How does the golf world rankings work?
The Open Championship is just weeks away — and the world rankings aren’t just a leaderboard. They determine who even gets to play. Here’s everything you need to know about how the Official World Golf Ranking works.
What is the OWGR?
The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) is the global ranking system for professional male golfers. It was introduced in 1986 and has been the sport’s official measure of player performance ever since. Every tour event around the world feeds into it — from the majors down to smaller regional events — and the number one spot is the most coveted position in golf outside of the major trophies themselves.
How are points earned?
Players earn points based on how they finish in tournaments, but not all events are created equal. The points available at any given event are weighted by the strength of the field — so finishing inside the top ten at The Open Championship earns far more than a similar result at a smaller tour event with a weaker field. The stronger the field, the more points up for grabs.
Points are then divided by the number of tournaments a player has entered over a rolling two-year period — with a minimum of 40 events used in the calculation. This divisor system is important: it means players can’t simply rack up points by entering endless weaker events. It rewards quality and consistency, not just volume.
Don’t miss a swing at The Open this July
Find it on Watchsport →Why do points decay over time?
Points don’t last forever. The OWGR uses a two-year rolling window, with events from the most recent 13 weeks counting in full. After that, points gradually decrease in value the older they get, and disappear completely after two years. This means a player who wins a major but then has an injury-hit season will slip down the rankings over time — the system is always rewarding current form.
Why the rankings matter for The Open
This is where it gets particularly relevant. The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale (16–19 July) uses the world rankings as one of its key entry criteria. The top 50 players in the world rankings at a specified cut-off date earn automatic entry into the field — so even a few places on the rankings table can be the difference between teeing it up at Birkdale and watching from home.
It’s also why the weeks before a major are so competitive. Players on the fringes of the top 50 are often playing specifically to protect or improve their ranking and secure their spot in the field.
Getting into the field is only half the story — once the tournament starts, only part of that field survives to the weekend. We've explained how that works in our cut line explainer.
Where the top players stand
Rankings correct at time of publication (29 Jun 2026). The OWGR updates every week.
Common questions
Where to watch The Open
Broadcast details correct at time of publication. Channel allocations are subject to change — check the Watchsport app for the latest confirmed schedule.