Three majors are completed, with one remaining. The Open Championship, the final major of the men`s professional golf season, is set to take place in two weeks, from July 17-20 at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Portrush, Northern Ireland.
Before that, this week features the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois, and the Genesis Scottish Open in North Berwick, Scotland. Many of the world`s top golfers are traveling overseas a week early to prepare for links golf.
Key questions remain: Can world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler secure the third leg of his career grand slam? Will reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy overcome his past struggles at Royal Portrush, where he missed the cut six years ago? Can defending Open Championship winner Xander Schauffele find his best form?
With the FedEx Cup playoffs and the Ryder Cup approaching, players have limited opportunities left to impress U.S. captain Keegan Bradley and European captain Luke Donald.
1. Scottie Scheffler
Scheffler took a couple of weeks off before heading across the pond for the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open. Remarkably, Scheffler has not finished outside the top 25 in 14 starts this season – he was in the top eight in each of his past nine, including victories at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, PGA Championship, and the Memorial Tournament. He tied for third at 10 under in his last start at the Renaissance Club in 2023, five strokes behind McIlroy.
Scottie Scheffler has won three times this season and leads the FedEx Cup standings.
2. Rory McIlroy
Perhaps a few weeks spent in the United Kingdom will help McIlroy emerge from his post-Masters slump. He planned to spend time with his family at his new home in London before playing an important two-week stretch of golf. He clinched the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open with a thrilling one-stroke victory over Robert MacIntyre. McIlroy tied for fourth last season, four strokes behind MacIntyre.
3. Russell Henley
The 36-year-old is currently playing some of the finest golf of his career, boasting eight top-10 finishes in 14 starts on tour. He secured his fifth PGA Tour victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March and came close to winning again at the Travelers Championship. Henley finished solo fifth at last year’s Open Championship at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland, marking his best performance in that major.
4. J.J. Spaun
The surprising U.S. Open winner followed up that performance with a tie for 14th at the Travelers Championship. He was a two-time runner-up earlier this season at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches and the Players Championship, and it wouldn`t be surprising to see him triumph again. Spaun has risen to third in the U.S. Ryder Cup team points standings, trailing only Scheffler and Schauffele, making him appear to be a virtual certainty for the squad.
5. Sepp Straka
Straka, originally from Austria, has already claimed two PGA Tour wins this season, at the American Express and Truist Championship. Surprisingly, he missed the cut in each of the first three majors but has otherwise played exceptionally well. He sits sixth in the European Ryder Cup team standings but would likely be one of Donald’s six captain’s picks even if he falls below the automatic qualification line. A strong showing at The Open would redeem the major season for Straka, who tied for second at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in England in 2023.
6. Justin Thomas
JT’s results in the first three majors – tying for 36th at the Masters and missing the cut at the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open – somewhat tarnish what has otherwise been a positive rebound season. He ended a nearly three-year winless streak by winning the RBC Heritage in a playoff and was runner-up in the American Express, Valspar Championship, and Truist Championship. If he makes the U.S. Ryder Cup team, there will be no second-guessing.
7. Keegan Bradley
`Captain America` previously stated he would only participate in the upcoming Ryder Cup if he automatically qualified for the U.S. team. He is now ninth in points after his victory at the Travelers Championship, which followed a tie for eighth at the PGA Championship and for seventh at the Memorial. Ranked seventh in the Official World Golf Ranking, Bradley is clearly performing like one of the top 12 American golfers. Depending on the outcome over the next seven weeks, Bradley might find himself in a position where he has no choice but to select himself.
Keegan Bradley celebrates after winning the Travelers Championship.
8. Ben Griffin
Griffin’s hot streak has intensified into a scorching summer. Now ranked 17th in the world, Griffin teamed up with Andrew Novak to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event and then secured his first individual stroke-play title on tour at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He recorded two top-10 finishes in majors, tying for eighth at the PGA Championship and 10th at the U.S. Open. Griffin was also runner-up at the Memorial in a strong field. He ranks eighth in Ryder Cup points and would likely need a significant downturn in form over the final events to be left off the roster.
9. Collin Morikawa
The past couple of months were somewhat challenging for the two-time major champion, but he saw an improvement with a tie for eighth at the Rocket Classic. Although Morikawa has not won since the Zozo Championship in October 2023, he has been a two-time runner-up this season and has 10 top-25s in 14 starts. He is currently seeking a caddie for the second time this season after parting ways with Joe Greiner before the Rocket Classic. He did not specify who would carry his bag for The Open.
10. Xander Schauffele
The reigning Open Championship winner can be forgiven for a less prominent summer after missing about two months due to a rib injury. He performed reasonably well in the majors this season – tying for eighth at the Masters, 28th at the PGA Championship, and 12th at the U.S. Open. He has one top-10 finish in 11 starts on tour and six top-25s. Schauffele appears close to regaining his top form and remains second in Ryder Cup points after winning the PGA Championship this year and The Open last year.
11. Tommy Fleetwood
Another disappointing miss at the Travelers Championship leaves the English golfer still seeking his first PGA Tour victory. He has played like one of the world`s best this year with five top-10s and 11 top-25s in 14 starts on tour. He is second in the European Ryder Cup points standings, behind only McIlroy. He ranks third in strokes gained: total (1.414) and ninth in approach (.622).
12. Harris English
English has performed very well this season, particularly in the tour`s biggest events. He claimed his fifth PGA Tour victory at the Farmers Insurance Open and tied for second in the PGA Championship. He also recorded top-25 finishes in the Genesis Invitational, Truist Championship, Memorial Tournament, and Travelers Championship. He is 10th in Ryder Cup points, and his excellent putting makes him a strong candidate for the U.S. team.
13. Viktor Hovland
Hovland`s swing remains a work in progress, but he won the Valspar Championship earlier this season and finished solo third at the U.S. Open. He withdrew from the final round of the Travelers Championship due to a neck injury, the day after shooting a 7-under 63. Hovland is scheduled to play in the Scottish Open.
14. Maverick McNealy
The 29-year-old former Stanford star might need a strong finish in the FedEx Cup season to secure his first spot on a Ryder Cup team. After winning his first PGA Tour event at the RSM Classic in November, he was runner-up at the Genesis Invitational and had top-five finishes at the Valero Texas Open, RBC Heritage, and the Memorial. He finished outside the top 30 in each of the first three majors.
15. Ludvig Åberg
It has been a surprisingly inconsistent FedEx Cup season for the Swedish golfer. After winning for the second time on tour at the Genesis Invitational and finishing seventh at the Masters, Åberg has not had a top-10 finish in his past seven starts. While Åberg has been efficient off the tee, he ranks 147th on tour in strokes gained: around the green (-.255) and 125th in putting (-.141).
16. Shane Lowry
The Irish golfer likely needed a break after missing the cut at the U.S. Open and tying for 45th at the Travelers Championship. His iron play has been exceptional this season; he ranks second in strokes gained: approach (.932). His putting? Not so much, as he is 122nd in strokes gained: putting (-.138). He is heading back to familiar territory, including Royal Portrush Golf Club, where he lifted the Claret Jug in 2019.
17. Andrew Novak
After a brilliant stretch that saw Novak tie for third at the Texas Open, lose to Thomas in a playoff in the RBC Heritage, and win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with Griffin, his form has cooled slightly over the past couple of months. He tied for 17th at the Truist Championship and for 11th at the Charles Schwab Challenge, indicating his game is still solid.
18. Corey Conners
Conners was playing very well until a wrist injury forced him to withdraw before the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. He has not competed in a PGA Tour event since then. Before the injury, Conners had recorded five top-10s and 10 top-25s in 16 starts this season.
19. Brian Harman
Harman, the 2023 Open Championship winner, could benefit from another strong run of form to break into the top six of the U.S. Ryder Cup points standings – or at least complicate Bradley’s captain’s selections. He is currently 12th after winning the Valero Texas Open and tying for third at the RBC Heritage. Harman finished solo eighth at the Travelers Championship, suggesting his form may be returning.
20. Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre has been heating up again – he finished solo second in the U.S. Open and tied for 17th at the Travelers Championship. Now, the Scottish golfer returns home for the Scottish Open, where he is the defending champion and was runner-up in 2023. He tied for sixth in the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush as a 22-year-old.
21. Sam Burns
Burns’ late struggles in challenging conditions on the back nine of the final round of the U.S. Open overshadowed his otherwise spectacular performance at Oakmont. His game had been trending positively for weeks. He lost to Ryan Fox in a playoff at the RBC Canadian Open and tied for seventh at the U.S. Open. He has four top-10s and 10 top-25s in 18 starts on tour.
22. Patrick Cantlay
It’s difficult to imagine Cantlay not being on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, but he needs to show some impactful results to strengthen his case for inclusion. Cantlay’s tie for fourth at the Truist Championship was his only top-10 finish since mid-February. His ball-striking statistics suggest he should be performing better; he ranks 10th in approach (.598), eighth tee to green (1.028), and 12th total (1.122).
23. Ryan Fox
After securing his first PGA Tour victory in a playoff at the OneFlight Myrtle Beach Classic, Fox didn’t have to wait long for his second. He won another playoff at the RBC Canadian Open, finishing first twice in four starts. He has climbed to 29th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
24. Hideki Matsuyama
When the former Masters champion won the season-opening Sentry in Hawaiʻi in January, it seemed like he was poised for a standout year. Surprisingly, that is his only top-10 finish in 17 starts on tour this season. He tied for 21st at Augusta National, missed the cut in the PGA Championship, and tied for 42nd in the U.S. Open. Matsuyama’s primary issue has been with his driver – he ranks 128th in strokes gained: off the tee (-.166) and 127th in driving accuracy (56.2% of fairways hit).
25. Daniel Berger
Berger appeared to be a serious contender for the Ryder Cup team, but he needs to regain his form after a recent slump where he missed two cuts and tied for 46th in the U.S. Open and for 42nd in the Travelers Championship. He is currently 18th in the Ryder Cup points standings.
Just Missed The Cut
Players who just missed making the list: Sungjae Im, Nick Taylor, Jason Day, Thomas Detry, Aldrich Potgieter, Cameron Young, Michael Kim, Jacob Bridgeman.