There is a new No. 1 in the men’s game – Adam Scott – and there’s also a strong possibility that the top spot will change hands even more often in the next few weeks and months.
Scott supplanted Tiger Woods and ascended to No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking despite not hitting a shot last week, an unsatisfying but certainly not unprecedented situation. For Australia, it’s been 16 years and four months since it was able to claim the world’s No. 1 player (Greg Norman, 1998).
Scott is the 17th player to assume the No. 1 position, and he will look to extend his lead after adding Colonial to his schedule.
This week, the OWGR race will head across the pond, as No. 3 Henrik Stenson tees it up at the European Tour’s BMW PGA Championship. According to Golf Channel world-ranking guru Alan Robison, the Swede will have opportunities to pass Scott if he finishes in the high-20s or better. No. 4 Matt Kuchar, meanwhile, likely needs to win this week’s Colonial to assume the No. 1 spot.
As for the other notable movements: Brendon Todd soared from No. 138 to No. 63 after his two-shot victory at the Byron Nelson Championship; and Miguel Angel Jimenez, who at 50 years old broke his own record for oldest European Tour winner, moved from No. 34 to No. 25.
Below is the top 25 in the world heading into this week’s events. Click here for the full world rankings.
1. Adam Scott
2. Tiger Woods
3. Henrik Stenson
4. Matt Kuchar
5. Bubba Watson
6. Jason Day
7. Sergio Garcia
8. Justin Rose
9. Jordan Spieth
10. Rory McIlroy
11. Phil Mickelson
12. Jim Furyk
13. Zach Johnson
14. Dustin Johnson
15. Graeme McDowell
16. Steve Stricker
17. Jimmy Walker
18. Charl Schwartzel
19. Luke Donald
20. Ian Poulter
21. Keegan Bradley
22. Jason Dufner
23. Victor Dubuisson
24. Patrick Reed
25. Miguel Angel Jimenez