World Golf Rankings 2024: The second of four major championships is in the book.
Xander Schauffele claimed his major title with a victory at the PGA Championship by shooting a major championship record 21-under par, which was fueled by a record-tying, first round 62 and a final round 6-under 65. Schauffele made a birdie on the 72nd hole to defeat Bryson DeChambeau by one stroke.
Schauffele entered the PGA Championship with eight top 10s this season and secured his first win in two years since the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open.
In addition to the dramatic finish that Sunday brought that included DeChambeau getting to 20-under par and tie Schauffele, it was a wild and chaotic week, both on the course and around the property. From Scottie Scheffler doing his early preparations for the second round in a jail cell to Tiger Woods missing the cut on the same day, it made for an unpredictable second major of 2024.
Here’s a look at this week’s world golf rankings after the PGA Championship.
Scottie Scheffler remains at No. 1 in the World Golf Rankings
It was definitely a week Scottie Scheffler will never forget. The PGA Championship was his first tournament as a father after he and his wife, Meredith, had their first child, Bennett, the week before. And on the first hole on Thursday, the Dad magic became a reality by sinking a 164-yard approach into the cup for an eagle.
However, after Thursday, that’s when things sort of went downhill. As Scheffler was driving to Valhalla Golf Club Friday, getting set for his second round, he was stopped by Louisville Police Department officers. Scheffler then found himself, not inside the clubhouse of Valhalla Golf Club, but taken away in handcuffs for not following police orders and booked on four charges, including second-degree assault of a police officer.
With his preparation for the second being altered, he was stretching at the Louisville Police Department and was able to make his second-round tee time where he did not flop and shot a 5-under 66 and was bogey free for the first 11 holes.
Then on Saturday, that is when it fell apart as he started 4-over through four, en route to shooting a 2-over 73 for his first round over par this season, snapping a streak of 41 straight rounds at par or better to begin a season.
Whether the feeling of getting booked got to him or it was not having his caddie, Ted Scott, with him, it was definitely a round to forget. On Sunday, it was too little, too late, but he was able to rebound, with Scott by his side for a 6-under 65 to record his fifth top 10 in his last six major starts.
It was a whirlwind that Scheffler went through this week and really tested his mental side. For him to shoot 65 after getting arrested tells you all you need to know about his mentality.
Related: Winners and losers from the PGA Championship, including Xander Schauffele’s first major championship
Xander Schauffele’s gets to No. 2, Rory McIlroy drops one spot
It is hard to believe that Xander Schauffele had not won a major before Sunday at the PGA Championship. In the 26 major tournaments he has played dating back to his first major start at the 2017 PGA Championship, Schauffele has three missed cuts, 19 top 25s, 11 top 10s and two runner-up finishes.
This week, Schauffele was able to put it all together. Last month at the Masters, he made only 10 birdies all week. At the PGA Championship, he led the field with 25 birdies. In addition, Schauffele was able to make 25 birdies by also leading the field with an 83.33% clip in greens in regulation, which means the irons got rolling.
His win comes after he had the 54-hole lead in last week’s Wells Fargo Championship and succumbed to Rory McIlroy, who defeated Schauffele by five strokes.
During the PGA Championship, it was a different story for Schauffle because when mistakes arose, he was able to make up for them. After his bogey on the par-5 10th for his lone bogey of the final round, he responded by making back-to-back birdies that included a 209-yard tee shot on the par-3 11th to eight feet and a 206-yard approach on the par-4 12th to six feet.
His win was able to get him to No. 2 to not only be named, ‘the second best golfer in the world’ but also have his highest world ranking.
McIlroy entered the week, looking to take advantage of Valhalla Golf Club, the same place where he won his last major 10 years ago. However, an even par 72 in Friday’s second round and a 3-under 68 on Saturday held him back from contending at a place he has fond memories.
Other movement to the top 10
Wyndham Clark, who struggled and missed the cut remained at No. 4.
Viktor Hovland found himself this week and even contended and had the outright lead at one point after making three birdies in a four-hole stretch to begin his back nine on Sunday. His third-place finish was his best of the season as he looks to use this week as motivation the rest of the way as the reigning Tour Champion. Hovland moved up two spots to No. 5.
At No. 6, Ludvig Aberg remains at that spot. Aberg missed the cut by one stroke on Friday, shooting even par through 36 holes. He had a couple of mistakes and did not respond enough to score. However, he did not play as badly as Jon Rahm, who dropped two spots to No. 7. Like Aberg, Rahm missed the cut by one stroke as a result of making double bogey on the 17th hole on Friday. Add in starting Thursday at 4-over through six holes and Rahm was about 10 strokes, which includes Schauffele’s morning round of 9-under.
Patrick Cantlay remains at No. 8, but Collin Morikawa returned to the top 10, moving up four spots to No. 9. As a result, Max Homa and Brian Harman dropped one spot each to No. 10 and 11.
Big jumps throughout the top 100
Justin Thomas, who was playing the PGA Championship in his home city of Louisville, moved up seven spots to No. 24. The two-time PGA Champion tied for eighth at 13-under par, which was fueled by shooting 8-under in the middle rounds on Friday and Saturday to record another top 10 at a major.
Shane Lowry, who flirted with the first 61 in major championship history on Saturday to finish tied for fifth, moved up 10 spots to No. 33. Lowry was an 11-foot putt away from making history, but his stroke missed to the left and settled for the second 62 this week. He was even in contention early on Sunday but only shot 1-under 70 to finish top five.
Right behind Lowry and making one of the biggest jumps of the week was Bryson DeChambeau who finished in second place to Schauffele after tying things up at 20-under par with his birdie putt on the 72nd hole. DeChambeau went from No. 124 in the world golf rankings to No. 35.
DeChambeau put on a display with his shots, especially from off the green, and the showmanship with his celebrations, including his putt from off the green at the conclusion of his third round. He shot a bogey-free 7-under 64 on Sunday and most of the time that is going to win tournaments, just not this time.
Also making a big jump was Thomas Detry, who moved up 17 spots to No. 54. Detry finished tied for fourth at 15-under par, which was fueled by a final round bogey-free 5-under 66. Detry also gets a spot into the U.S. Open as a result of cracking the top 60 in this week’s world golf rankings.
