Top five PGA Tour pros in World Golf Rankings all under 30 for first ever time
Rahm, Morikawa, Hovland, Cantlay and Scheffler set a new age record in the top five of the OWGR.
For the first time since the Official World Golf Rankings began in 1986, the top five PGA Tour players in the world are all under the age of 30.
That list comprises in order Jon Rahm, 27, Collin Morikawa, 25, Viktor Hovland, 24, Patrick Cantlay, 29, and Scottie Scheffler, 25.
That equates to an average age of 26.5, which as OWGR guru Nosferatu confirms on Twitter marks an all-time low.
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#OWGR stat of the day:
Scottie Scheffler's win at Bay Hill and his subsequent rise to #5 in the world rankings mean that the average age of the Top 5 players in the world has reached this week a new, incredible, all time low:
‼️ 26.5 ‼️
— Nosferatu (@VC606) March 8, 2022
"I think it’s a reflection just on the system at work," said PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan ahead of this week's Players Championship at famed TPC Sawgrass, the flagship event of the PGA Tour season.
"I mean, these young players are coming from all over the world at a young age, having success on the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA Tour at a very early age, and that depth of talent, you talk about the top 5, you extend it past the top 5 into the top 30 and the top 50, the athleticism, the youth, the preparedness, the system is working, and it’s arguably the most exciting time in the history of the PGA Tour for that reason."
Scheffler, who burst into the world's top five for the first time in his career following a second victory in his last three starts at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday, believes we are seeing younger players waste little time in winning tournaments because of the strength of the college system.
"I think guys are coming out more prepared," said Scheffler, who played at the University of Texas.
"College golf is I think a lot different than it used to be, especially when you kind of play at one of the bigger schools.
"I think the schedule that we played in college kind of really prepared us to be able to come out here and play good golf just because we’re playing similar golf courses, similar conditions."
With plenty of world ranking points on offer at The Players Championship this week, Scheffler could in fact even move straight to World No.1 should he land his PGA Tour hat-trick in his last four starts.
As pointed out by Nosferatu on Twitter, the former Longhorns star would need to win the tournament and hope Rahm finishes worse than solo 10th and Morikawa finishes worse than a three-way tie for second.
On current form, we certainly wouldn't put it past Scottie.
#OWGR No.1 watch:
Scottie Scheffler could become No.1 in the world if he wins @THEPLAYERSChamp and if Jon Rahm finishes worse than solo 10th and Collin Morikawa finishes worse than 3-way T2.
— Nosferatu (@VC606) March 7, 2022
