It has been an incredible season so far for the Chilean golfer. Joaquin Niemann started his 2024 season with the DP World Tour as he went on to win the ISPS HANDA Australian Open, claiming his maiden victory on the European Tour. This title win secured Niemann a berth at the 2024 British Open as it was the qualifying series event.

With three majors of the 2024 season confirmed for the 27-year-old, Niemann’s career trajectory is surely on the rise now that he has the invites for the upcoming Masters and the PGA Championship. However, despite the recognition Niemann has been receiving, taking one look at his OWGR rank gives a much more gloomy impression of the golfer’s career.

Joaquin Niemann falters on the OWGR

Apart from winning at the Australian Open on the DP World Tour, Niemann went on to win the season opener of the breakaway league at LIV Mayakoba and followed it up with another win at the recently concluded LIV Golf Jeddah. For now, Joaco is among the golfers who have had one of the most successful starts of this season and comparatively, he has the best winning streak of any other golfer in any league.

However, despite his arduous attempts to become a better pro, Niemann’s Official World Golf Ranking has been on a decline. Previously, right after winning the LIV Golf Mayakoba, Niemann’s rank had dropped from 64th to then 74th in the world ranking system, which further dropped to 80th. However, after a T4 finish at the Dubai Desert Classic and a solo third at International Serie Oman on the Asian Tour, Niemann had jumped up to 72nd ranked player.

But now he has taken another four steps down the OWGR road. The NUCLR Golf posted the latest update on Niemann’s rank on X, after winning at the Royal Greens. Niemann has dropped to being the 76th golfer in the world, despite his victories deeming him one of the most successful golfers of 2024, as no OWGR points are allotted to LIV events.

On the other side, the sudden drop could be attributed to Cognizant Classic, as it ended and gave away OWGR points to the field, pushing Niemann down the rabbit hole. Well, the faltering of LIV pros on OWGR may continue until the rebel league is granted world ranking points. So, while the pros on the breakaway circuit make a run for it, other greats of golf, Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler will also be fishing for those crucial points in the coming days.

Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler to chase world’s glory

Rory McIlroy and Scottie Sheffler aren’t that far apart on the OWGR; one is the world’s number-one golfer and has been for the past 42 consecutive weeks. While the Northern Irishman has been in the second position since February 2023,. However, at the Arnold Palmer Invitational next week, the OWGR may change the hierarchy.

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McIlroy, if he wins the event and Scheffler fatefully finishes lower than second, can grant world glory to the 24-time PGA Tour winner. However, both pros are so far winless in the PGA Tour’s 2024 season. Factually, the last time Scheffler won on the Tour was in March 2023 at THE PLAYERS Championship. The latest PGA Tour victory for McIlroy was in July 2023, when he won the Genesis Scottish Open.

The two are in constant battle to win out and McIlroy has been eyeing the No. 1 rank for quite a while now. Who will be victorious over the other? Will Scheffler allow McIlroy to replace him on the OWGR? Only time will tell.

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