Jackson Reid
The World Amateur Golf Ranking for men was introduced in 2007 by The R&A, the governing body of golf outside the US and Mexico. The ranking is based on the results of over 2,600 amateur tournaments per year and is updated each Wednesday. Only three men and two women have ever held the No. 1 ranking as both amateurs and professionals. Data Golf also has its own version of the world amateur golf rankings.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ranking body | The R&A |
| Ranking basis | Results of over 2,600 amateur tournaments per year and amateurs' performances in certain professional events |
| Ranking frequency | Updated each Wednesday |
| Ranking criteria | Average performances in counting events over a rolling period of 104 weeks |
| No. 1 ranking holders (male) | Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm |
| No. 1 ranking holder (female) | Lydia Ko |
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What You'll Learn
Male and female No. 1-ranking amateurs who became professionals
The World Amateur Golf Ranking for men was introduced by The R&A, the governing body of golf outside the US and Mexico, on 23 January 2007. The ranking system is based on the results of over 2600 amateur tournaments per year and is updated each Wednesday. The rankings are based on players' average performance in counting events over a rolling period, which was initially 52 weeks but has since been expanded to 104 weeks.
Only three male and two female golfers have ever held the No. 1 ranking as both amateurs and professionals.
Male No. 1-Ranking Amateurs Who Became Professionals
Rory McIlroy was the first to achieve this feat. He was 17 years old when he became the No. 1 amateur and 22 years old when he became the world's No. 1 professional. Jordan Spieth was the second golfer to achieve this. He was 18 years old when he topped the amateur rankings and 22 years old when he reached No. 1 in the world. Jon Rahm is the third male golfer to have achieved this, becoming the world's No. 1 professional in July 2020.
Female No. 1-Ranking Amateurs Who Became Professionals
Lydia Ko was the first female golfer to hold the No. 1 ranking as both an amateur and a professional. She was only 14 years old when she first achieved the No. 1 amateur ranking and held it for a record 130 consecutive weeks. She was 17 years old when she reached No. 1 in the Women's World Golf Rankings.
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How the ranking system works
The World Amateur Golf Ranking for men was introduced by The R&A, the governing body of golf outside the US and Mexico, in 2007. The ranking system is based on the results of over 2,600 amateur tournaments per year and is updated each Wednesday. The rankings are based on players' average performances in counting events over a rolling period, which was initially 52 weeks but was expanded to 104 weeks in 2016.
The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) is a system for rating the performance level of professional golfers. Players accumulate points over a two-year rolling period to determine their ranking. Ranking points are derived from each eligible tournament's field rating, with higher finishes in higher-profile events yielding more points. Major Championships, Olympic Golf Competitions, and the World Cup of Golf are all eligible for ranking points, but team events are not. Each player in the OWGR system has a Strokes Gained (SG) world rating based on their scores in stroke-play events, which is adjusted for the relative difficulty of each round they play.
The number of ranking points awarded for each tournament is maintained for a 13-week period to place additional emphasis on recent performances. For the remaining 91 weeks of the two-year ranking period, ranking points are reduced in equal decrements. Each player is then ranked according to their average points per tournament, calculated by dividing their total points by the number of tournaments played.
A golf tour included in the OWGR system is regarded as an eligible golf tour, and its tournaments must meet specific criteria to qualify for ranking points. These criteria include being organised or sanctioned by an eligible golf tour, being published on the official tournament schedule, counting towards the eligible golf tour's end-of-season ranking list, and having a minimum field size of 30 qualified players.
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The Amateur Championship
The tournament is open to amateur golfers of any nationality who are in good standing with their national federations. It normally has the widest international representation of any individual amateur event, with 38 golf federations from all six continents represented in the 2018 championship.
The winner of The Amateur Championship receives invitations to three major championships: the following month's Open Championship, and the subsequent year's Masters Tournament and U.S. Open, provided they remain an amateur before each event. The winner also traditionally receives an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament. The championship is contested by 288 players over stroke play and match play, and the winner secures exemptions into The Open and the U.S. Open.
The format of the tournament is a simple knockout, with extra holes played in the case of a tie after 18 holes. 36 holes are played over two courses, with the leading 64 players and ties advancing to the match-play stage. The 2025 championship is taking place at Royal St George's and Royal Cinque Ports, England.
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World amateur golf rankings
The World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) is a global golf service that ranks the best male and female amateur golfers in the world. The rankings are determined by the players' average performance in over 2,600 amateur tournaments per year (and amateurs participating in certain professional events), with more recent rounds receiving more weight. The rankings are updated each Wednesday.
The WAGR was introduced by The R&A, the governing body of golf outside the United States and Mexico, on 23 January 2007. The rankings were initiated to provide a more reliable means of selecting the field for The Amateur Championship, similar to how the Official World Golf Ranking is used to help set the field for The Open Championship.
The WAGR incorporates over 6,800 events with over 8,100 players as of the end of 2024. The rankings are based on a rolling period of 104 weeks, up from an initial 52 weeks, to calculate the players' average performances in counting events.
Only three male and two female golfers have ever held the No. 1 ranking as both an amateur and a professional. The first to achieve this was Rory McIlroy, who became the No. 1 amateur at 17 years old and the world No. 1 professional at 22 years old. Jordan Spieth was the second player to accomplish this feat, reaching No. 1 in the amateur rankings at 18 years old and the professional rankings at 22 years old. Jon Rahm became the professional world No. 1 in July 2020 after holding the top amateur ranking for 60 weeks.
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US women in amateur golf
The U.S. Women's Amateur, also known as the United States Women's Amateur Golf Championship, is the leading golf tournament for female amateur golfers in the United States. Established in 1895, just one month after the men's U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open, it is the third oldest USGA championship. The tournament is open to female golfers of all nationalities and has no age restrictions.
Along with the British Ladies Amateur, the U.S. Women's Amateur is considered the highest honour in women's amateur golf. The winner is awarded the Robert Cox Cup, which was donated by Robert Cox of Edinburgh, Scotland, a member of the British Parliament and a golf course designer. Glenna Collett Vare is rated by the USGA as the most noteworthy champion, having won the cup a record six times.
Several U.S. Women's Amateur champions have gone on to become leading professionals, including Patty Berg, Babe Zaharias, Louise Suggs, and Beth Daniel. The two finalists win exemptions to the ensuing U.S. Women's Open, and the winner also gains exemptions to The Women's Open Championship and, upon turning 50, the U.S. Senior Women's Open.
Due to the tournament being dominated by teenagers and college-age players, the USGA introduced a separate tournament in 1987 for players aged 25 and over, called the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur. This gives older amateur players the opportunity to compete for a national title.
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Frequently asked questions
The World Amateur Golf Ranking is the global standard for ranking amateur golfers. It provides international recognition and pathways to college scholarships and professional careers.
The World Amateur Golf Ranking for men was introduced by The R&A, the governing body of golf outside the US and Mexico, on 23 January 2007. The R&A and the United States Golf Association now offer it as a global service.
The rankings are updated every Wednesday on www.wagr.com.
Golfers must compete in WAGR-certified events and achieve notable results. This includes meeting performance criteria, maintaining consistency, and building a profile.
A high WAGR ranking demonstrates a player's competitive ability and can lead to invitations for prestigious amateur events, college scholarships, and professional careers. It also provides international recognition and opportunities to gain exemptions for professional tours and major championships.
