Three down. One to go.
The Open Championship, the ultimate main of the boys’s skilled golf season, is 2 weeks away, July 17-20 at Royal Portrush Golf Membership in Portrush, Northern Eire.
This week’s John Deere Traditional in Silvis, Illinois, and the Genesis Scottish Open in North Berwick, Scotland, are up first, and most of the world’s finest golfers are making the journey abroad per week early to get a style of hyperlinks golf.
Can world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler win the third leg of the profession grand slam? Can reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy exorcise his demons from six years in the past, when he missed the minimize at The Open at Royal Portrush? Can defending Open Championship winner Xander Schauffele discover his type?
With the FedEx Cup playoffs looming and the Ryder Cup proper across the nook, there aren’t many possibilities left for golfers to impress U.S. captain Keegan Bradley and European captain Luke Donald.
Listed below are the most recent PGA Tour Energy Rankings.
1. Scottie Scheffler
Scheffler took a few weeks off earlier than heading throughout the pond for the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open. Remarkably, Scheffler hasn’t completed outdoors the highest 25 in 14 begins on tour this season — he was within the high eight in every of his previous 9, together with victories on the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, PGA Championship and the Memorial Match. He tied for third at 10 beneath in his final begin on the Renaissance Membership in 2023, 5 strokes behind McIlroy.
2. Rory McIlroy
Possibly a couple of weeks in the UK will assist McIlroy climb out of his post-Masters funk. He deliberate to spend a while together with his household at this new residence in London earlier than enjoying an necessary two-week stretch of golf. He captured the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open with an exhilarating one-stroke victory over Robert MacIntyre. McIlroy tied for fourth final season, 4 strokes behind MacIntyre.
The 36-year-old is enjoying among the finest golf of his profession with eight top-10 finishes in 14 begins on tour. He collected his fifth PGA Tour victory on the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March and almost gained once more on the Vacationers Championship. Henley was solo fifth eventually yr’s Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Membership in Scotland, his finest end in that main.
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Spaun calls U.S. Open win a ‘fairy-tale ending’
J.J. Spaun displays on profitable his first main after draining a memorable birdie on Gap 18 to safe the 2025 U.S. Open.
The shocking U.S. Open winner adopted up that efficiency with a tie for 14th on the Vacationers Championship. He was a two-time runner-up earlier this season on the Cognizant Traditional in The Palm Seashores and the Gamers Championship, and it would not be shocking to see him end first once more. Spaun is as much as third within the U.S. Ryder Cup workforce factors standings, behind solely Scheffler and Schauffele, and he appears to be a near-lock to make the squad.
Straka, who was born in Austria, has already gained twice on the PGA Tour this season, on the American Specific and Truist Championship. Surprisingly, he missed the minimize in every of the primary three majors, however has in any other case performed spectacular golf. He is sixth within the European Ryder Cup workforce standings, however would appear to be one among Donald’s six captain’s decisions even when he falls under the minimize line. A superb end in The Open would salvage the main season for Straka, who tied for second at Royal Liverpool Golf Membership in England in 2023.
JT’s efficiency within the first three majors — tying for thirty sixth on the Masters and lacking the minimize on the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open — sullies what has been a pleasant turnaround season. He ended a virtually three-year drought with no victory by taking the RBC Heritage in a playoff, and he was runner-up within the American Specific, Valspar Championship and Truist Championship. There will not be any second-guessing if he makes the U.S. Ryder Cup workforce.
7. Keegan Bradley
“Captain America” beforehand mentioned he would play within the upcoming Ryder Cup provided that he routinely certified for the U.S. squad. He is ninth in factors after profitable the Vacationers Championship, which got here after a tie for eighth on the PGA Championship and for seventh on the Memorial. Now ranked seventh within the Official World Golf Rating, Bradley is clearly enjoying like one of many high 12 American golfers. Relying on what occurs over the subsequent seven weeks, Bradley won’t have a alternative however to select himself.
Griffin’s heater has changed into a red-hot summer time. Now ranked seventeenth on the planet, Griffin teamed up with Andrew Novak to seize the Zurich Traditional of New Orleans workforce occasion after which gained his first stroke-play title on tour on the Charles Schwab Problem. He had two top-10 finishes in majors, tying for eighth on the PGA Championship and tenth on the U.S. Open. Griffin additionally was runner-up on the Memorial in opposition to a loaded discipline. He is eighth in Ryder Cup factors and might need to break down down the stretch to be left off the roster.
The previous couple of months had been somewhat tough for the two-time main champion, however he turned issues round with a tie for eighth on the Rocket Traditional. Though Morikawa hasn’t gained for the reason that Zozo Championship in October 2023, he was a two-time runner-up this season and has 10 top-25s in 14 begins. He is available in the market for a caddie for the second time this season after parting methods with Joe Greiner earlier than the Rocket Traditional. He did not say who would carry his bag for The Open.
10. Xander Schauffele
The reigning Open Championship winner will get a mulligan for a so-so summer time after lacking about two months with a rib harm. He carried out fairly properly within the majors — tied for eighth on the Masters, twenty eighth on the PGA Championship and twelfth on the U.S. Open. He has one top-10 end in 11 begins on tour and 6 top-25s. Schauffele appears near discovering his type, and he is nonetheless second in Ryder Cup factors after profitable two majors in 2024.
One other heart-breaking miss on the Vacationers Championship left the English golfer nonetheless trying to find his first PGA Tour victory. He has performed like among the finest on the planet this yr with 5 top-10s and 11 top-25s in 14 begins on tour. He is second within the European Ryder Cup factors standings, behind solely McIlroy. He is third in strokes gained: complete (1.414) and ninth in method (.622).
English has performed very properly this season, particularly within the tour’s largest occasions. He picked up his fifth PGA Tour victory on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open and tied for second within the PGA Championship. He additionally had top-25 finishes within the Genesis Invitational, Truist Championship, Memorial Match and Vacationers Championship. He is tenth in Ryder Cup factors, and his placing prowess figures to get him within the combine to make the U.S. workforce.
Hovland’s swing continues to be a piece in progress, however he gained the Valspar Championship earlier this season and was solo third on the U.S. Open. He withdrew from the ultimate spherical of the Vacationers Championship due to a neck harm, someday after carding a 7-under 63. Hovland is within the discipline for the Scottish Open.
The 29-year-old former Stanford star would possibly want end within the FedEx Cup season to safe his first spot on a Ryder Cup workforce. After capturing his first PGA Tour win on the RSM Traditional in November, he was runner-up on the Genesis Invitational and had top-five finishes on the Valero Texas Open, RBC Heritage and the Memorial. He completed outdoors the highest 30 in every of the primary three majors.
It has been a surprisingly inconsistent FedEx Cup season for the Swedish golfer. After profitable for the second time on tour on the Genesis Invitational and ending seventh on the Masters, Åberg hasn’t had a top-10 end in his previous seven begins. Whereas Åberg has been environment friendly off the tee, he ranks 147th on tour in strokes gained: across the inexperienced (-.255) and one hundred and twenty fifth in placing (-.141).
The Irish golfer most likely wanted a break after lacking the minimize on the U.S. Open and tying for forty fifth on the Vacationers Championship. His iron play has been spectacular this season; he is ranked second in strokes gained: method (.932). His work on the greens? Yeah, not a lot, as he is 122nd in strokes gained: placing (-.138). He is heading again to his pleased place, together with Royal Portrush Golf Membership, the place he hoisted a Claret Jug in 2019.
17. Andrew Novak
After a scorching stretch that noticed Novak tie for third on the Texas Open, fall to Thomas in a playoff within the RBC Heritage and win the Zurich Traditional of New Orleans with Griffin, he cooled off a bit the previous couple of months. He tied for seventeenth on the Truist Championship and for eleventh on the Charles Schwab Problem, so the sport’s nonetheless there.
Conners was enjoying very properly till a wrist harm compelled him to withdraw earlier than the ultimate spherical of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Nation Membership outdoors Pittsburgh. He hasn’t appeared in a PGA Tour occasion since then. Earlier than that, Conners had 5 top-10s and 10 top-25s in 16 begins on tour.
Harman, the 2023 Open Championship winner, may use one other sizzling stretch to crack the highest six of the U.S. Ryder Cup factors standings — or to at the least make Bradley’s captain’s decisions harder. He is at the moment twelfth after profitable the Valero Texas Open and tying for third on the RBC Heritage. Harman was solo eighth on the Vacationers Championship, an indication his type is perhaps again.
20. Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre has been heating up once more — he was solo second within the U.S. Open and tied for seventeenth on the Vacationers Championship. Now, the Scottish golfer will get to return residence for the Scottish Open, the place he is the defending champion and runner-up in 2023. He tied for sixth within the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush as a 22-year-old.
Burns’ late struggles in troublesome circumstances on the again 9 of the ultimate spherical of the U.S. Open overshadowed his spectacular efficiency at Oakmont. His sport had been trending in the fitting path for weeks. He misplaced to Ryan Fox in a playoff on the RBC Canadian Open and tied for seventh on the U.S. Open. He has 4 top-10s and 10 top-25s in 18 begins on tour.
It is exhausting to think about that Cantlay will not be on the U.S. Ryder Cup workforce, however he has to do one thing — something — to strengthen his argument for inclusion. Cantlay’s tie for fourth on the Truist Championship was his solely top-10 since mid-February. His ball-striking statistics counsel he needs to be higher; he is tenth in method (.598), eighth tee to inexperienced (1.028) and twelfth complete (1.122).
23. Ryan Fox
After taking his first PGA Tour victory in a playoff on the OneFlight Myrtle Seaside Traditional, Fox did not have to attend lengthy for his second. He gained one other playoff on the RBC Canadian Open to complete first twice in 4 begins. He has climbed to twenty ninth within the Official World Golf Rating.
When the previous Masters champion took the season-opening Sentry in Hawai’i in January, it appeared like he was able to take off once more. Surprisingly, it’s his solely top-10 end in 17 begins on tour this season. He tied for twenty first at Augusta Nationwide, missed the minimize within the PGA Championship and tied for forty second within the U.S. Open. Matsuyama’s issues have been together with his driver — he ranks 128th in strokes gained: off the tee (-.166) and 127th in driving accuracy (56.2% of fairways hit).
Berger seemed like a severe contender for the Ryder Cup workforce, however he wants to show round his type after a sluggish stretch by which he missed two cuts and tied for forty sixth within the U.S. Open and for forty second within the Vacationers Championship. He is 18th within the Ryder Cup factors standings.
Simply missed the minimize: Sungjae Im, Nick Taylor, Jason Day, Thomas Detry, Aldrich Potgieter, Cameron Younger, Michael Kim, Jacob Bridgeman