Jackson Reid
The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) is a system for rating the performance of professional golfers. It was started in 1986 and is based on a player's position in individual tournaments over a rolling two-year period. Rankings are calculated each week, and golfers accumulate points over a two-year rolling period to determine their ranking in the OWGR. The OWGR ranks male professional golfers based on their performance in recognised tournaments, with players earning points based on their finishing positions. The number of points awarded depends on the prestige and difficulty of the tournament.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ranking criteria | Performance level of professional golfers in individual tournaments |
| Ranking period | Two years |
| Ranking frequency | Calculated each week, released every Monday |
| Eligible tournaments | Leading professional golf tours, Major Championships, Olympic Games, and World Cup of Golf (individual element only) |
| Ranking points | Derived from each Eligible Tournament's Field Rating; maintained at full value for 13 weeks, then reduced in equal decrements for the remaining 91 weeks |
| Ranking calculation | Average score, calculated by dividing a player's total points by the number of eligible tournaments they have played |
| Ranking impact | Used as a qualifying criterion for entry into leading tournaments |
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What You'll Learn
Eligible tournaments
The Major Championships, World Golf Championships, Olympic Games, and the World Cup of Golf (individual element only) are also Eligible Tournaments. If a tournament does not count towards the Eligible Golf Tour's end-of-season ranking list, the Governing Board may approve it for inclusion as a Special Field Tournament.
The OWGR System is run over rolling Ranking Periods. Ranking Points are maintained at full value for a 13-week period from the relevant Ranking Date on which they were awarded to place additional emphasis on recent performances. Points are then reduced in equal decrements for the remaining 91 weeks of the relevant Ranking Period.
Each player is then ranked according to their average points during the Ranking Period, which is determined by dividing a player's Total Points by the number of Eligible Tournaments they have played during that Ranking Period, subject to the minimum and maximum divisors set out. For example, a smaller event with fewer top-ranked golfers will give out fewer points compared to one that attracts more of the top players.
The OWGR provides a projected Ranking Points Distribution for an Eligible Tournament following the submission of the Starting Field Data by the Eligible Golf Tour. Once the Results Data file has been provided by the Eligible Golf Tour and processed by the OWGR, an actual or "final" Ranking Points Distribution for the Eligible Tournament is provided.
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Ranking points distribution
The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) is a system for rating the performance of professional golfers. The OWGR ranks male professional golfers based on their performance in recognised tournaments over a two-year period.
Each event is assigned a number of points based on its classification. The number of points awarded depends on the prestige and difficulty of the tournament. A major tournament like the Masters or the U.S. Open offers more ranking points than smaller events because of the higher competition level. A PGA Tour event might offer more points than a regular European Tour event.
For example, the winner of a tournament will receive 100 ranking points. The second-place golfer gets 60% of this amount, 40% for third, 30% for fourth, 24% for fifth, down to 14% for tenth, 7% for twentieth, 3.5% for fortieth, down to 1.5% for sixtieth. Players tied for a position share the points for those positions. For instance, two players tied for second place would each receive 50%, the average of 60% and 40%.
Points are maintained at full value for a 13-week period from the relevant Ranking Date on which they were awarded. This places additional emphasis on recent performances. After this period, ranking points are reduced in equal decrements for the remaining 91 weeks of the relevant Ranking Period.
Other ranking systems
It is worth noting that, in addition to the OWGR, there are a few other key ranking systems used in professional golf. One of these is the FedEx Cup points system, which is specific to the PGA Tour and focuses on performance across a season (typically April to August).
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Calculating player rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers. It was started in 1986. The rankings are based on a player's position in individual tournaments (i.e. not pairs or team events) over a "rolling" two-year period. New rankings are calculated each week.
The OWGR ranks golfers based on their performance in recognised tournaments over a two-year period. Tournament performance is a key factor, with players earning points based on their finishing positions in sanctioned tournaments. The number of points awarded depends on the prestige and difficulty of the tournament. For example, a major tournament like the Masters or the U.S. Open offers more ranking points than smaller events due to the higher competition level.
Points Decay is another important factor in the OWGR system. Points awarded for a tournament are not fixed indefinitely but gradually decrease (decay) over a rolling two-year period. For instance, the points for a tournament win will be halved after one year and disappear after two years. This gives additional emphasis to recent performances, with points maintained at full value for a 13-week period from the relevant Ranking Date and then reduced in equal decrements for the remaining 91 weeks of the ranking period.
The OWGR also takes into account the Field Strength of each tournament, which refers to the number of top-ranked golfers participating. A tournament with more top-ranked golfers will offer more points compared to a smaller event with fewer highly ranked players.
Finally, each tournament is assigned a Ranking Points Distribution based on its classification. For example, a PGA Tour event may offer more points than a regular European Tour event.
By considering these factors, the OWGR system calculates the ranking of each event, and subsequently, the ranking points of the players for that event. The winner's ranking points are equal to the ranking of the event, so major winners receive 100 ranking points. The second-place golfer gets 60% of this amount, followed by 40% for 3rd, 30% for 4th, 24% for 5th, down to 1.5% for 60th. Players tied for a position share the points for those positions.
The resulting averages for all players are then put in descending order to produce the final ranking table. This means that the golfer with the highest cumulative success may not necessarily be ranked first, as the OWGR system prioritises average performance levels over the number of tournaments played.
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Rankings and qualifying criteria
The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) is a system for rating the performance level of professional golfers. The OWGR ranks golfers based on their performance in recognised tournaments over a two-year period. The rankings are calculated each week, and are based on a player's position in individual tournaments (i.e. not pairs or team events).
Golf rankings are primarily calculated using a points-based system. Players earn points based on their finishing positions in sanctioned tournaments. The number of points awarded depends on the prestige and difficulty of the tournament. For example, a major tournament like the Masters or the U.S. Open offers more ranking points than smaller events because of the higher competition level.
The points awarded for a tournament are not fixed indefinitely. They gradually decrease (decay) over a rolling two-year period. For example, the points for a win in a tournament will be halved after one year and disappear after two years. To place additional emphasis on recent performances, points awarded for each tournament are maintained for a 13-week period. After this period, they are reduced in equal weekly increments over the remainder of a two-year period.
The tournament must count towards each Eligible Golf Tour's end-of-season ranking list. Eligible tournaments from the leading professional golf tours, Major Championships, and competitions around the world are included in the OWGR. The Major Championships, World Golf Championships, Olympic Games, and the World Cup of Golf (individual element only) are also Eligible Tournaments.
Each tour around the world has its own system for ranking players. For example, the European Tour and LPGA have their own rankings. Points on these tours are factored into the OWGR calculation, and their events are considered based on their field strength.
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The volatility of rankings
The number of tournaments played also impacts the volatility of rankings. Golfers who participate in more tournaments have more opportunities to accumulate points and can improve their average ranking. Conversely, a golfer with fewer tournaments may climb the rankings quickly with strong performances but is also at risk of dropping in the rankings if they do not consistently earn points.
The weighting of points over time is another factor that contributes to the volatility of rankings. The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system places additional emphasis on recent performances by maintaining points at full value for a 13-week period after a tournament. After this period, points are reduced in equal decrements over the remaining 91 weeks of the two-year ranking period. This means that golfers need to continuously perform well in recent tournaments to maintain their ranking.
The performance of golfers in individual tournaments can also lead to volatile rankings. For example, in 2011, the number one ranking changed hands multiple times between Westwood, Kaymer, and Luke Donald, with Rory McIlroy joining the mix in 2012. Similarly, Jordan Spieth experienced a rapid rise in the rankings due to strong performances in recent tournaments, but his ranking would have dropped just as quickly if he had missed cuts.
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Frequently asked questions
The OWGR is a system for rating the performance level of professional golfers. It was started in 1986. The rankings are based on a player's position in individual tournaments over a rolling two-year period.
Players earn points based on their finishing positions in eligible tournaments. The number of points awarded depends on the prestige and difficulty of the tournament. For example, a major tournament like the Masters or the U.S. Open offers more ranking points than smaller events. Points are maintained at full value for a 13-week period and then reduced in equal decrements for the remaining 91 weeks of the relevant ranking period.
New rankings are calculated each week and released every Monday.
