With three majors now in the books, only one remains in the men`s professional golf season: The Open Championship. This year, the final major is set for July 17-20 at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Portrush, Northern Ireland.
Before heading to Portrush, players have the opportunity to compete in this week`s John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois, or the Genesis Scottish Open in North Berwick, Scotland. Many of the world`s elite golfers are opting for the Scottish Open to get accustomed to links golf conditions a week early.
Anticipation builds around key storylines: Can world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler add the third leg of the career grand slam to his resume? Will reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy overcome his previous struggles at Royal Portrush, where he missed the cut six years ago? Can defending Open Championship winner Xander Schauffele regain his top form in time?
With the FedEx Cup playoffs fast approaching and the Ryder Cup just around the corner, time is running out for players to make a strong impression on U.S. captain Keegan Bradley and European captain Luke Donald.
Here are the latest PGA Tour Power Rankings:
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Scottie Scheffler
Scheffler took a couple of weeks off before traveling across the Atlantic for the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open. Remarkably, he hasn`t finished outside the top 25 in any of his 14 starts this season. He`s been inside the top eight in his last nine events, including victories at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, PGA Championship, and the Memorial Tournament. In his most recent start, he tied for third at the Renaissance Club in 2023, finishing five strokes behind Rory McIlroy.
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Rory McIlroy
Perhaps a few weeks in the United Kingdom will help McIlroy rebound from his performance slump since the Masters. He planned to spend time with family at his new London home before this crucial two-week stretch. He dramatically won the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open by one stroke over Robert MacIntyre. Last season, he tied for fourth, four strokes back of MacIntyre.
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Russell Henley
The 36-year-old is currently playing arguably the best golf of his career, with eight top-10 finishes in 14 starts this season. He secured his fifth PGA Tour victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March and came close to winning again at the Travelers Championship. Henley achieved his best Open Championship result last year at Royal Troon, finishing solo fifth.
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J.J. Spaun
The unexpected U.S. Open champion followed his major win with a tie for 14th at the Travelers Championship. Earlier this season, he was a two-time runner-up at the Cognizant Classic and the Players Championship. Another win wouldn`t be a surprise. Spaun has climbed to third in the U.S. Ryder Cup points standings, trailing only Scheffler and Schauffele, and appears to be a near certainty for the team.
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Sepp Straka
The Austrian-born golfer has already claimed two PGA Tour victories this season at the American Express and Truist Championship. Surprisingly, he missed the cut in the first three majors. However, his overall play has been spectacular. He ranks sixth in European Ryder Cup points but is likely a captain`s pick even if he falls below the automatic qualification spots. A strong performance at The Open would redeem his major season; he tied for second at Royal Liverpool in 2023.
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Justin Thomas
JT`s results in the first three majors – tying for 36th at the Masters and missing the cut at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open – somewhat tarnish what has otherwise been a strong turnaround season. He ended nearly a three-year win drought by winning the RBC Heritage in a playoff and was runner-up at the American Express, Valspar Championship, and Truist Championship. There will be no debate about his inclusion on the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
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Keegan Bradley
The U.S. Ryder Cup captain previously stated he would only play if he automatically qualified. He`s currently ninth in points after winning the Travelers Championship, following a tie for eighth at the PGA Championship and seventh at the Memorial. Now ranked seventh in the Official World Golf Ranking, Bradley is clearly performing like one of the top American players. Depending on the next seven weeks, he might find himself having to choose himself for the team.
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Ben Griffin
Griffin`s impressive play has continued into a hot summer. Now ranked 17th globally, he teamed with Andrew Novak to win the Zurich Classic team event and then secured his first individual tour title at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He has two top-10 major finishes, tying for eighth at the PGA Championship and 10th at the U.S. Open. Griffin was also runner-up at the Memorial against a strong field. He`s eighth in Ryder Cup points and would likely need a significant drop in form to miss the roster.
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Collin Morikawa
The two-time major winner experienced a challenging couple of months recently but rebounded with a tie for eighth at the Rocket Classic. Although Morikawa hasn`t won since the Zozo Championship in October 2023, he`s been a two-time runner-up this season and has 10 top-25 finishes in 14 starts. He is searching for a new caddie for the second time this season after splitting with Joe Greiner before the Rocket Classic. He has not announced who will caddie for him at The Open.
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Xander Schauffele
The reigning Open Championship winner can be forgiven for a somewhat quiet summer after missing about two months due to a rib injury. He performed reasonably well in the majors: tied for eighth at the Masters, 28th at the PGA Championship, and 12th at the U.S. Open. He has one top-10 finish and six top-25s in 11 tour starts this season. Schauffele seems close to finding his best game and remains second in Ryder Cup points after winning two majors in 2024.
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Tommy Fleetwood
Another heartbreaking near-miss at the Travelers Championship means the English golfer is still seeking his first PGA Tour victory. He has played like one of the world`s best this year, with five top-10s and 11 top-25s in 14 starts. He is second in the European Ryder Cup points standings, behind only McIlroy. He ranks third in strokes gained: total (1.414) and ninth in strokes gained: approach (.622).
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Harris English
English has performed very well this season, particularly in the tour`s biggest events. He secured his fifth PGA Tour win at the Farmers Insurance Open and tied for second at the PGA Championship. He also posted top-25 finishes at the Genesis Invitational, Truist Championship, Memorial Tournament, and Travelers Championship. He is 10th in Ryder Cup points, and his excellent putting makes him a strong contender for the U.S. team.
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Viktor Hovland
Hovland continues to work on his swing, but he won the Valspar Championship earlier this season and finished solo third at the U.S. Open. He withdrew from the final round of the Travelers Championship due to a neck injury, just one day after shooting a 7-under 63. Hovland is expected to compete in the Scottish Open.
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Maverick McNealy
The 29-year-old former Stanford standout might need a strong finish to the FedEx Cup season to earn his first Ryder Cup team spot. After his maiden PGA Tour win at the RSM Classic in November, he was runner-up at the Genesis Invitational and recorded top-five finishes at the Valero Texas Open, RBC Heritage, and the Memorial. He finished outside the top 30 in the first three majors this year.
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Ludvig Åberg
It`s been a surprisingly inconsistent FedEx Cup season for the Swedish golfer. Following his second tour win at the Genesis Invitational and a seventh-place finish at the Masters, Åberg hasn`t had a top-10 finish in his last seven starts. While efficient off the tee, he ranks 147th in strokes gained: around the green (-.255) and 125th in putting (-.141).
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Shane Lowry
The Irish golfer likely benefited from a break after missing the cut at the U.S. Open and tying for 45th at the Travelers Championship. His iron play has been outstanding this season, ranking second in strokes gained: approach (.932). However, his putting has struggled, ranking 122nd in strokes gained: putting (-.138). He`s returning to familiar territory, including Royal Portrush, where he lifted the Claret Jug in 2019.
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Andrew Novak
After a hot streak that included tying for third at the Texas Open, losing in a playoff to Thomas at the RBC Heritage, and winning the Zurich Classic team event with Griffin, Novak`s form cooled slightly in the past couple of months. However, a tie for 17th at the Truist Championship and 11th at the Charles Schwab Challenge indicate his game is still strong.
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Corey Conners
Conners was playing exceptionally well until a wrist injury forced him to withdraw before the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont. He hasn`t competed in a PGA Tour event since. Prior to the injury, Conners had five top-10s and 10 top-25s in 16 starts this season.
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Brian Harman
Harman, the 2023 Open Championship winner, needs another strong run of form to crack the top six in the U.S. Ryder Cup points standings or at least make Captain Bradley`s choices more difficult. He is currently 12th after winning the Valero Texas Open and tying for third at the RBC Heritage. Harman finished solo eighth at the Travelers Championship, suggesting his game is returning.
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Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre has been heating up recently, finishing solo second at the U.S. Open and tying for 17th at the Travelers Championship. The Scottish golfer now returns home for the Scottish Open, where he is the defending champion and finished runner-up in 2023. He tied for sixth at the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush as a 22-year-old.
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Sam Burns
Burns` difficulties in tough conditions on the back nine of the final round at the U.S. Open overshadowed his otherwise spectacular performance at Oakmont. His game had been trending upward for several weeks. He lost to Ryan Fox in a playoff at the RBC Canadian Open and tied for seventh at the U.S. Open. He has four top-10s and 10 top-25s in 18 starts this season.
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Patrick Cantlay
It`s difficult to imagine Cantlay not being on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, but he needs some strong finishes to solidify his position. His tie for fourth at the Truist Championship is his only top-10 since mid-February. His ball-striking statistics suggest he should be performing better; he ranks 10th in strokes gained: approach (.598), eighth tee to green (1.028), and 12th total (1.122).
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Ryan Fox
After securing his first PGA Tour victory in a playoff at the OneFlight Myrtle Beach Classic, Fox quickly added his second, winning another playoff at the RBC Canadian Open. This gives him two wins in just four starts. He has climbed to 29th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
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Hideki Matsuyama
When the former Masters champion won the season-opening Sentry in Hawaii in January, it seemed he was poised for a strong season. Surprisingly, that remains his only top-10 finish in 17 starts this season. He tied for 21st at Augusta, missed the cut at the PGA Championship, and tied for 42nd at the U.S. Open. Matsuyama`s struggles have primarily been with his driver, ranking 128th in strokes gained: off the tee (-.166) and 127th in driving accuracy (56.2% of fairways hit).
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Daniel Berger
Berger appeared to be a serious contender for the Ryder Cup team earlier, but he needs to regain form after a slump that includes two missed cuts and ties for 46th (U.S. Open) and 42nd (Travelers Championship). He is currently 18th in the Ryder Cup points standings.
Players just outside the top 25 include: Sungjae Im, Nick Taylor, Jason Day, Thomas Detry, Aldrich Potgieter, Cameron Young, Michael Kim, and Jacob Bridgeman.
