Scottie Scheffler continues to be the dominant world No 1 in men's golf, but how long will he stay top of the rankings, and will he put more of Tiger Woods' records under threat? Scheffler is the most recent addition to the list of 25 players to have topped the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) since its introduction in 1986, with the American having had four separate spells at No 1 so far in his career.
The latest spell has remained unbroken since May 2023. As of October 12, Scheffler was entering his 178th consecutive week as world No 1, with a larger advantage over world No 2 Rory McIlroy than the Northern Irishman has over almost every active professional. Scheffler is expected to tee it up only once more in 2026, at the Hero World Challenge from December 3-6, although he already looks set to start the new year as No 1.
The world rankings run over a rolling two-year cycle, with points awarded based on the strength of each tournament's field and how high a player finishes. A golfer's ranking is calculated by dividing points earned by the number of tournaments played during the cycle, with bonus points given to players who win multiple events in a 52-week period. Scheffler registered two major wins among his six worldwide titles in 2025 and already has three victories in 2026, with top-three finishes in half of his 20 worldwide starts.
Sky Sports' Andrew Coltart said, "He's the best player in the world by a country mile." He pointed to Scheffler's distance control, his ability to get scoring irons pin-high almost every time, and his golfing IQ. Scheffler first took top spot in March 2022 and has since held it through several spells, with Jon Rahm briefly overtaking him before no player has been able to end his reign.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing