World Golf Rankings: Breaking down this week’s top 15 after the 124th U.S. Open

Max Homa drops five spots to No. 15 in this week’s world golf rankings. Homa missed the cut at the U.S. Open by one stroke following the second round after making five bogeys in an eight-hole stretch all coming before he could make his first birdie on hole No. 13 in Friday’s second round. However, a bogey on hole No. 15 was the difference in not playing the weekend and having an opportunity to compete for a major championship.

Also read: 2024 U.S. Open Winners and Losers from the third major championship of 2024

Also dropping this week is Sahith Theegala, who moved to No. 14 this week. Theegala was one of those players who played from behind early after a 7-over 77 in Thursday’s first round. However, a 2-under 68 kept him inside the cut line and shot 2-over par over the weekend to shoot 7-over and finish tied for 32^nd.  

One of the players who remained in their same position in the world golf rankings was Tommy Fleetwood, standing at No. 13. Fleetwood, who went on to finish tied for 16^th at 3-over par, had a good week outside of his 5-over 75 in Friday’s second round. He recorded two even par 70 rounds on Thursday and Saturday before Sunday’s final round 2-under 68 to finish strong.  

Hideki Matsuyama moves up two spots to No. 12 in the latest world golf rankings. Matsuyama finished in sixth place at 2-under par as he was fueled a bogey-free 4-under 66 in Friday’s second round. He had an opportunity to put himself into contention over the weekend, but was unable to make enough birdies, shooting even par over his final 36 holes.

Related: U.S. Open 10 big winners and losers from Round 2

Moving up one spot this week was Brian Harman, who tied for 21^st at 5-over par during the U.S. Open. Harman had three, 1-over 71 rounds to begin his U.S. Open before a final round 2-over 72 on Sunday. It was one of those even keel type of weeks. He was ninth in both fairways hit and strokes gained putting for the week but was around 50^th in strokes gained approach and strokes gained around the green.

Bryson DeChambeau, who was last in the top 10 of the world golf rankings in January 2022, has had a great major championship resume in 2024. He tied for sixth at the Masters, was the runner-up at the PGA Championship and won his second U.S. Open title on Sunday. DeChambeau not only became the 23^rd player to win the U.S. Open multiple times, but he became the fourth all time to win the U.S. Amateur and multiple U.S. Opens, joining the list of three of the game’s generational talents in Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Bobby Jones. DeChambeau moved up 28 spots this week and has risen 200 spots the week before the Masters commenced in April.  

Related: Where Bryson DeChambeau’s second U.S. Open title stands on the list of winners

For the first time in a couple of years, there are two players from LIV Golf inside the top 10 of the world golf rankings but going in opposite directions. Jon Rahm dropped one spot and when players like Rahm and DeChambeau only have four chances to improve their world golf ranking, it can be difficult, especially for Rahm, who withdrew from the U.S. Open due to a foot infection.  

Also Read: Jon Rahm’s announcement to withdraw from the 2024 U.S. Open

Patrick Cantlay moved up one spot this week to No. 8 as he finished tied for third at the U.S. Open. He recorded his best finish at a major since he finished tied for third at the 2019 PGA Championship. Cantlay was boosted by a 5-under 65 in the opening round but struggled to that degree the rest of the way, shooting 1-over par over his final three rounds as he did not make four bridies in a single round over the final three days.

Also read: U.S. Open Round 1 winners and losers

The second player to not move in either direction of this week’s world golf rankings is Collin Morikawa, who remained at No. 7. After being 4-over par halfway through America’s National Championship, Morikawa went on a charge Saturday, with a bogey-free 4-under 66 to get back to even par en route to finishing tied for 14^th at 2-over par. With not only the Open Championship next month, but with the Olympics around the corner, the top four players in the world golf rankings from each country earned the invitation following the U.S. Open. That means Morikawa earned the final spot and Cantlay is the first alternate.

Related: 10 big winners and losers from the U.S. Open Round 3

Viktor Hovland moved down one spot to No. 6 after missing the cut at the U.S. Open. It was his opening round 8-over 78 that hurt Hovland from making the cut, despite shooting a 2-under 68 in the second round. Hovland is part of the group of being one of the best players in the world, along with players like Cantlay, to have not won a major championship. That continues heading into the final major of 2024, the Open Championship next month.

Also dropping one spot was Wyndham Clark to No. 5. Clark was unable to find the form he needed to be in contention shooting 5-over through 54 holes. Then the wheels came off as he shot a 7-over 77 in Sunday’s final round. In the final round alone, Clark ranked near the bottom of the field in both total number of putts and strokes gained putting to derail his round of having a better finish as the reigning champion.

Related: How players like Wyndham Clark earned an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Open

Moving up two spots to No. 4 was Ludvig Aberg, who for the second in three majors in 2024 had another solid performance. In his first U.S. Open, Aberg had the 36-hole lead, but was unable to hold on, as he shot back-to-back 3-over 73s in the final two rounds to finish tied for 12^th at 1-over par. The key thing that hurt Aberg was his short game, which was a big factor at Pinehurst last week. Despite leading the field in greens in regulation, third in both fairway accuracy and strokes gained off the tee, fifth in total putts, he ranked 66^th in strokes gained short game.

Related: U.S. Open Future Sites: Where the next U.S. Open Championships will take place

Xander Schauffele dropped one spot to No. 3 in this week’s world golf rankings after finishing tied for seventh at 1-under par, highlighting the difficulty that Pinehurst No. 2 brought for a U.S. Open. This marks Schauffele’s eighth consecutive top 15 finish at a U.S. Open. The only players with a longer streak since 1920 are Jack Nicklaus (12, 1971-82), Ben Hogan (12, 1940-1956), Bobby Jones (11, 1920-30), and Sam Snead (9, 1947-55). Schauffele is also the second player since the turn the 21^st century to have 10 straight top-20 finish in a major which was previously accomplished by Tiger Woods, twice.

Also read: Where Xander Schauffele stood in the world golf rankings prior to the U.S. Open

Moving up one spot and returning to No. 2 in the world golf rankings is Rory McIlroy, who finished as the runner-up for the second straight year at the U.S. Open. He became the fifth player in U.S. Open history to finish runner-up at a U.S. Open in consecutive years joining Jones (1924-25), Hogan (1955-56), Arnold Palmer (1962-63 and 1966-67) and Jim Furyk (2006-07). McIlroy had the opportunity to win, having a two-shot lead midway through the back nine on Sunday but made three bogeys in his final four holes as he left Pinehurst No. 2 before DeChambeau could finish his press conference.

The third and final player to remain in their position from last week’s world golf rankings is Scottie Scheffler at the top spot. Even despite his tied for 41^st finish where he needed help to make the cut at 5-over par, Scheffler’s No. 1 spot is a testament to what he has done more than just his five wins this season. He has 12 top 10s and has yet to miss a cut. Furthermore, the last time Scheffler finished this low on the leaderboard, you have to go back to October 2022 when he tied for 45^th at the CJ Cup in South Carolina to begin last season.

Also read: Who did the experts pick to win the 124^th U.S. Open Championship