The men`s professional golf season is heading towards its fourth and final major. The Open Championship is just two weeks away, scheduled for July 17-20 at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Portrush, Northern Ireland.
Ahead of the major, this week features the John Deere Classic in Illinois and the Genesis Scottish Open in Scotland. Many of the world`s leading players are making the trip across the Atlantic early to experience links golf conditions in the Scottish Open.
Key storylines are emerging: Can world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler add The Open to his list of major victories and complete the third leg of the career grand slam? Can reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy put aside his past struggles at Royal Portrush, where he previously missed the cut? Will defending Open champion Xander Schauffele find his winning form again?
With the FedEx Cup playoffs rapidly approaching and the Ryder Cup selections on the horizon, opportunities are becoming limited for players to impress U.S. Captain Keegan Bradley and European Captain Luke Donald. Below are the latest PGA Tour Power Rankings:
1. Scottie Scheffler
Scheffler took a short break before heading overseas for the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open. His consistency this season is remarkable, having not finished outside the top 25 in 14 starts. He boasts nine consecutive top-eight finishes, including wins at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, the PGA Championship, and the Memorial Tournament. In his last appearance at the Renaissance Club for the 2023 Scottish Open, he tied for third, five strokes behind Rory McIlroy.
2. Rory McIlroy
Perhaps a few weeks in the United Kingdom will help McIlroy move past his recent challenges since the Masters. He planned time with his family at his new London home ahead of this significant two-week stretch of events. McIlroy won the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open with a thrilling one-shot victory over Robert MacIntyre and will look to defend that title before heading to Royal Portrush.
3. Russell Henley
The 36-year-old is playing some of his finest golf, with eight top-10 finishes in 14 tour starts. He claimed his fifth PGA Tour title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March and was a strong contender at the Travelers Championship. Henley recorded his best Open Championship finish last year at Royal Troon, securing a solo fifth place.
4. J.J. Spaun
The surprise U.S. Open champion followed up his major victory with a tie for 14th at the Travelers Championship. Earlier in the season, he was a runner-up at both the Cognizant Classic and the Players Championship. Spaun has risen to third in the U.S. Ryder Cup points standings, trailing only Scheffler and Schauffele, making him a near certainty for the team.
5. Sepp Straka
The Austrian-born golfer has celebrated two PGA Tour wins this season at the American Express and the Truist Championship. Despite missing the cut in all three prior majors, his overall play has been spectacular. He ranks sixth in the European Ryder Cup standings and is a strong candidate for a captain`s pick. A solid showing at The Open would be crucial, especially after tying for second at Royal Liverpool in the 2023 edition.
6. Justin Thomas
Thomas`s performance in the first three majors (T36 at the Masters, missed cuts at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open) casts a shadow on what has otherwise been a positive comeback season. He ended a winless streak stretching nearly three years by winning the RBC Heritage in a playoff and finished runner-up at the American Express, Valspar Championship, and Truist Championship. His inclusion on the U.S. Ryder Cup team would likely face little scrutiny.
7. Keegan Bradley
`Captain America` had previously stated he would only play in the Ryder Cup if he automatically qualified. He is currently ninth in points after his victory at the Travelers Championship, which followed top-10 finishes at the PGA Championship (T8) and the Memorial (T7). Now ranked seventh in the Official World Golf Ranking, Bradley is clearly playing like one of the top American golfers. Depending on results over the next seven weeks, Bradley might find himself in a position where picking himself is the logical choice.
8. Ben Griffin
Griffin`s strong play has continued into a scorching summer. Now ranked 17th globally, he partnered with Andrew Novak to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event and captured his first individual tour title at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He has two top-10 major finishes this year (T8 at the PGA, 10th at the U.S. Open) and was runner-up at the highly competitive Memorial. Ranking eighth in Ryder Cup points, he would likely require a significant dip in form to miss the team.
9. Collin Morikawa
The two-time major champion experienced a slight slump over the past couple of months but showed improved form with a tie for eighth at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. Although his last win was the Zozo Championship in October 2023, he has two runner-up finishes this season and 10 top-25s in 14 starts. Morikawa is currently seeking a new caddie after splitting with Joe Greiner before the Rocket Mortgage Classic and has not announced who will loop for him at The Open.
10. Xander Schauffele
The reigning Open Championship winner can largely be excused for a quieter summer after missing about two months due to a rib injury. He performed reasonably well in the majors he played (T8 at the Masters, 28th at the PGA, 12th at the U.S. Open). With one top-10 and six top-25 finishes in 11 starts, Schauffele appears close to regaining his peak form. He remains second in U.S. Ryder Cup points, bolstered by his two major wins earlier in 2024.
11. Tommy Fleetwood
Another narrow miss at the Travelers Championship means the English golfer is still pursuing his first PGA Tour win. He has been playing like a world-class player this year, with five top-10s and 11 top-25s in 14 starts. He is second in the European Ryder Cup points list, behind only Rory McIlroy. Fleetwood ranks third in strokes gained: total (1.414) and ninth in strokes gained: approach (.622).
12. Harris English
English has performed very well this season, particularly in significant events. He secured his fifth PGA Tour victory at the Farmers Insurance Open and tied for second at the PGA Championship. He also achieved top-25 results at the Genesis Invitational, Truist Championship, Memorial Tournament, and Travelers Championship. Currently 10th in Ryder Cup points, his excellent putting skills make him a strong candidate for the U.S. team.
13. Viktor Hovland
Hovland continues to work on his swing, but he did win the Valspar Championship earlier this season and finished solo third at the U.S. Open. He withdrew from the final round of the Travelers Championship due to a neck injury after shooting a 63 the previous day. Hovland is listed in the field for the Scottish Open.
14. Maverick McNealy
The 29-year-old former Stanford star might need a strong finish to the FedEx Cup season to secure his first Ryder Cup appearance. After his debut PGA Tour win at the RSM Classic in November, he was runner-up at the Genesis Invitational and notched top-five finishes at the Valero Texas Open, RBC Heritage, and the Memorial. However, he finished outside the top 30 in the first three majors.
15. Ludvig Åberg
It has been a surprisingly inconsistent FedEx Cup season for the young Swedish talent. Following his second tour win at the Genesis Invitational and a seventh-place finish at the Masters, Åberg has not had a top-10 result in his subsequent seven starts. While effective off the tee, he struggles around the green (147th in strokes gained: around the green, -.255) and with the putter (125th in strokes gained: putting, -.141).
16. Shane Lowry
The Irish golfer likely needed a break after missing the cut at the U.S. Open and tying for 45th at the Travelers Championship. His iron play remains superb (second in strokes gained: approach, .932), but his putting has been a challenge (122nd in strokes gained: putting, -.138). He returns to familiar territory, including Royal Portrush, where he lifted the Claret Jug in 2019.
17. Andrew Novak
After a hot streak that included a tie for third at the Texas Open, a playoff loss to Justin Thomas at the RBC Heritage, and a win with Ben Griffin at the Zurich Classic, Novak`s form has slightly cooled in recent months. However, recent finishes like a tie for 17th at the Truist Championship and 11th at the Charles Schwab Challenge indicate his game is still solid.
18. Corey Conners
Conners was playing exceptionally well until a wrist injury forced his withdrawal before the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont. He has not competed on the PGA Tour since then. Prior to the injury, Conners had recorded five top-10s and 10 top-25s in 16 starts this season.
19. Brian Harman
Harman, the 2023 Open Championship winner, needs another strong run to climb into the top six of the U.S. Ryder Cup points standings or make his case for a captain`s pick undeniable. He is currently 12th after winning the Valero Texas Open and tying for third at the RBC Heritage. His recent solo eighth finish at the Travelers Championship suggests his form might be returning.
20. Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre has been building momentum again, finishing solo second at the U.S. Open and tying for 17th at the Travelers Championship. Now, the Scottish golfer returns home for the Scottish Open, where he is the defending champion and was runner-up in 2023. He also tied for sixth at the 2019 Open Championship held at Royal Portrush as a 22-year-old.
21. Sam Burns
Burns` struggles in the difficult final round conditions at the U.S. Open`s back nine somewhat overshadowed his otherwise strong performance at Oakmont. His game has been trending positively for weeks, including a playoff loss to Ryan Fox at the RBC Canadian Open and the tie for seventh at the U.S. Open. He has four top-10s and 10 top-25s in 18 starts this season.
22. Patrick Cantlay
It`s difficult to imagine Cantlay not being part of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, but he needs to produce stronger results to solidify his position. His tie for fourth at the Truist Championship is his only top-10 finish since mid-February. His ball-striking statistics are impressive (10th in approach, .598; 8th tee to green, 1.028; 12th total, 1.122), suggesting his performance should be better.
23. Ryan Fox
After securing his first PGA Tour victory in a playoff at the OneFlight Myrtle Beach Classic, Fox didn`t wait long for his second. He won another playoff at the RBC Canadian Open, claiming two wins in just four starts. His recent success has propelled him to 29th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
24. Hideki Matsuyama
When the former Masters champion won the season-opening Sentry in Hawaii in January, it seemed he was poised for a big season. Surprisingly, that remains his only top-10 finish in 17 starts this season. He tied for 21st at Augusta, missed the cut at the PGA Championship, and tied for 42nd at the U.S. Open. Matsuyama`s challenges lie with his driver (128th in strokes gained: off the tee, -.166; 127th in driving accuracy, 56.2%).
25. Daniel Berger
Berger appeared to be a strong candidate for the Ryder Cup team earlier, but he needs to regain form after a sluggish stretch. He has missed two cuts and tied for 46th at the U.S. Open and 42nd at the Travelers Championship recently. He is currently 18th in the Ryder Cup points standings.
Players just outside the top 25 include:
Sungjae Im, Nick Taylor, Jason Day, Thomas Detry, Aldrich Potgieter, Cameron Young, Michael Kim, and Jacob Bridgeman.