The Official World Golf Ranking Explained
When commentators say a player is "world number one", they are talking about the Official World Golf Ranking. Here is how it works in plain language.
What is the OWGR?
The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) is the main system used to rank the world's professional men's golfers. It was introduced in 1986 and is updated every week, which is why the number-one spot can change hands after a single tournament. The rankings are used to decide who gets into the biggest events, including the majors and the biggest tour events, so rank matters well beyond bragging rights.
How are points earned?
Players earn ranking points for their finishing position in events on the recognised tours, such as the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. The number of points on offer depends on the strength of the field: a tournament with many top-ranked players is worth far more than one with a weaker field, and the majors and the biggest events are worth the most. Winning gives the most points, and points are also awarded for high finishes.
A rolling two-year window
Points count over a rolling two-year period. Recent results are weighted more heavily, while points from older events gradually lose value until they drop out completely. That means a player has to keep performing to stay near the top, and a long break from play can cause a slide down the list.
The average, not the total
A player's ranking is based on their average points per event, found by dividing their total points by the number of events they played, with a minimum number of events used in the divisor. This stops a player from climbing the ranking just by playing every week, and it rewards quality over quantity.
Number one
Reaching the top of the ranking is one of the clearest signs that a player is the best in the world at that moment. Tiger Woods holds the record for the most total weeks at number one, a figure of well over 600 weeks. Players who have held the top spot in recent years include Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, and the lead has changed hands several times over the years as form rises and falls.
The LIV Golf question
The ranking has been at the centre of one of the sport's biggest debates. LIV Golf players have not earned points in the same way as players on the established tours, because LIV events have had a different format and field, and its application for ranking points has been disputed. This affects how some of the world's best players are ranked and whether they can qualify for major championships through the ranking, and it remains a live topic in golf. Check the official OWGR site for the current position.
Women's rankings and other lists
The women's game has its own world ranking, the Rolex Rankings, which is also updated weekly. There are also separate rankings for amateurs, which are used to decide who gets into events like the Masters and The Open.
World ranking vs our games
In Guess the Pro Golfer we use clues you can check yourself: country, tour, age, majors and PGA Tour wins. The world ranking changes every week, so it is a great way to follow who is in form, but it makes a poor daily clue. If you want to follow the current top ten, the official ranking is published free on the OWGR website.
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