The long summer of golf is fast approaching, and so are many of the world’s best with their games in tow. The first four months of the season saw history be made, but rest assured, more is along the way with three major championships and a momentous Ryder Cup still on the docket.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was caught in a simmer through the early portion of the season, but a return home saw the native Texan boil over and set all types of scoring records en route to victory at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. The win represented his first of 2025 with Rory McIlroy, who did not play, remaining atop the pack amid wins and a completed carer grand slam already this campaign.
McIlroy’s memorable Masters title will not be forgotten any time soon, but did the green jacket alone push him past Scheffler atop these power rankings? Slipping on the outerwear in April, McIlroy raised his third trophy of the year, and simultaneously, a weight off his shoulders that had been firmly placed there for north of a decade.
Scheffler and McIlroy will headline the action next week at the PGA Championship — only Rory is playing this week’s signature event, the Truist Championship — as the top two on the oddsboard by a significant margin. Scheffler (+430) and McIlroy (+480) are battling for favorite status, per FanDuel Sportsbook, though no one should forget about Bryson DeChambeau (+1200) when it comes to ranking the world’s best. A winner in Korea on LIV Golf this past weekend, the two-time U.S. Open champion will have something to say at Quail Hollow Club. DeChambeau represents the biggest mover in the rankings following a favorable four-tournament stretch.
The Power 18 provides insight as to how golfers are currently performing with benefit given to their play over recent events. It is a wider lens than simply what happened at the last tournament to be played but more narrow than the Official World Golf Rankings, which take into account how more than 2,000 golfers perform across an entire season.