With three majors completed, only one remains.
The Open Championship, marking the conclusion of the men`s professional golf major season, is scheduled for July 17-20 at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Portrush, Northern Ireland.
Leading up to The Open are this week`s events: the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois, and the Genesis Scottish Open in North Berwick, Scotland. Many of the world`s top golfers are traveling across the Atlantic a week early to experience links golf conditions.
Key questions are on everyone`s mind: Can world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler secure the third leg of his career grand slam? Can the reigning Masters champion, Rory McIlroy, overcome his past struggles at Royal Portrush from six years ago, where he missed the cut? Will defending Open Championship winner Xander Schauffele find his peak form?
With the FedEx Cup playoffs looming and the Ryder Cup not far off, opportunities are becoming limited for players to impress U.S. Captain Keegan Bradley and European Captain Luke Donald.
Here are the latest PGA Tour Power Rankings:
1. Scottie Scheffler
Scheffler took a couple of weeks off before heading overseas for the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open. Remarkable consistency defines his season: he hasn`t finished outside the top 25 in any of his 14 starts, securing a top-eight finish in his last nine outings. His victories this season include the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, the PGA Championship, and the Memorial Tournament. In his last appearance at the Renaissance Club in 2023, he tied for third place.
2. Rory McIlroy
Perhaps spending a few weeks in the United Kingdom will help McIlroy emerge from his post-Masters slump. He planned to spend time with his family at their new London home before this important two-week stretch. He dramatically won the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open by a single stroke over Robert MacIntyre. Last season, he tied for fourth place, four strokes behind MacIntyre.
3. Russell Henley
The 36-year-old is currently playing some of the best golf of his career, with eight top-10 finishes across 14 starts on tour. He claimed his fifth PGA Tour victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March and was close to winning again at the Travelers Championship. Henley finished solo fifth at last year`s Open Championship at Royal Troon in Scotland, marking his best result in that major.
4. J.J. Spaun
The surprising U.S. Open winner followed up that performance with a tie for 14th at the Travelers Championship. He was a runner-up twice earlier this season at the Cognizant Classic and the Players Championship. It wouldn`t be a surprise to see him win again soon. Spaun has climbed to third in the U.S. Ryder Cup points standings, trailing only Scheffler and Schauffele, making him appear nearly certain to join the team.
5. Sepp Straka
Straka, the Austrian golfer, has already won twice on the PGA Tour this season, at the American Express and Truist Championship. Despite missing the cut in all three previous majors, his play has otherwise been spectacular. He is sixth in the European Ryder Cup team standings but seems likely to be one of Captain Donald`s picks even if he doesn`t automatically qualify. A strong finish at The Open would salvage his major season; he tied for second at Royal Liverpool in England in 2023.
6. Justin Thomas
Thomas`s performance in the first three majors—tying for 36th at the Masters and missing the cut at both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open—mars what has otherwise been a positive turnaround season. He ended a nearly three-year winless streak by winning the RBC Heritage in a playoff and was runner-up at the American Express, Valspar Championship, and Truist Championship. There will be no doubt about his inclusion if he makes the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
7. Keegan Bradley
“Captain America” had previously stated he would only play in the upcoming Ryder Cup if he automatically qualified for the U.S. squad. He currently ranks ninth in points after winning the Travelers Championship, following a tie for eighth at the PGA Championship and seventh at the Memorial. Now ranked seventh in the Official World Golf Ranking, Bradley is clearly performing like one of the top 12 American golfers. Depending on results over the next seven weeks, Bradley might find himself having to pick himself.
8. Ben Griffin
Griffin`s hot streak has escalated into a scorching summer. Now ranked 17th in the world, Griffin partnered with Andrew Novak to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event, then claimed his first individual stroke-play title on tour at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He has two top-10 major finishes, tying for eighth at the PGA Championship and 10th at the U.S. Open. Griffin was also runner-up at the Memorial against a strong field. He`s eighth in Ryder Cup points and would likely need a significant drop in form to be left off the roster.
9. Collin Morikawa
The past couple of months were somewhat challenging for the two-time major champion, but he saw improvement with a tie for eighth at the Rocket Classic. Although Morikawa hasn`t won since the Zozo Championship in October 2023, he has been a two-time runner-up this season and has secured 10 top-25 finishes in 14 starts. He is currently looking for a caddie for the second time this season after splitting with Joe Greiner before the Rocket Classic. He hasn`t announced who will caddie for him at The Open.
10. Xander Schauffele
The defending Open Championship winner can be excused for a less-than-stellar summer, having missed about two months due to a rib injury. He performed reasonably well in the majors: tied for eighth at the Masters, 28th at the PGA Championship, and 12th at the U.S. Open. He has one top-10 finish and six top-25s in 11 starts on tour. Schauffele appears close to regaining his best form, and he remains second in Ryder Cup points after winning two majors in 2024.
11. Tommy Fleetwood
Another heartbreaking miss at the Travelers Championship leaves the English golfer still seeking his first PGA Tour victory. He has played like one of the world`s best this year, with five top-10s and 11 top-25s in 14 starts on tour. He is second in the European Ryder Cup points standings, trailing only McIlroy. He ranks third in strokes gained: total and ninth in approach.
12. Harris English
English has played exceptionally well this season, particularly in the tour`s most significant events. He earned his fifth PGA Tour victory at the Farmers Insurance Open and tied for second in the PGA Championship. He also recorded top-25 finishes at the Genesis Invitational, Truist Championship, Memorial Tournament, and Travelers Championship. He is 10th in Ryder Cup points, and his strong putting prowess suggests he is in contention for a spot on the U.S. team.
13. Viktor Hovland
Hovland`s swing continues to be a work in progress, but he won 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, the day after shooting a 7-under 63. Hovland is expected to play in the Scottish Open.
14. Maverick McNealy
The 29-year-old former Stanford standout might need a strong finish to the FedEx Cup season to secure his first spot on a Ryder Cup team. After claiming his first PGA Tour win at the RSM Classic in November, he was runner-up at the Genesis Invitational and achieved top-five finishes at the Valero Texas Open, RBC Heritage, and the Memorial. He finished outside the top 30 in each of the first three majors.
15. Ludvig Åberg
It has been a surprisingly inconsistent FedEx Cup season for the Swedish golfer. After winning for the second time on tour at the Genesis Invitational and finishing seventh at the Masters, Åberg has not recorded a top-10 finish in his subsequent seven starts. While Åberg has been efficient off the tee, he ranks lower on tour in strokes gained around the green and putting.
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 has been spectacular this season, ranking second in strokes gained: approach. However, his performance on the greens has been less impressive, ranking lower in strokes gained: putting. He is heading back to a favorable environment, including Royal Portrush Golf Club, where he lifted the Claret Jug in 2019.
17. Andrew Novak
Following a hot stretch that included a tie for third at the Texas Open, a playoff loss to Thomas at the RBC Heritage, and winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with Griffin, his form has cooled slightly in recent months. He tied for 17th at the Truist Championship and 11th at the Charles Schwab Challenge, indicating his game is still strong.
18. Corey Conners
Conners was playing very well until a wrist injury forced him to withdraw before the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. He has not participated in a PGA Tour event since. Before the injury, Conners had five top-10s and 10 top-25s across 16 starts on tour.
19. Brian Harman
Harman, the 2023 Open Championship winner, could benefit from another strong run to break into the top six of the U.S. Ryder Cup points standings, or at least make Captain Bradley`s selections more challenging. He is currently 12th after winning the Valero Texas Open and tying for third at the RBC Heritage. Harman`s solo eighth finish at the Travelers Championship suggests his form might be returning.
20. Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre`s performance has been improving recently; he finished solo second at the U.S. Open and tied 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 tied for sixth at the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush as a 22-year-old.
21. Sam Burns
Burns` late struggles in difficult conditions on the back nine of the U.S. Open`s final round overshadowed his otherwise spectacular performance at Oakmont. His game had been trending positively for weeks. He lost to Ryan Fox in a playoff at the RBC Canadian Open and tied for seventh at the U.S. Open. He has four top-10s and 10 top-25s in 18 starts on tour.
22. Patrick Cantlay
It`s difficult to imagine Cantlay not being part of the U.S. Ryder Cup team, but he needs to show some stronger form to solidify his case for inclusion. Cantlay`s tie for fourth at the Truist Championship was his only top-10 finish since mid-February. His ball-striking statistics suggest he should be performing better; he ranks highly in approach, tee-to-green, and total strokes gained.
23. Ryan Fox
After securing his first PGA Tour victory in a playoff at the OneFlight Myrtle Beach Classic, Fox didn`t have to wait long for his second. He won another playoff at the RBC Canadian Open, achieving two wins in four starts. He has risen in the Official World Golf Ranking.
24. Hideki Matsuyama
When the former Masters champion won the season-opening Sentry in Hawai`i in January, it appeared he was ready for a breakthrough season. Surprisingly, that remains his only top-10 finish in 17 starts on tour this season. He tied for 21st at Augusta National, missed the cut in the PGA Championship, and tied for 42nd in the U.S. Open. Matsuyama`s challenges have been with his driver, ranking lower in strokes gained off the tee and driving accuracy.
25. Daniel Berger
Berger looked like a serious contender for the Ryder Cup team, but he needs to reverse his recent form after a sluggish stretch that included two missed cuts and ties for 46th at the U.S. Open and 42nd at the Travelers Championship. He is currently 18th in the Ryder Cup points standings.
Players Just Outside the Top 25
Sungjae Im, Nick Taylor, Jason Day, Thomas Detry, Aldrich Potgieter, Cameron Young, Michael Kim, Jacob Bridgeman
