Jon Rahm sinks to remarkable career low
Jon Rahm is projected to fall outside of the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in eight years.
Jon Rahm has fallen outside of the top 50 in the world rankings for the first time in eight years.
Golf stats guru Nosferatu confirmed the Spaniard was projected to reach the unwanted milestone on 15 February.
Former Masters champion Rahm entered the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in January 2017 when he landed his first PGA Tour title at the 2017 Farmers Insurance Open.
Rahm then reached the top spot in 2020 after winning the Memorial.
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He stayed there for three weeks before he was dethroned by Justin Thomas.
Rahm leapfrogged Dustin Johnson to the top spot in 2021 when he picked up his first major title - the U.S. Open - at Torrey Pines.
He held on to the number one ranking for 36 weeks before losing it to Scottie Scheffler.
Tiger Woods holds the record for most weeks as the world number one.
Woods' longest consecutive streak was 281 weeks (June 12, 2005 – October 30, 2010).
The 15-time major champion has repeatedly stated that he regards the feat as the best achievement of his illustrious career.
Scheffler has been ranked the best player in the world for 91 weeks now.
Greg Norman is the only other player to have been ranked number one for more than 300 weeks in total.
When Rahm joined LIV Golf in December 2023 he was ranked third in the OWGR.
Rahm does not have to worry about his ranking though.
Player | Total weeks as World No.1 |
Tiger Woods | 683 |
Greg Norman | 331 |
Dustin Johnson | 139 |
Scottie Scheffler | 125 |
Rory McIlroy | 122 |
Nick Faldo | 97 |
Seve Ballesteros | 61 |
Luke Donald | 56 |
Jon Rahm | 52 |
Jason Day | 51 |
His victory at The Masters two years ago means he'll be able to participate in the major championships for the foreseeable future.
He'll be able to tee it up at Augusta National for life and is exempt into the U.S. Open through to 2031.
Rahm is also exempt into The Open and US PGA Championship to at least 2026.
The 30-year-old finished solo sixth at LIV Golf's second event of 2025 in Adelaide on Sunday.
Golfers competing in LIV events still do not get world ranking points.
LIV applied for OWGR accreditation in July 2022.
In October 2023, the OWGR denied LIV's application 'at this time'.
The PIF-backed circuit were urged to make some alterations.
LIV officially abandoned their pursuit for OWGR status last March.
A furious Norman - then the commissioner of LIV - wrote a letter to players stating: "We have made enormous efforts to fight for you and to ensure your accomplishments are recognised within the existing ranking system.
"Unfortunately, the OWGR has shown little willingness to productively work with us."
OWGR chairman Peter Dawson claimed the governing body was not at war with LIV.
Tyrrell Hatton is LIV's current highest-ranked player.
The Englishman is eighth in the OWGR behind Wyndham Clark, Ludvig Aberg, Hideki Matsuyama, Collin Morikawa, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Scheffler.
Rahm, Hatton and Bryson DeChambeau are the only LIV players in the top 50.
LIV players are not entirely frozen out of the majors.
The USGA and R&A have confirmed the leading player, not otherwise exempt, will be able to play this year's U.S. Open at Oakmont and Open at Royal Portrush.
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