Men's Professional Golf Rankings Discussion Thread

[billyspan]

WRXers.  I couldn't find a thread dissecting this topic.  If there is one...can somebody bump it up and I'll get this one down.

 

 

[tatertot]

Not sure how Rahm is holding onto a ranking of 4 after the last year he's had.

[iBanesto]

18 minutes ago, tatertot said:

Not sure how Rahm is holding onto a ranking of 4 after the last year he's had.

 

Rahm finished top of the LIV ranking last with 12 top 10 finishes from 12 events, including 2 wins and 3 T3 finishes. 

 

He already has 2 top 10 finishes this year.

 

I guess the field strength average scores on the LIV Tour is not as weak as one may suspect based on Data Golf's methodology.

[Par4Nate]

Pffffftttt...how can anyone take that seriously, without The Gooch up there near the top?

[bladehunter]

13 hours ago, Par4Nate said:

Pffffftttt...how can anyone take that seriously, without The Gooch up there near the top?

Who ?  

[bcjim]

Bryson must be really mailing in the liv events. 

[lopey986]

1 hour ago, bcjim said:

Bryson must be really mailing in the liv events. 

He's just not really supplementing them with any of the Asia or Euro tour events. Strictly playing LIV and the Majors and focusing on his Youtube content. Working out pretty well for him. 

[billyspan]

18 hours ago, iBanesto said:

 

Rahm finished top of the LIV ranking last with 12 top 10 finishes from 12 events, including 2 wins and 3 T3 finishes. 

 

He already has 2 top 10 finishes this year.

 

I guess the field strength average scores on the LIV Tour is not as weak as one may suspect based on Data Golf's methodology.

Conversely, Rahm has had lackluster showing in OWGR events, thus his ranking at 52-OWGR.  Missed cuts at the PGA Champ and Dubai and a T45 at The Masters (DNP US Open).  Strong finishes have be a T7 at The British Open, 2 at the Spanish Open and T5 at The Olympics.  I do appreciate his support of the two Spanish Euro Tour events!

[billyspan]

Some players like Hatton and DeChambeau have kept a high OWGR ranking due to solid performances in the Majors and on the Euro & Asian Tours.

 

After those two, the OWGR of the LIV players gets bleak.  Gooch and DJ outside the top 500-OWGR is nuts.

 

The only other LIV players in the OWGR Top 100 are Rahm (52), Niemann (73), Puig (83) & C. Smith (96)

[EddieWouldGo]

22 hours ago, billyspan said:

WRXers.  I couldn't find a thread dissecting this topic.  If there is one...can somebody bump it up and I'll get this one down.

 

 

Your first example is irrelevant. 

[jimecherry]

20 minutes ago, EddieWouldGo said:

Your first example is irrelevant. 

[st1800e]

Serious question.    What is there to discuss?   The ranking is the ranking.   

[Hawkeye77]

Other than "here's world number one" or "if he does this or that he can become world number one" or "Tiger was number one for as many years as Jodie Foster's age when she was in Taxi Driver", going back to the days the rankings got started I've never had the feeling the average fan really cared about it beyond that.  

 

OWGR is used for a specific purpose and up to those folks to use it for what they want to use it for. Data Golf just came up with its own construct to try and monetize all things golf ratings and stats and plenty of other golf stat specific outfits out there doing the same.

 

Out of interest, because OWGR has been used as a metric for determining what players get into events I might look up a player to see if he was qualified for some tournament by way of OWGR but for me pretty useless otherwise.  For rich players who might have some contract incentives or ways in to events I'm sure it matters, but that's completely irrelevant to me and I'll never have any anguish, faux or otherwise, on their behalf or worry about the reasons for or metrics behind any ranking.

Edited February 22 by Hawkeye77

[billyspan]

On 2/21/2025 at 6:23 AM, st1800e said:

Serious question.    What is there to discuss?   The ranking is the ranking.   

Thank you for your participation.  😉

[st1800e]

Just now, billyspan said:

Thank you for your participation.  😉

You’re welcome.  😉

[Mr.Cleeks]

All I have to say is the rankings are fine. LIV didn’t follow the guidelines and then actively withdrew their application. Also LIV has an exemption category for 2 of the majors (both Opens) in 2025 and The PGA Championship invited 7 LIV golfers in 2024 who weren’t already qualified. (The Masters also gave Niennman an exemption in 2024 and this yr). If I’m LIV I’d be elated that the majors are willing to invite players and even create an exemption for my tour). 

[Ferguson]

With so much debate, these rankings are anything but professional.  

[Titleist99]

6 hours ago, Mr.Cleeks said:

All I have to say is the rankings are fine. LIV didn’t follow the guidelines and then actively withdrew their application. Also LIV has an exemption category for 2 of the majors (both Opens) in 2025 and The PGA Championship invited 7 LIV golfers in 2024 who weren’t already qualified. (The Masters also gave Niennman an exemption in 2024 and this yr). If I’m LIV I’d be elated that the majors are willing to invite players and even create an exemption for my tour). 

I couldn't agree more. The four major tournaments seem to be going out of their way to ensure the Saudi League has players in them.  IMO 

 

I understand the reasoning because ANGC and the PGA of America have or have had an active anti-trust investigation brought on by the Saudi League.

[caniac6]

Rahm ranks very high in the bank account rankings, and that seems to be the most important ranking to him. In reality, how can any ranking points be given to anyone that plays on a tour that has no cuts, and only plays 54 holes. What is the formula for comparing apples to oranges?

[Fairways_and_Greens]

On 2/18/2025 at 6:42 AM, bladehunter said:

Who ?  

 

Ta-lor Gooch could hit a ball over them mountains. If Fred Ridley put him in, he would have won state.

[Fairways_and_Greens]

5 hours ago, Ferguson said:

With so much debate, these rankings are anything but professional.  

Dozens are debating it. Dozens.

[jimecherry]

2 hours ago, caniac6 said:

Rahm ranks very high in the bank account rankings, and that seems to be the most important ranking to him. In reality, how can any ranking points be given to anyone that plays on a tour that has no cuts, and only plays 54 holes. What is the formula for comparing apples to oranges?

depends on what value the points have are the points for measuring ability or something else. obviously those players can still play golf at a high level excluding ak of course ;}

[Mr.Cleeks]

4 hours ago, Titleist99 said:

I couldn't agree more. The four major tournaments seem to be going out of their way to ensure the Saudi League has players in them.  IMO 

 

I understand the reasoning because ANGC and the PGA of America have or have had an active anti-trust investigation brought on by the Saudi League.

Exactly, LIV dragged Augusta into the lawsuit back in 2023 before the framework agreement was announced. All 4 majors have been beyond accommodating for LIV and a LIV golfer can always try to accumulate OWGR pts by playing on the Asian/DP world tour

[GregNormans1Iron]

On 2/23/2025 at 5:21 PM, Fairways_and_Greens said:

 

Ta-lor Gooch could hit a ball over them mountains. If Fred Ridley put him in, he would have won state.

You sure that's a pic of Taylor Gooch?

I'm my mind he looks more like this:

 

[ac6]

On 2/24/2025 at 10:58 AM, GregNormans1Iron said:

You sure that's a pic of Taylor Gooch?

I'm my mind he looks more like this:

 

 

When I hear someone named Gooch I think they look like something that I'll get banned for posting