Who is the fifth best player in the world right now? Halfway through the calendar year, and most of the way through the PGA Tour season, no response to that question will garner 100% agreement.
The top four are clear: world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Masters champion Rory McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm. The order of their ranking may be up for some debate after Scheffler, but they have proven to be the four best golfers in the world through the first six months of 2025.
Scheffler hasn’t finished outside the top 10 since The Players Championship with two wins and another major under his belt. McIlroy has been muddled ever since slipping on the green jacket, but he is beginning to find pep in his step. DeChambeau factored in the first two major championships. Rahm has been steadily improving with his consistency beginning to be elevated by his upside.
Who’s next? Is it the former loan officer who has been playing out of his mind and nearly took down Scheffler at the Memorial? What about the current U.S. Ryder Cup captain? Captains aren’t supposed to be top-five players in the world; they’re supposed to be walking off into the sunset with the captaincy all that is on their mind.
Perhaps this is simply reality in 2025 as some stars have fallen out of the sky, those accustomed to entering the winner’s circle being locked out with new names walking through the door they have left ajar.
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.