We all know that rankings can make or break a golfer’s career, and this week’s tournaments are no exception. Interestingly, despite having a smaller field, the DP World Tour Championship is set to award more Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points than the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. This week’s events are expected to bring significant shake-ups to the OWGR like it has never happened before.

The DP World Tour Championship is projected to offer 27-31 points to its winner, while the Bermuda Championship will offer 22.5-26.5 points. Meanwhile, the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament will award 8.5-12.5 points. According to the latest post by Nosferatu on X,  some of the biggest names in the industry are poised for ranking changes. Hideki Matsuyama could jump to position 6 as he is currently holding the 7th, while Tyrrell Hatton is eyeing 9.

“#OWGR projection for week #46 DPWTC @ ~27/31p Bermuda @ ~22.5/26.5p Dunlop @ 8.5/12.5p”, read the post. Other players who are projected to climb up the ladder are Brooks Koepka and Billy Horschel who may be projected to reach the 11th position. Additionally, Akshay Bhatia, Justin Suh, Thriston Lawrence, and Min Woo Lee are all expected to break into the top 28.

Well, déjà vu anyone? Because history is repeating itself in the golf world.

The OWGR war is not a new chapter

Remember when the DP World Tour’s Genesis Championship was overshadowed by the PGA Tour’s Zozo Championship, and it was all about the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points? The DP World Tour had its moments of glory, sometimes even outshining the PGA Tour. But in 2024, the Zozo Championship stole the show with a whopping 40.46562 OWGR points up for grabs.

Meanwhile, the Genesis Championship was left in the dust with a relatively paltry 15.55230 points. That was a staggering 2.66 times fewer points! No wonder the likes of Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, and Sahith Theegala flocked to the Zozo. So, what was the real issue? Was it fair for the PGA Tour to offer so many more points? Or was this just the way the golf landscape shaped up? One thing was certain – this OWGR point disparity had a huge impact on the final rankings.

The OWGR point disparity between PGA Tour and DP World Tour events has widened to 25 points, but it wasn’t always this way. A glance at recent tournaments reveals a fluctuating point difference. In Week 42, the Shriners Children’s Open (PGA Tour) offered 35 points, surpassing the Andalucía Masters (DP World Tour) by 12 points (23 points). The previous week, the Black Desert Championship (PGA Tour) gave 28 points, while the FedEx Open De France (DP World Tour) awarded 22 points – a 6-point difference.

Interestingly, Week 41 saw the DP World Tour take the lead. The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship winner received 37 OWGR points, outpacing the Sanderson Farms Championship (PGA Tour) by 7 points (30 points). This back-and-forth trend suggests a competitive balance between the two tours. So, well it is safe to say that every pro fought tooth and nail for those top spots as the 2024 season drew to a close, and now it’s only a matter of time to see who will rise to the top. Do you have guesses? Let us know in the comment section below!