Nina Caldwell
The world rankings in golf are a system for rating the performance level of professional golfers. The rankings are based on a player's position in individual tournaments over a rolling two-year period. New world rankings are calculated each week, with the player's most recent 52 tournaments counting towards their ranking. The world rankings are used as a qualifying criterion for entry into leading tournaments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ranking calculation frequency | Weekly |
| Ranking calculation basis | Player's position in individual tournaments |
| Time period considered for rankings | Two years |
| Minimum number of tournaments | 40 |
| Maximum number of tournaments | 52 |
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What You'll Learn
Calculating a golfer's world ranking
The Official World Golf Ranking (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 (not pairs or team events) over a rolling two-year period. New rankings are calculated each week.
The OWGR ranks male professional golfers based on their performance in recognised tournaments over a two-year period. Majors, such as The Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, and PGA Championship are given more weight in the ranking calculations. These tournaments offer more ranking points and are considered "bigger" events than regular tournaments.
The first stage in the calculation is the ranking of each event. For most events, the ranking depends on the current world rankings of the participating golfers and the participation of the leading golfers from the "home tour". A "world rating value" is calculated. Any golfer currently ranked in the world's top 200 is given a rating value. The world number one is allocated 45, number two is allocated 37, and number three is allocated 32, down to those ranked between 101 and 200 who are allocated a rating value of one each. The maximum possible world rating value is 925, but this would only happen if all the top 200 golfers were playing.
A "home tour rating value" is also calculated. The leading 30 golfers from the previous year's "home tour" are given rating values. Most tours use earnings lists for their top 30, but the PGA Tour currently uses the FedEx points list calculated after the playoffs. Major championships and WGC events use the current world top 30 list. The home tour number one is allocated eight points, down to 16-30 who are allocated a rating value of one each. The maximum home tour rating value is 75 if all the top 30 players from the home tour are competing. The total home tour rating value is limited to 75% of the world rating value.
The world rating value and home tour rating value are added together to give a "Strength of Field" value. This is then converted into an event ranking using a table. For example, a strength of field value of 10 converts to an event ranking of eight, a strength of field value of 100 converts to an event ranking of 24, while a strength of field value of 500 converts to an event ranking of 62.
Each Strokes Gained World Rating has a corresponding value of Performance Points determined by the Performance Curve. Players with ten or fewer recorded scores in Eligible Tournaments in the relevant Ranking Period are assigned a value of 0.01 Performance Points. Ranking Points are derived from each Eligible Tournament's Field Rating.
Finally, a golfer's World Ranking is obtained by dividing their points total by the number of events they have played, which gives their average. Players are then ranked according to their average, with the highest first. 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. Ranking Points are then reduced in equal decrements for the remaining 91 weeks of the relevant Ranking Period.
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Eligible tournaments
A golf tour included in the OWGR System is regarded as an Eligible Golf Tour, and its tournaments that meet specific criteria qualify for Ranking Points. The tournament must be organised and/or sanctioned by an Eligible Golf Tour, published on the Eligible Golf Tour's official tournament schedule, and count towards the Eligible Golf Tour's end-of-season ranking list. Additionally, the tournament must have a minimum field size of 30 qualified players.
The Major Championships, World Golf Championships, Olympic Games, and the individual element of the World Cup of Golf are also Eligible Tournaments. These tournaments are sanctioned by the Eligible Golf Tours and meet the relevant Tour Eligibility Criteria. Each Eligible Golf Tour contributes at least 30 participating players, and the tournament must be included in each Eligible Golf Tour's official tournament schedule.
To qualify for a ranking, a player must compete in a minimum of 40 tournaments within a two-year rolling period. Currently, players need to participate in one of the 23 leading professional Eligible Golf Tours to receive World Ranking Points. Eligible Tournaments consist of completed rounds of 18-hole stroke-play, and players' scores are adjusted for the relative difficulty of each round.
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Ranking points
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of professional golfers. It was started in 1986, with the first ranking list published before the 1986 Masters Tournament. The rankings are based on a player's position in individual tournaments (not pairs or team events) over a rolling two-year period. New rankings are calculated each week.
The rankings are based on a player's position in individual tournaments from eligible tours, Major Championships, and competitions around the world. Any player competing in these eligible tournaments will receive Ranking Points based on their finishing position. Ranking Points are derived from each Eligible Tournament's Field Rating.
The Field Rating of an Eligible Tournament is determined by the current world rankings and the participation of leading golfers from the "home tour". A "world rating value" is calculated, with the world No. 1 being allocated 45, No. 2 being allocated 37, and so on down to those ranked between 101 and 30, who are allocated a rating value of 1 each.
Similarly, a "home tour rating value" is calculated for the leading 30 golfers from the previous year's "home tour". Most tours use earnings lists for their top 30, but the PGA Tour currently uses the FedEx points list calculated after the playoffs. The home tour No. 1 is allocated 8, and those from 16 to 30 are allocated a rating value of 1 each.
The world rating value and home tour rating value are added together to give a "Strength of Field" value, which is then converted into an event ranking using a table. For example, a strength of field value of 100 converts to an event ranking of 24.
Each player is then ranked according to their average points during the relevant Ranking Period, which is determined by dividing a player's total points by the number of Eligible Tournaments they have played during that period, subject to minimum and maximum divisors. The minimum divisor is 40 Eligible Tournaments, and the maximum is the most recent 52 Eligible Tournaments played by the player within the two-year period.
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Strokes Gained World Rating
The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system rates the performance level of professional golfers. The rankings are based on a player's position in individual tournaments over a rolling two-year period, with new rankings calculated each week.
The Strokes Gained World Rating is a key component of the OWGR system. It is based on a player's actual scores in eligible tournaments from completed rounds of 18-hole stroke play. The scores are adjusted for the relative difficulty of each round played over the relevant ranking period.
The Field Rating for each eligible tournament is determined by the sum of Performance Points for all players in the tournament field. The number of Performance Points for each player is, in turn, determined by their Strokes Gained World Rating.
Each Strokes Gained World Rating has a corresponding value of Performance Points determined by the Performance Curve. The Performance Curve is the mechanism used to determine the value of Performance Points per Strokes Gained World Rating. This, in turn, equals the number of Performance Points each eligible player contributes to a tournament's Field Rating.
The minimum Strokes Gained World Rating a player can have is -14.6466, and the maximum is 2.8981. Players with 10 or fewer recorded scores in eligible tournaments in the relevant ranking period are assigned a value of 0.01 Performance Points.
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Performance points
The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system is a method for rating the performance level of professional golfers. It was first introduced in 1986 and has been modified several times since. The rankings are based on a player's performance in individual tournaments over a rolling two-year period. Each week, new rankings are calculated, taking into account the results of recent tournaments.
The number of performance points a player brings into a tournament influences the event's field rating. This field rating is calculated by summing up the performance points of all the golfers participating in the tournament. The field rating replaces the previous "strength of field" metric, which only considered the skill level of the top 200 golfers. Now, all players who make the cut in an event receive ranking points, ensuring a more comprehensive evaluation of the tournament's field.
The OWGR system places a strong emphasis on recent performances. Following the relevant Ranking Date, ranking points are maintained at their full value for a 13-week period. During this time, players' rankings will reflect their most recent achievements. After the initial 13 weeks, the ranking points are reduced in equal decrements over the remaining 91 weeks of the two-year ranking period. This gradual reduction ensures that recent performances carry more weight in the overall rankings.
To be included in the OWGR rankings, players must compete in eligible tournaments within the leading professional golf tours. These eligible tournaments include Major Championships, Olympic Golf Competitions, and the World Cup of Golf (individual element). The tournaments must meet specific criteria, such as being organised by an Eligible Golf Tour, published on their official schedule, and contributing to the tour's end-of-season ranking list.
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Frequently asked questions
The world golf rankings are updated every week.
The rankings are calculated by dividing a player's points total by the number of events they have played, which gives their average.
There are 23 leading professional Eligible Golf Tours.
The minimum number of Eligible Tournaments required for ranking is 40.
The maximum number of tournaments that can be included in the ranking calculation is 52.
