Ranking the Top 25 Players on the PGA Tour Before the Final Major

With three major championships behind us, only one remains. The Open Championship, the concluding major event of the men`s professional golf season, is scheduled for July 17-20 at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Portrush, Northern Ireland.

Leading up to The Open are this week`s tournaments: the John Deere Classic in Illinois and the Genesis Scottish Open in Scotland. Many of the world`s leading golfers are making the journey across the Atlantic a week early to familiarize themselves with links golf conditions.

Several key questions arise: Can world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler capture the third leg of the career grand slam? Can reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy overcome his previous challenges at Royal Portrush from six years ago? Will defending Open champion Xander Schauffele find his best form at the right time?

With the FedEx Cup playoffs approaching and the Ryder Cup team selections on the horizon, players have limited chances left to impress U.S. captain Keegan Bradley and European captain Luke Donald.

Here is the latest ranking of the top 25 players on the PGA Tour:

1. Scottie Scheffler

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler took a brief break before traveling overseas for the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open. He has achieved remarkable consistency this season, finishing no worse than 25th in 14 starts, including victories at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, the PGA Championship, and the Memorial Tournament. In his last appearance at the Renaissance Club in 2023, he tied for third.

2. Rory McIlroy

Perhaps spending time in the United Kingdom will help McIlroy recover from his post-Masters struggles. He is set for an important two-week stretch of golf, having won the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open in a thrilling finish. He finished tied for fourth at the Renaissance Club last year.

3. Russell Henley

The 36-year-old is currently enjoying one of the best seasons of his career, with eight top-10 finishes in 14 events. He secured his fifth PGA Tour win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March and came close to winning again at the Travelers Championship. Henley`s best Open Championship finish was solo fifth at Royal Troon in 2023.

4. J.J. Spaun

The surprising U.S. Open champion followed up his major victory with a tie for 14th at the Travelers Championship. He was a runner-up twice earlier this season at the Cognizant Classic and The Players Championship. Spaun has risen to third in the U.S. Ryder Cup team standings and appears to be a strong contender for the team.

5. Sepp Straka

The Austrian-born player has already won twice on the PGA Tour this season, at the American Express and the Truist Championship. Despite missing the cut in the first three majors, his overall play has been spectacular. He is sixth in the European Ryder Cup standings and is likely a captain`s pick candidate. A strong showing at The Open would cap off his major season, especially after tying for second at Royal Liverpool in 2023.

6. Justin Thomas

Justin Thomas`s performances in the first three majors (T36 at the Masters, missed cut at PGA and U.S. Open) have been disappointing, overshadowing what has otherwise been a positive turnaround season. He ended a nearly three-year winless streak by claiming the RBC Heritage in a playoff and was runner-up in three other events. His inclusion on the U.S. Ryder Cup team seems highly likely.

7. Keegan Bradley

Keegan Bradley, previously stating he would only play in the Ryder Cup if he qualified automatically, is now ninth in points after winning the Travelers Championship. This followed top-10 finishes at the PGA Championship (T8) and the Memorial (7th). Ranked seventh in the world, Bradley is clearly playing like a top American golfer, potentially leaving him no choice but to be a captain`s pick or qualify outright.

8. Ben Griffin

Ben Griffin`s impressive form has continued into the summer. Now ranked 17th globally, he won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event with Andrew Novak and secured his first individual stroke-play title at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He has two top-10 major finishes this year (T8 at PGA, 10th at U.S. Open) and was runner-up at the highly competitive Memorial. Ranked eighth in Ryder Cup points, he is a strong contender for the team.

9. Collin Morikawa

After a challenging couple of months, the two-time major champion showed improved form with a tie for eighth at the Rocket Classic. While he hasn`t won since October 2023, Morikawa has been a runner-up twice this season and has 10 top-25 finishes in 14 starts. He is searching for a new caddie ahead of The Open.

10. Xander Schauffele

The reigning Open champion can be excused for a somewhat quiet summer, having missed two months due to a rib injury. His major performances have been solid: T8 at the Masters, 28th at the PGA Championship, and 12th at the U.S. Open. With one top-10 and six top-25s in 11 starts, Schauffele appears to be regaining his form and remains second in Ryder Cup points after winning two majors in 2024.

11. Tommy Fleetwood

Another near-miss at the Travelers Championship means the English golfer is still seeking his first PGA Tour win. However, 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 and ranks highly in key statistical categories like strokes gained: total and approach.

12. Harris English

Harris English has performed very well this season, particularly in significant events. He won his fifth PGA Tour title at the Farmers Insurance Open and finished tied for second at the PGA Championship. He also recorded top-25 finishes in several other high-profile tournaments. Ranking 10th in Ryder Cup points, his strong putting makes him a compelling candidate for the U.S. team.

13. Viktor Hovland

Viktor Hovland continues to work on his swing, but he secured a win at the Valspar Championship earlier this season and finished solo third at the U.S. Open. He withdrew from the Travelers Championship final round due to a neck injury after a strong third round. Hovland is scheduled to play in the Scottish Open.

14. 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 spot. After his maiden PGA Tour victory at the RSM Classic last November, he was runner-up at the Genesis Invitational and had top-five finishes in several other events. He finished outside the top 30 in the season`s first three majors.

15. Ludvig Åberg

It`s been a surprisingly inconsistent FedEx Cup season for the young Swedish star. After winning for the second time on tour at the Genesis Invitational and finishing seventh at the Masters, Åberg has not recorded a top-10 finish in his subsequent seven starts. While strong off the tee, his short game and putting statistics are ranked significantly lower on tour.

16. Shane Lowry

The Irish golfer likely needed a break after missing the cut at the U.S. Open and a lower finish at the Travelers Championship. His iron play has been outstanding this season, ranking second in strokes gained: approach. However, his putting has been a weaker area. He is heading to familiar territory, including Royal Portrush, where he famously lifted the Claret Jug in 2019.

17. Andrew Novak

After a hot streak that included a tie for third, a playoff runner-up against Justin Thomas, and a team win with Ben Griffin, Andrew Novak`s form has slightly cooled in the last couple of months. However, recent finishes like a tie for 17th and 11th indicate his game is still solid.

18. Corey Conners

Corey 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 has not competed since then. Prior to the injury, Conners had accumulated five top-10 and 10 top-25 finishes in 16 starts this season.

19. Brian Harman

Brian Harman, the 2023 Open Championship winner, needs another strong run to potentially break into the top six of the U.S. Ryder Cup standings or make Captain Bradley`s picks more challenging. He is currently 12th in points, with a win at the Valero Texas Open and a third-place tie at the RBC Heritage. An eighth-place finish at the Travelers Championship suggests his form is improving.

20. Robert MacIntyre

The Scottish golfer is hitting form at the right time, with a solo second finish at the U.S. Open and a tie for 17th at the Travelers Championship. He now returns home for the Scottish Open, where he is the defending champion. MacIntyre also finished tied for sixth at the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush as a 22-year-old.

21. Sam Burns

Sam Burns` struggles in the challenging final round conditions at the U.S. Open`s back nine somewhat overshadowed his otherwise strong performance at Oakmont. His game has been trending upwards, including a playoff loss at the RBC Canadian Open and a tie for seventh at the U.S. Open. He has four top-10s and 10 top-25s across 18 starts this season.

22. Patrick Cantlay

While it seems likely Patrick Cantlay will be on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, he needs stronger results to solidify his position. His tie for fourth at the Truist Championship is his only top-10 since mid-February. His underlying ball-striking statistics remain strong, suggesting better results should follow.

23. Ryan Fox

After securing his first PGA Tour victory in a playoff at the OneFlight Myrtle Beach Classic, Ryan Fox didn`t wait long for his second, winning another playoff at the RBC Canadian Open. These two wins in four starts have significantly boosted his world ranking.

24. Hideki Matsuyama

The former Masters champion`s victory at the season-opening Sentry in Hawaii in January seemed to signal a strong year. However, it remains his only top-10 finish in 17 starts. He finished T21 at Augusta, missed the cut at the PGA, and was T42 at the U.S. Open. Matsuyama`s driving statistics indicate this area has been a challenge for him.

25. Daniel Berger

Daniel Berger looked like a potential Ryder Cup contender earlier in the season, but he needs to improve his recent form after a slow stretch including two missed cuts and finishes outside the top 40 in the U.S. Open and 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.