The PGA Tour's postseason may have concluded a month ago, but the world of golf has only continued to turn since. Between LIV Golf's regular season and postseason finales, a run of quality tournaments over on the DP World Tour and another United States victory in the Presidents Cup, there have been plenty of opportunities for player evaluation.
Taking care of his own business has been LIV Golf's individual champion, Jon Rahm. After a sluggish start to his major championship season that included two missed cuts and a withdrawal from the U.S. Open, the Spaniard has since gotten up to speed. A win in the United Kingdom has been accompanied by the season-long crown on LIV Golf as well as a couple playoff defeats on both his home circuit and the DP World Tour.
While Rahm continued to rise, his ascent stopped short of those players who have occupied the top two spots since the middle of spring. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler sizzled at the Presidents Cup, as did countryman Xander Schauffele. The only action we have seen them partake in since the Tour Championship, the Presidents Cup proved that even if they have been out of sight, they are certainly not out of mind.
The Power 18 provides insight as to how golfers are currently performing with benefit given to their play over recent events. It is a wider lens than simply what happened at the last tournament to be played but more narrow than the Official World Golf Rankings, which take into account how more than 2,000 golfers perform across an entire season.
The Power 18
1 | |
The all-time season has been well-documented in this monthly piece -- seven wins, an Olympic gold medal, a boat load of cash and now a 3-2-0 record at the Presidents Cup. Scheffler showed a level of prowess in the team setting we had not seen since his debut at the 2021 Ryder Cup. Previous: 1 | |
2 | |
Don't think it is a stretch to suggest the gap between Nos. 1-2 is beginning to shrink. Schauffele has been a better player than Scheffler from a strokes-gained perspective over the last three months. He also put together another great team performance with his 4-1-0 record in the Ryder Cup and has proven to be a much more well-rounded golfer. The nod still goes to the Texan, but the Californian is closing. Previous: 2 | |
3 | |
Rahm has looked like his normal self ever since capturing a top-10 finish at The Open to close his major championship season. A couple victories, including LIV Golf's individual crown, and a couple playoff losses show he has the game to contend on a weekly basis. If we want to be nit-picky, his recent Sunday performances have left some to be desired. Previous: 4 | |
4 | |
Speaking of Sunday efforts, McIlroy has gotten his heart ripped out a couple times in his last two tournaments. Overtaken by Rasmus Hojgaard late in the Irish Open, the Northern Irishman was unable to claim his first victory in his home country as a professional. It didn't stop there as McIlroy arrived to the 72nd hole at the BMW PGA Championship needing to make a birdie to win the title. Unable to take advantage of the accessible par 5, the 35-year-old went on to fall to Billy Horschel in extra holes. Previous: 5 | |
5 | |
After firing the low 72-hole total at the Tour Championship, Morikawa made the most of his second Presidents Cup appearance. Going 4-1-0 including a Sunday singles victory over Adam Scott, the American continued to show why he will be a cornerstone for the red, white and blue for years to come. He's as well-rounded as he has ever been and still has room to grow. Expect a big 2025. Previous: 6 | |
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A great season on the PGA Tour led into yet another disappointing performance in the Presidents Cup. While Matsuyama did take down Scheffler in Sunday singles, the rest of his week was forgettable as he chalked up another losing record by going 2-3-0. Previous: 3 | |
7 | |
Could be a bit of recency bias, but Cantlay came to play at Royal Montreal. In five appearances for Team USA between the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, Cantlay is now 15-6-1 with the U.S. going 4-1 in those competitions. He elevates his game -- and his putter -- in clutch moments, and if he can do the same in 2025, then he will become the likeliest candidate to snag his first major. Previous: 11 | |
8 | |
U.S. fans got to experience a ride on the Russ Bus at the Presidents Cup as Henley proved unflappable in his debut for Team USA. Going 3-1-0 and starring alongside Scheffler -- often carrying him in crucial points in the match -- Henley put an emphatic bow on what was the best statistical season of his career. The wins will come, especially if he continues to putt like he did in 2024. Previous: 9 | |
9 | |
If not for undergoing knee surgery, Åberg would have been a participant in those DP World Tour events, especially the BMW PGA Championship where he held the 54-hole lead a year ago. The Swede announced he will be ready to play towards the end of the calendar year where he will look to pick up where he left off. Previous: 7 | |
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It wasn't Scheffler or Schauffele or Cantlay who was the only undefeated player at the Presidents Cup but rather Burns. Always reliable on the greens, the smooth-swinging right hander continued to make strides with his approach play in Montreal. That is a lethal combination and one that should lead to more wins in 2025. Previous: 12 | |
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After a season where he never really got into contention on the PGA Tour, Fleetwood has done so the last couple months. The latest instance came at the Spanish Open where he nabbed a podium spot for what was his fifth top-five finish of the calendar year. Previous: 10 | |
12 | |
His record was not emblematic of his play, but Im needed to muster together more than a 1-4-0 record at the Presidents Cup for the International team to have any hope. The good news is his full point came in record-setting fashion; the bad news is that was the only one on the week. Previous: 14 | |
13 | |
Following the raucous U.S. Open victory, it has been a quiet summer for DeChambeau. He put together a nice start at LIV Golf Chicago with a T6 finish that allowed his Crushers GC to enter the Team Championship as the No. 1 seed. Unfortunately, they fell to Kevin Na's Iron Heads in what can only be considered the upset of the century. Previous: 13 | |
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Horschel has become the locks of all locks following a snub from a team event. Not selected to represent the U.S. in the Presidents Cup, the former Florida Gators star went across the pond and picked up his second win at the BMW PGA Championship in the last three years. He's the first American to enter the winner's circle at Wentworth more than once and only the second to ever win the event. Previous: 18 | |
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Despite a down season, Hovland is still a top-10 player in the OWGR and contended on a couple big stages with those coming at the PGA Championship and St. Jude Championship. His ball striking was much improved late in the year, but the trajectory of his 2025 (and his perhaps his career) hinges on his short game which was the worst it has ever been in 2024. | |
16 | |
He missed the cut at the Procore Championship ahead of the Presidents Cup, but Clark's end of summer is enough to warrant this spot. Enjoying an underrated back half to the season, the former U.S. Open champion qualified for his second team event. The U.S. obviously won, but Clark went 1-2-1. | |
17 | |
For all the talk of depth, needing young players to rise up and captain's decisions, the International team required a big performance from Scott, and they simply did not get it. Another losing Presidents Cup comes with another losing personal record (2-3-0) for the 11-time participant. Previous: 8 | |
18 | |
Hatton's year has been good as he is one of the few players to tee it up on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and DP World Tour. Batting for the cycle, the Englishman picked up a solo victory in Nashville and helped his team to the final round of the postseason finale. Previous: Not ranked |