International aspirations PGATOUR.COM lists the best players without a major, dissected by countries and regions. Story MORE U.S. OPEN Four straight majors have been captured by first-time major winners. Will someone make it five straight at Congressional? Mike McAllister and Helen Ross have assembled their list of nominees, broken down by the corners of the globe from which they hail. By Helen Ross and Mike McAllister, PGATOUR.COM A year ago, Graeme McDowell won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach -- and ignited a trend of first-time major winners that has now reached four straight with Charl Schwartzel's win at the Masters two months ago. Will the streak continue this week at Congressional, site of the 111th U.S. Open? And if it does, who's likely to be next in line? Instead of offering up just an overall list of the best active players to have never won a major, we decided to delve a little deeper. We've divided our list into countries/areas, balancing past performances and experience with biggest potential. UNITED STATES Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have been the dominant Americans at major championships in the last decade. A host of veritable youngsters and one steady vet are poised to make their presence known, though. 1. STEVE STRICKER: The 44-year-old is perhaps the PGA TOUR's steadiest player with a fairways-and-greens game that should play well at a major -- and he has nine top-10s to show for it. Not to mention, seven of his 10 victories, including the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago, have come since Stricker hit the big 4-0. 2. MATT KUCHAR: Like Stricker, Kuchar is a top-10 machine, but he doesn't have as much experience in the majors. The former Georgia Tech All-American has come into his own over the last two years and posted top-10s at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship in 2010. 3. DUSTIN JOHNSON: The lanky South Carolinian had a chance to win two majors last year so he's one to watch. He took a three-stroke lead into the final round of the U.S. Open but saw it disappear in the first three holes on the way to an 82. Johnson bounced back well, though, and finished one shot out of a playoff at the PGA after suffering a penalty for inadvertantly grounding his club in an ill-defined bunker on the 72nd hole at Whistling Straits. 4. BUBBA WATSON: This 32-year-old American has won three times in the last 12 months -- starting with the Travelers Championship the week after the 2010 U.S. Open -- and currently ranks No. 2 in FedExCup points. He drew on the confidence gained there at the PGA Championship when he took Martin Kaymer to a playoff before finishing second. 5. NICK WATNEY: Another three-time PGA TOUR winner, the 30-year-old came close to picking up his first major last year. He took the lead into the final round of the PGA Championship but shot 81 and ended up tied for 18th. He also tied for seventh at the Masters last year. UNITED KINGDOM Northern Ireland's McDowell ended 40 years of U.S. Open futility for the UK last year. Given the composition of the world rankings right now, there are many other candidates ready to follow. 1. LEE WESTWOOD: This English veteran keeps giving himself chances -- the world No. 2 has finished third or better in five of his last 12 majors. He comes to Congressional with three straight top-10s, including back-to-back wins at the Indonesian Masters and the Ballantine's Championship. 2. LUKE DONALD: The FedExCup points leader will arrive in Washington, D.C., riding a streak of 10 top-10s -- and two wins -- around the world. The Englishman has five top-10s in 31 majors, including a tie for fourth at the Masters this year. 3. RORY McILROY: Only 22, he's already got one win in the States and another in Dubai. The Northern Irishman plays the tough courses well as evidenced as by four top-10s in 10 major starts, including a trio of thirds. 4. PAUL CASEY: The Englishman's resume is impressive with one PGA TOUR victory and 10 international wins. Casey, who tied for third at the British Open last year, is long off the tee and accurate with his irons. 5. IAN POULTER: Picked up his 12th European Tour win earlier this year after finally breaking through in the States in 2010. Both were match play wins -- if the Englishman can ever force a playoff, he'll be tough to beat. (And if you're looking for Justin Rose, well, he would've been No. 6). REST OF EUROPE The legacy of Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal (a combined seven major wins) looms large for the Europeans. More recently, Ireland's Padraig Harrington won three majors in a six-event span, and Germany's Martin Kaymer took the PGA Championship last year. But it's the Spaniards who appear ready to strike again. 1. SERGIO GARCIA: He appears to have recovered his enthusiasm for the game that threatened to derail his career last year. Garcia has 15 top-10s in 49 major starts, including eight of fifth or better and three runners-up. 2. ALVARO QUIROS: Big-hitting Spaniard picked up his fifth European Tour win earlier this year. Has yet to come up big in the majors but his tie for sixth at THE PLAYERS this year could be a harbinger of things to come. 3. MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: There's never been a major winner with a pony-tail but why not? Like the wine and cigars he favors, Jimenez improves with age, and he does have seven major top-10s. RELATED CONTENT --Scott taps Woods' caddie Williams for U.S. Open duty --Jones' changes enhance 'finish factor' at Congressional 4 . MATTEO MANASSERO: Still extremely new to golf's grandest stage with three majors under his belt, the 18-year-old Italian has tons of potential. He's already won twice in Europe and reached the third round of the Accenture Match Play Championship. 5. HENRIK STENSON: His game admittedly has taken a tumble since winning THE PLAYERS Championship in 2009. But the Swede still managed a tie for third at last year's British Open, which is one of his five major championship top-10s. AUSTRALIA The last Aussie to win a major was five years ago when Geoff Ogilvy took the U.S. Open. But as we saw last month at Augusta National, perhaps the guys from Down Under are ready to end that drought. 1. ADAM SCOTT: Will be making his 41st start in a major. Has five top-10s to show for it, including a career-best tie for second at the Masters last month. But he's never had a top-10 in a U.S. Open. 2. JASON DAY: The 23-year-old made his major debut last year with a tie for 60th in the British Open. His next two major finishes? A tie for 10th at the PGA Championship and a tie for second at the Masters. Seems like a guy who brings his "A" game to the big events. 3. STUART APPLEBY: Has made 55 major starts, with a career-best tie for second at the 2002 British Open. But having turned 40 last month, the window of opportunity may start to close soon. Has missed the cut in three of his last six major starts. 4. AARON BADDELEY: Has made sporadic starts in majors the last few years; in fact, the only two years he's played in all four majors were 2007 and 2008. In his 21 starts, he's missed the cut 13 times. 5. ROBERT ALLENBY: In 2005, he became the first player to claim the Australian Triple Crown (winning the Australian Open, PGA and Masters events in consecutive weeks) but has rarely contended in any of his 59 major appearances. Turns 40 next month, and like Appleby, may be running out of chances. SOUTH AFRICA Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel crossed their names off this list within the last year, as the South Africans continue to flex their muscle in majors. 1. RORY SABBATINI: Given that Sabo has six PGA TOUR wins, you'd expect a bigger impact in majors. But he has just one top-10 (a tie for second at the 2007 Masters) in 37 major starts, with 22 missed cuts. 2. TIM CLARK: Broke through with his first TOUR win last year at THE PLAYERS Championship. In 34 major starts, he has three top-5s but none since 2006. Has been battling injury problems this year. 3. THOMAS AIKEN: Produced his first European Tour win last month in Spain. Only major experience has come at British Open, with four starts, including a tie for eighth in 2009. KOREA Y.E. Yang was a bit of a surprise when he took down Tiger Woods at Hazeltine National -- the first player to ever beat the then-world No. 1 when he held the 54-hole lead at a major. 1. K.J. CHOI: Once expected to be the first Asian to win a major, he has five top-10s in 40 starts. One of those came when he tied for eighth at the Masters this year. With his win at THE PLAYERS, Choi should be confident. 2. KYUNG-TAE KIM: Moved into the top 50 in the world when the 25-year-old won three times on the Japan Tour last year. He's made the cut in three majors and is bidding for his first Presidents Cup team. 3. SEUNG-YUL NOH: Won in Malaysia when he was just 18 and followed by nipping Choi at the Ballantine’s Championship a month later. Best finish in four major appearances is a tie for 28th at the 2009 PGA Championship. JAPAN For years, Isao Aoki and Jumbo Ozaki led the Japanese charge, with Aoki coming the closest in 1980 when he finished two strokes behind Jack Nicklaus at Baltusrol. A new generation more accustomed to international play is eager to contend again. 1. RYO ISHIKAWA: Although he won't turn 20 until September, Ishikawa already has 11 international wins. He put together his best finish in a major earlier this year when he tied for 20th at the Masters. 2. YUTA IKEDA: He's already won eight times in Japan with half of those coming last year. The 25-year-old who idolizes Ozaki has made three cuts on majors with a tie for 29th at the 2010 Masters his best. 3. RYUJI IMADA: Came to the United States at the age of 14 to hone his game, and his familiarity with conditions here should be a plus. Nearly picked up his second PGA TOUR win three weeks ago in Dallas. Neither he nor Ikeda are in this week's U.S. Open field. REST OF THE WORLD Countries such as Fiji (Vijay Singh), Argentina (Angel Cabrera), Canada (Mike Weir) and New Zealand (Michael Campbell) have celebrated major champions in the last 10 years. With the game growing all over the globe, most noticably in South America and China, it's only a matter of time before more players from those emerging markets contend in majors on a regular basis. 1. CAMILO VILLEGAS: The 29-year-old Colombian has already made a country proud with three PGA TOUR victories. If he could keep pace with Cabrera and claim his first major championship after three top-10s, imagine how Villegas' profile would climb. 2. THONGCHAI JAIDEE: The 41-year-old from Thailand has won 13 times around the world but is a relative newcomer to the majors. His first was the U.S. Open 10 years ago but the man who taught himself to play with bamboo clubs has only played in 12 since. 3. JEEV MILKHA SINGH: The soft-spoken man from India has 17 victories worldwide but has only played in 11 majors. The former Abilene Christian standout did tie for ninth at the PGA Championship so he knows he can contend.