How Many Players Have Reached the World No. 1 Ranking in Golf?

Everybody would want to be the best in their profession. However, not everyone can be. Sport is a profession where being at the top is the goal of every other player. So, let’s find out how many golfers have managed to fulfill their goal and reached the World No.1 Ranking. 

The Sony Ranking, renamed in 1997 as the Official World Golf Ranking, was enacted in 1986. The first person to reach the top of the table was Bernhard Langer. Since Langer, there have been only 23 others who had the opportunity to be in the top position until now. Although the number might be shocking, it is the truth! 

Record creators of the OWGR

Tiger Woods was one of the 24 golfers who became the World no.1 in golf. Although it is a known fact, it would be best to talk about the elephant in the room first. So, Woods had not only acquired the position multiple times, but he had done it in style. He had created many records while being at the top; the youngest to become one, one of the two to claim the position for most times, the record for the most consecutive weeks at number one, and many more. 

While, Tiger is the youngest to become the world’s best golfer, Vijay Singh is the oldest to do it. Tiger was 21 years and 167 days old, and Singh was 41 years, 6 months, and 2 weeks old. 

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Other than Tiger Woods, only Greg Norman had been able to create a similar record in the World Rankings. He is tied with Tiger to claim the position for the most time; Norman and Woods have done it 11 times. He is also the second to become the first for most consecutive weeks. Norman held the position for 331 weeks, whereas Tiger did it for 683 weeks. 

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Woods, Norman, Nick Faldo, Rory McIlroy, and Jon Rahm are the only golfers to hold the first position for over a year. 

Complete list of the golfers who have reached the World No.1 Ranking in Golf

Here is the list of the golfers who have reached the World No.1 Ranking in the OWGR. They are listed in descending order of the most consecutive weeks they spend in the 1st place.

Jon Rahm is the current world no.1 in the OWGR.