PGA Tour Power Rankings: New world No. 1 earns top-spot honors
With a slew of premium events occurring between the last set of rankings published and now, it's time theScore revisits the current top-10 players in the world. Taking wins, consistency, and strokes gained statistics into consideration, here is how the top-10 golfers shake out. (Last month's rank in parentheses).
1. Dustin Johnson (3)
Dustin Johnson took home his second trophy in 2018 with his St. Jude Classic win, reinstating his name into the player-of-the-year conversation. He has yet to finish outside the top 20 in a stroke play event this season and leads the Tour in strokes gained: total. Johnson could easily be a two-time U.S. Open champion in a week's time.
2. Justin Thomas (1)
Justin Thomas' reign as the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world was short-lived, conceding the title after Johnson's St. Jude Classic win. Regardless, Thomas continues to play consistently well, something he has struggled with in the past. He has yet to miss a cut this season and enters the U.S. Open primed to pick-up his second career major.
3. Jon Rahm (2)
Jon Rahm would have held his No. 2 spot from last month if it weren't for another disappointing result at The Players. However, he did follow his Sawgrass showing with a T5 in Fort Worth. The U.S. Open will be a huge telltale to the state of Rahm's game, as Shinnecock Hills fits his game to a tee.
4. Jason Day (8)
Jason Day added to his trophy case since the last iteration of these rankings, claiming victory at the Wells Fargo Championship. His win at Quail Hollow puts him in the elite company of two-time winners this season and indicates Day's motivation to reclaim the No. 1 world ranking spot is legit.
5. Justin Rose (NR)
Perhaps the omission of Justin Rose from the previous rankings was an error. Either way, the Englishman's dominating Fort Worth Invitational win, combined with a tie for sixth at the Memorial, vaults him up the rankings. He looks poised for a monster season and is among the betting favorites for the U.S. Open.
6. Rory McIlroy (7)
In a testament to his strong season, Rory McIlroy has gained the most world ranking points out of anyone in 2018. His runner-up performance at the BMW PGA Championship - a flagship event for the European Tour - was overshadowed by the fact he failed to close on another 54-hole lead. The importance of the U.S. Open for McIlroy cannot be overstated.
7. Jordan Spieth (4)
The situation with Jordan Spieth's putting cannot be explained, as he ranks 186th in strokes gained: putting this season. With no top-20s in his last four events, highlighted by an ugly missed cut at the Memorial, Spieth is on a slippery slope towards the worst season of his career.
8. Bubba Watson (5)
Bubba Watson's slide in the rankings comes from two lackluster results at The Players and the Memorial. He still has two marquee wins this season, but if he doesn't pick up a decent result at the U.S. Open or the Travelers - an event he has won twice - don't expect to see Bubba on here next month.
9. Phil Mickelson (9)
Phil Mickelson gets a free pass for his horrid Players Championship, as his debut of the long-sleeve button-up shirt was clearly a regrettable decision. He finished in a tie for 13th at the Memorial and tied for 12th at the St. Jude Classic in his last two appearances, suggesting the form he showed earlier in the season is still present.
10. Patrick Reed (6)
Patrick Reed hangs on by a thread. The win at the Masters goes a long way, especially since he recorded another top-10 result at the Wells Fargo Championship since then. However, if he fails to perform over the next few weeks, he will easily be replaced in the coveted top-10 power rankings.
Honorable mentions: Henrik Stenson, Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)