recounted a conversation with veteran golfer Russell Henley, who shared insights on overcoming near misses.

“Russell Henley was kind enough to stop me actually yesterday—I wasn’t even expecting it. He was talking about his close calls and how he eventually got over the hump and how all those experiences build up…If you just keep putting yourself in those positions, you’ll eventually get a win… whether it happens by luck almost because someone else kind of blew it, or you just put yourself in and you follow when all that experience kind of builds up. There’s a lot to learn from those pressure situations. The front nine on Thursday or Friday or Saturday—that’s different. The back nine on Sunday is where things change. That’s a different type of golf versus Thursday or Friday, and it’s very tough practice for those situations.”

Russell Henley knows the pain of close calls better than most. After his 2014 Honda Classic win, Henley went eight full years without another PGA Tour victory, collecting several near-misses, including a playoff loss at the 2021 Wyndham Championship and multiple top-three finishes. He finally broke through at the 2022 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba, then followed it with another win at the 2023 Wyndham Championship, proving that perseverance can eventually pay off.

These near-misses are not isolated incidents. Just last year, Greyserman experienced a series of agonizing runner-up finishes, including a notable second-place at the 3M Open, where he was edged out by Jhonattan Vegas. Additionally, his performance at the Wyndham Championship was marred by a quadruple bogey and a double bogey in the final five holes, leading to another close defeat. 

Despite these setbacks, Greyserman’s resilience remains unwavering. He continues to learn from each experience, using the sting of defeat as motivation to refine his game and approach. Moreover, Greyserman is not alone in experiencing the frustration of multiple runner-up finishes before securing a victory.

The runner-up curse in golf

While Max Greyserman grapples with the emotional toll of narrowly missing victory, his story is far from unique on the PGA Tour. Many top players have endured a series of near-misses; so-called ‘runner-up curses.’

Tony Finau, for example, endured eight runner-up finishes and 39 top-10 finishes over five years before finally winning his second PGA Tour title at the 2021 Northern Trust, beating Cameron Smith in a playoff. Wyndham Clark, similarly, had several near-wins before claiming his first PGA Tour title at the 2023 Wells Fargo Championship, later following it with a U.S. Open major win the same year.

Tommy Fleetwood’s recent triumph at the 2025 Tour Championship further underscores this narrative. After 30 top-five finishes and numerous near-misses, Fleetwood secured his first PGA Tour win, along with the FedExCup and a $10 million prize. His victory came amid personal challenges, including his 17-year-old stepson recovering from spinal surgery, demonstrating resilience both on and off the course.

These stories collectively highlight that persistence pays off. For players like Greyserman, every close call, playoff heartbreak, and runner-up finish is not a sign of failure but a crucial learning experience. With continued focus and determination, his breakthrough victory on the PGA Tour is not just possible; it is inevitable.