US PGA Championship: Another first-time winner?

Danny Willett, Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson have all broken their ducks in the past four months - at the Masters, U.S. Open and The Open respectively.

As golfing elite head to Baltusrol for the fourth and final major of the year, the US PGA Championship, who are the men standing to benefit if that trend continues?

With the help of Opta, we look at some of the numbers behind the success stories of 2016, as well as golf's nearly men.

STUNNING STENSON ENDS HIS DROUGHT

Many thought Stenson's best chance of glory on the major stage had passed him by. But, at the age of 40, the Swede produced arguably the most remarkable display in golfing history to claim victory at Royal Troon.

His winning score of 20 under was the joint lowest in a major, level with Jason Day's effort at last year's US PGA - also a maiden success for the Australian. Stenson's aggregate of 264 sees him out on his own, beating by one shot David Toms' score in the 2001 US PGA.

Stenson's triumph came at his 42nd major, after eight top-five finishes, 10 top 10s and a previous best of second, also at The Open, in 2013.

JOHNSON FINALLY TOP OF THE TREE

As for Johnson, many had started to question if he would ever win a major after a succession of near misses.

The American had finished inside the top five in five of his 28 prior major appearances, including a runner-up placing at the 2011 Open and last year's U.S. Open.

But with many casting doubt on his ability to hold his nerve and get over the line, Johnson did just that at Oakmont in June, going one better than his 2015 finish to prevail by three strokes and silence his critics.

Perhaps now he can exorcise the demons of 2010 US PGA at Whistling Straits, when he incurred a two-stroke penalty for grounding his club in a bunker to miss out on a playoff, which was won by Martin Kaymer.

GARCIA AND WESTWOOD THE ULTIMATE NEARLY MEN

Stenson's Troon triumph prompted debate about which golfers remain among the greatest never to win a major.

Surely at the top of that list are Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood, regular contenders at the premier strokeplay events but still without a victory to their name.

Garcia has featured at 72 major championships, Westwood 74. The Spaniard has finished runner-up four times, Westwood three - most recently at this year's Masters. He also has six top-three placings.

Between them, the pair have 40 top-10 finishes and 23 top-fives. So close on so many occasions, if the first-time trend is to continue at Baltusrol, surely one of this pair are due to capitalise.

WHAT OF THE FORGOTTEN MAN FOWLER?

Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether Rickie Fowler will be able to recapture his stunning form of 2014.

Two years ago, the Californian's major results read: fifth, second, second, third. Since then, the best Fowler has managed is 12th at the 2015 Masters, while he has missed the cut three times in his last six major outings.

At his peak, Fowler was being heralded as one of a potential 'Big Four' alongside Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy. His performances since then have failed to deliver but after six top-10 placings in a relatively fledgling career, Fowler could join 2016's list of first-time champions.

THE TOP-12 TREND

Stenson's victory at Troon means the three majors in 2016 have all been won by maiden champions ranked inside the top 12 at the time of their triumph.

Should that trend continue at Baltusrol, three men fit both of those criteria ahead of Thursday's start: Fowler, Garcia and Branden Grace, the South African who finished third at the US PGA last year.