The following is a list of golfers who have been top of the Official World Golf Ranking. As of October 7, 2018, Dustin Johnson is the number one ranked golfer. Tiger Woods has spent the most consecutive weeks (281) and most total weeks (683) in that position. The shortest time goes to Tom Lehman, who spent only one week at the top in April 1997. Three golfers have spent an entire calendar year atop the rankings: Nick Faldo (1993), Greg Norman (1996), and Woods (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009).
Number one ranked men
- Note 1: In the first column, each number signifies the first time that golfer was ranked number one.
- Note 2: In the "Cumulative total" column, each boldface number signifies the most recent time that golfer was ranked number one.
* |
Current number one player as of October 7, 2018 |
# |
Country |
Player |
Start date |
End date |
Number of weeks |
Cumulative total |
Ref. |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
FRG |
Bernhard Langer |
April 6, 1986 |
April 26, 1986 |
7000300000000000000♠3 |
7000300000000000000♠3 |
[1] |
7000200000000000000♠2 |
ESP |
Seve Ballesteros |
April 27, 1986 |
September 13, 1986 |
7001200000000000000♠20 |
7001200000000000000♠20 |
|
7000300000000000000♠3 |
AUS |
Greg Norman |
September 14, 1986 |
November 21, 1987 |
7001620000000000000♠62 |
7001620000000000000♠62 |
|
|
ESP |
Seve Ballesteros (2) |
November 22, 1987 |
November 28, 1987 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7001210000000000000♠21 |
[2] |
|
AUS |
Greg Norman (2) |
November 29, 1987 |
October 29, 1988 |
7001480000000000000♠48 |
7002110000000000000♠110 |
[3] |
|
ESP |
Seve Ballesteros (3) |
October 30, 1988 |
November 5, 1988 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7001220000000000000♠22 |
[4] |
|
AUS |
Greg Norman (3) |
November 6, 1988 |
November 12, 1988 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7002111000000000000♠111 |
[5] |
|
ESP |
Seve Ballesteros (4) |
November 13, 1988 |
March 25, 1989 |
7001190000000000000♠19 |
7001410000000000000♠41 |
[6] |
|
AUS |
Greg Norman (4) |
March 26, 1989 |
April 1, 1989 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7002112000000000000♠112 |
[7] |
|
ESP |
Seve Ballesteros (5) |
April 2, 1989 |
August 19, 1989 |
7001200000000000000♠20 |
7001610000000000000♠61 |
[8] |
|
AUS |
Greg Norman (5) |
August 20, 1989 |
September 1, 1990 |
7001540000000000000♠54 |
7002166000000000000♠166 |
[9] |
7000400000000000000♠4 |
ENG |
Nick Faldo |
September 2, 1990 |
October 13, 1990 |
7000600000000000000♠6 |
7000600000000000000♠6 |
[10] |
|
AUS |
Greg Norman (6) |
October 14, 1990 |
February 2, 1991 |
7001160000000000000♠16 |
7002182000000000000♠182 |
[11] |
|
ENG |
Nick Faldo (2) |
February 3, 1991 |
April 6, 1991 |
7000900000000000000♠9 |
7001150000000000000♠15 |
|
7000500000000000000♠5 |
WAL |
Ian Woosnam |
April 7, 1991 |
March 21, 1992 |
7001500000000000000♠50 |
7001500000000000000♠50 |
|
7000600000000000000♠6 |
USA |
Fred Couples |
March 22, 1992 |
March 28, 1992 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
|
|
ENG |
Nick Faldo (3) |
March 29, 1992 |
April 4, 1992 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7001160000000000000♠16 |
|
|
USA |
Fred Couples (2) |
April 5, 1992 |
July 18, 1992 |
7001150000000000000♠15 |
7001160000000000000♠16 |
|
|
ENG |
Nick Faldo (4) |
July 19, 1992 |
February 5, 1994 |
7001810000000000000♠81 |
7001970000000000000♠97 |
|
|
AUS |
Greg Norman (7) |
February 6, 1994 |
August 13, 1994 |
7001270000000000000♠27 |
7002209000000000000♠209 |
|
7000700000000000000♠7 |
ZIM |
Nick Price |
August 14, 1994 |
June 17, 1995 |
7001440000000000000♠44 |
7001440000000000000♠44 |
|
|
AUS |
Greg Norman (8) |
June 18, 1995 |
April 19, 1997 |
7001960000000000000♠96 |
7002305000000000000♠305 |
|
7000800000000000000♠8 |
USA |
Tom Lehman |
April 20, 1997 |
April 26, 1997 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
|
|
AUS |
Greg Norman (9) |
April 27, 1997 |
June 14, 1997 |
7000700000000000000♠7 |
7002312000000000000♠312 |
|
7000900000000000000♠9 |
USA |
Tiger Woods |
June 15, 1997 |
June 21, 1997 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
|
7001100000000000000♠10 |
ZAF |
Ernie Els |
June 22, 1997 |
June 28, 1997 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
|
|
AUS |
Greg Norman (10) |
June 29, 1997 |
July 5, 1997 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7002313000000000000♠313 |
|
|
USA |
Tiger Woods (2) |
July 6, 1997 |
September 6, 1997 |
7000900000000000000♠9 |
7001100000000000000♠10 |
|
|
AUS |
Greg Norman (11) |
September 7, 1997 |
January 10, 1998 |
7001180000000000000♠18 |
7002331000000000000♠331 |
|
|
USA |
Tiger Woods (3) |
January 11, 1998 |
April 11, 1998 |
7001130000000000000♠13 |
7001230000000000000♠23 |
|
|
ZAF |
Ernie Els (2) |
April 12, 1998 |
May 9, 1998 |
7000400000000000000♠4 |
7000500000000000000♠5 |
|
|
USA |
Tiger Woods (4) |
May 10, 1998 |
May 16, 1998 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7001240000000000000♠24 |
|
|
ZAF |
Ernie Els (3) |
May 17, 1998 |
June 13, 1998 |
7000400000000000000♠4 |
7000900000000000000♠9 |
|
|
USA |
Tiger Woods (5) |
June 14, 1998 |
March 27, 1999 |
7001410000000000000♠41 |
7001650000000000000♠65 |
|
7001110000000000000♠11 |
USA |
David Duval |
March 28, 1999 |
July 3, 1999 |
7001140000000000000♠14 |
7001140000000000000♠14 |
|
|
USA |
Tiger Woods (6) |
July 4, 1999 |
August 7, 1999 |
7000500000000000000♠5 |
7001700000000000000♠70 |
|
|
USA |
David Duval (2) |
August 8, 1999 |
August 14, 1999 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7001150000000000000♠15 |
|
|
USA |
Tiger Woods (7) |
August 15, 1999 |
September 4, 2004 |
7002264000000000000♠264 |
7002334000000000000♠334 |
|
7001120000000000000♠12 |
FJI |
Vijay Singh |
September 5, 2004 |
March 5, 2005 |
7001260000000000000♠26 |
7001260000000000000♠26 |
|
|
USA |
Tiger Woods (8) |
March 6, 2005 |
March 19, 2005 |
7000200000000000000♠2 |
7002336000000000000♠336 |
|
|
FJI |
Vijay Singh (2) |
March 20, 2005 |
April 9, 2005 |
7000300000000000000♠3 |
7001290000000000000♠29 |
|
|
USA |
Tiger Woods (9) |
April 10, 2005 |
May 21, 2005 |
7000600000000000000♠6 |
7002342000000000000♠342 |
|
|
FJI |
Vijay Singh (3) |
May 22, 2005 |
June 11, 2005 |
7000300000000000000♠3 |
7001320000000000000♠32 |
|
|
USA |
Tiger Woods (10) |
June 12, 2005 |
October 30, 2010 |
7002281000000000000♠281 (record) |
7002623000000000000♠623 |
|
7001130000000000000♠13 |
ENG |
Lee Westwood |
October 31, 2010 |
February 26, 2011 |
7001170000000000000♠17 |
7001170000000000000♠17 |
[12][13] |
7001140000000000000♠14 |
DEU |
Martin Kaymer |
February 27, 2011 |
April 23, 2011 |
7000800000000000000♠8 |
7000800000000000000♠8 |
|
|
ENG |
Lee Westwood (2) |
April 24, 2011 |
May 28, 2011 |
7000500000000000000♠5 |
7001220000000000000♠22 |
|
7001150000000000000♠15 |
ENG |
Luke Donald |
May 29, 2011 |
March 3, 2012 |
7001400000000000000♠40 |
7001400000000000000♠40 |
|
7001160000000000000♠16 |
NIR |
Rory McIlroy |
March 4, 2012 |
March 17, 2012 |
7000200000000000000♠2 |
7000200000000000000♠2 |
[14] |
|
ENG |
Luke Donald (2) |
March 18, 2012 |
April 14, 2012 |
7000400000000000000♠4 |
7001440000000000000♠44 |
[15] |
|
NIR |
Rory McIlroy (2) |
April 15, 2012 |
April 28, 2012 |
7000200000000000000♠2 |
7000400000000000000♠4 |
[16] |
|
ENG |
Luke Donald (3) |
April 29, 2012 |
May 5, 2012 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7001450000000000000♠45 |
[17] |
|
NIR |
Rory McIlroy (3) |
May 6, 2012 |
May 26, 2012 |
7000300000000000000♠3 |
7000700000000000000♠7 |
[18] |
|
ENG |
Luke Donald (4) |
May 27, 2012 |
August 11, 2012 |
7001110000000000000♠11 |
7001560000000000000♠56 |
[19] |
|
NIR |
Rory McIlroy (4) |
August 12, 2012 |
March 24, 2013 |
7001320000000000000♠32 |
7001390000000000000♠39 |
|
|
USA |
Tiger Woods (11) |
March 25, 2013 |
May 17, 2014 |
7001600000000000000♠60 |
7002683000000000000♠683 (record) |
|
7001170000000000000♠17 |
AUS |
Adam Scott |
May 18, 2014 |
August 2, 2014 |
7001110000000000000♠11 |
7001110000000000000♠11 |
|
|
NIR |
Rory McIlroy (5) |
August 3, 2014 |
August 15, 2015 |
7001540000000000000♠54 |
7001930000000000000♠93 |
|
7001180000000000000♠18 |
USA |
Jordan Spieth |
August 16, 2015 |
August 29, 2015 |
7000200000000000000♠2 |
7000200000000000000♠2 |
|
|
NIR |
Rory McIlroy (6) |
August 30, 2015 |
September 5, 2015 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7001940000000000000♠94 |
|
|
USA |
Jordan Spieth (2) |
September 6, 2015 |
September 12, 2015 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7000300000000000000♠3 |
|
|
NIR |
Rory McIlroy (7) |
September 13, 2015 |
September 19, 2015 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7001950000000000000♠95 |
|
7001190000000000000♠19 |
AUS |
Jason Day |
September 20, 2015 |
September 26, 2015 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
7000100000000000000♠1 |
|
|
USA |
Jordan Spieth (3) |
September 27, 2015 |
October 17, 2015 |
7000300000000000000♠3 |
7000600000000000000♠6 |
|
|
AUS |
Jason Day (2) |
October 18, 2015 |
November 7, 2015 |
7000300000000000000♠3 |
7000400000000000000♠4 |
|
|
USA |
Jordan Spieth (4) |
November 8, 2015 |
March 26, 2016 |
7001200000000000000♠20 |
7001260000000000000♠26 |
|
|
AUS |
Jason Day (3) |
March 27, 2016 |
February 18, 2017 |
7001470000000000000♠47 |
7001510000000000000♠51 |
|
7001200000000000000♠20 |
USA |
Dustin Johnson |
February 19, 2017 |
May 12, 2018 |
7001640000000000000♠64 |
7001640000000000000♠64 |
|
7001210000000000000♠21 |
USA |
Justin Thomas |
May 13, 2018 |
June 9, 2018 |
7000400000000000000♠4 |
7000400000000000000♠4 |
|
|
USA |
Dustin Johnson (2) |
June 10, 2018 |
September 9, 2018 |
7001130000000000000♠13 |
7001770000000000000♠77 |
|
7001220000000000000♠22 |
ENG |
Justin Rose |
September 10, 2018 |
September 22, 2018 |
7000200000000000000♠2 |
7000200000000000000♠2 |
|
|
USA |
Dustin Johnson * (3) |
September 23, 2018 |
Present |
7000300000000000000♠3 |
7001800000000000000♠80 |
|
Weeks at number one
* |
Current number one player as of October 7, 2018 |
Order – indicates the sequence in which the players first reached number 1.
Majors – number of major championships each player has won throughout his golfing career.
Weeks at number one by country
* |
Country with the current number one player as of October 7, 2018 |
Order – indicates the sequence in which the country first had a number 1 player.
Majors – number of major championships the country's world-ranked number 1 players have won throughout their golfing careers.
Players – number of players from that country who have been world-ranked number 1.
Top player – the player from that country who has spent most weeks as the world-ranked number 1 player.
First player – the player from that country who was first to be world-ranked number 1 player, left blank if that country has only one such player.
Latest player – the player from that country who was most recently world-ranked number 1 player, left blank if that country has only one such player.
Zone – The zone to which that country now belongs for Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup purposes:
- EUR = Europe (plays in Ryder Cup)
- IT = International Team (plays in Presidents Cup)
- USA = United States of America (plays in both cups)
* |
Zone with the current number one player as of October 7, 2018 |
Weeks – the total number of weeks players from the zone have been world-ranked number 1, including any weeks Australia's Greg Norman was world-ranked number 1 before the Presidents Cup and its International Team zone were first created. It was first played in September 1994, shortly after the August 1994 end of Greg Norman's first 7 periods (starting in September 1986) and 209 weeks at Number 1 (out of his total of 11 periods and 331 weeks).
Order – indicates the sequence in which the zone first had a number 1 player.
Majors – number of major championships the zone's world-ranked number 1 players have won throughout their golfing careers.
Players – number of players from that zone who have been world-ranked number 1.
Top player – the player from that zone who has spent most weeks as the world-ranked number 1 player.
First player – the player from that zone who was first to be world-ranked number 1 player.
Latest player – the player from that zone who was most recently world-ranked number 1 player.
Earlier number ones
Before the start of the Official World Golf Ranking in 1986, unofficial world golf rankings were published in Mark McCormack's World of Professional Golf Annual from 1968 to 1985. These annual world golf rankings gave Jack Nicklaus as the number one from 1968 to 1977, Tom Watson from 1978 to 1982 and Seve Ballesteros from 1983 to 1985.
References
- General
- Specific
External links
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Player in bold denotes current number one
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