Bernhard Langer - April 6, 1986
Bernard Langer was the first No. 1 player when the rankings debuted in 1986 and his 1985 Masters victory was a large reason why. (Weeks at No. 1: 3)
Seve Ballesteros - April 27, 1986
Three weeks after the Official World Golf Rankings inauguration in 1986, Seve Ballesteros took the top spot from Bernhard Langer and held it off and on until the fall of 1989. (Weeks at No. 1: 61)
Greg Norman - September 14, 1986
Greg Norman won his first major – the Open Championship – in 1986, topped the Australian Order of Merit for the fifth time and the PGA Tour money list for the first time. (Weeks at No. 1: 331)
Nick Faldo - September 2, 1990
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Nick Faldo was considered the best golfer in the world. He won more majors (six) than any other player in the world from 1987 through 1996. (Weeks at No. 1: 97)
Ian Woosnam - April 7, 1991
Ian Woosnam ascended to the top one week before winning his sole Masters and remained there just under one year. (Number of weeks at No. 1: 50)
Fred Couples - March 22, 1992
Fred Couples won the Masters in 1992 for his lone major and became the first American player to reach the No. 1 position in the Official World Golf Rankings since they debuted in 1986. (Weeks at No. 1: 16)
Nick Price - August 14, 1994
Nick Price won six times in 1994 including the British Open and PGA Championship. He led the money list and was named the PGA Tour’s Player of the Year for the second year in a row. (Weeks at No. 1: 44)
Tom Lehman - April 20, 1997
Tom Lehman held world No. 1 for a single week in his career, marking the player with the shortest time spent at the top. (Weeks at No. 1: 1)
Tiger Woods - June 15, 1997
Tiger Woods holds the record for the most consecutive weeks at No. 1, as well as the most total weeks in the position at 623. At 21 years, 5 months and 2 weeks old when he first assumed the position, he remains the youngest player to reach the top...
Ernie Els - June 22, 1997
In 1997, Ernie Els won his second U.S. Open, defended his Buick Classic title, won the Johnnie Walker Classic and nearly won the World Match Play Championship for a fourth consecutive year, but lost to Vijay Singh in the final. (Weeks at No. 1: 9)
David Duval - March 28, 1999
From 1997 to 2001, David Duval won 13 PGA Tour events, including the 1997 Tour Championship, the 1999 Players Championship, and the 2001 Open Championship. (Weeks at No. 1: 15)
Vijay Singh - September 5, 2004
Vijay Singh was 41 years, 6 months and 2 weeks old when he first became world No. 1 and 42 years, 3 months and 3 weeks old when he last held the position, making him the oldest No. 1 player. (Weeks at No. 1: 32)
Lee Westwood - October 31, 2010
Lee Westwood stole the top spot from Tiger Woods, ending his unprecedented 281-week reign to become the first European world No. 1 since Nick Faldo in 1994. Westwood had plummeted to 256th in the world before working his way back up the ranks....
Martin Kaymer - February 28, 2011
At 27, Martin Kaymer became the second German to become No. 1 and the third youngest, behind Tiger Woods (youngest) and most recently, Rory McIlroy. (Weeks at No. 1: 18)
Luke Donald - May 29, 2011
Luke Donald overtook Lee Westwood and became the third Englishman to top the rankings. He reached No. 1 without ever cracking the top 150 in driving distance. (Weeks at No. 1: 56)
Rory McIlroy - March 5, 2012
Rory McIlroy won the Honda Classic to overtake Luke Donald for world No. 1 at the age of 22. Throughout 2012, he and Donald traded No. 1 several times, but McIlroy has held the top spot ever since August 12, 2012. (Getty Images)
