All four major championships and the 2024 Paris Olympics are behind us as players now shift their focus towards their respective postseasons. Firmly atop the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup standings -- thanks to winning three of the six biggest events of the year -- Scottie Scheffler has left no doubt that he remains the top player in the game.
Claiming the gold medal in dramatic fashion at Le Golf National, the American reminded those who may have forgotten why he is the true world No. 1. The reason for this sliver of doubt had nothing to do with his play but rather that of Xander Schauffele. Claiming his second major championship at The Open, Schauffele put the finishing touches on an all-time major championship season in his own right.
If not for Scheffler, Schauffele's season would be flooded with even more roses, but with only two wins -- albeit large ones -- there is no pathway in which the Californian can usurp the Texan. Rory McIlroy continues to round out the top three while some of his European counterparts make their moves up the rankings.
Former world No. 1 Jon Rahm has found his footing despite slipping down the stretch at the Olympics. In his place on the podium was not only Scheffler but also Tommy Fleetwood in the silver position and Hideki Matsuyama in the bronze spot; they both rise in this week's rankings as well.
The Power 18 provides insight as to how golfers are currently performing with benefit given to their play over recent events. It is a wider lens than simply what happened at the last tournament to be played but more narrow than the Official World Golf Rankings, which take into account how more than 2,000 golfers perform across an entire season.
The Power 18
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| For about a week, there were discussions about who would win PGA Tour Player of the Year. Those conversations are now over. Scheffler's sizzler continued in Paris as he fired a course record-tying 62 in the final round to claim not only the gold medal but his seventh victory in his last 12 worldwide starts. He's finished outside the top 10 just twice this year and has a chance to reach double digit wins should he run the table in the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Previous: 1 | |
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| Scheffler is the best player in the world, but Schauffele may be the most well-rounded. Since the beginning of the year, the smooth-swinging right hander ranks inside the top 20 in each strokes-gained metric, which allowed him to grab both the Wanamaker Trophy and Claret Jug. In pole position at the 36- and 54-hole mark in Paris, Schauffele slipped up but shouldn't take anything away from this career-changing run. Previous: 2 | |
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| There is a gap from Scheffler and Schauffele, but McIlroy remains firmly in the three hole. For the second straight Olympics, the man flying the Irish flag fell just short as a poor wedge shot late in the final round found a watery grave and saw McIlroy finish just off the podium. Dating back to the end of April, the 35-year-old has clocked eight top 15s in nine starts. Previous: 3 | |
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| Rahm's one of the biggest risers this month as he finally showed life at Royal Troon. Claiming a top-10 finish at The Open, the fiery Spaniard went on to win the following week at LIV Golf UK marking his first victory but 10th straight top 10 on that tour. This form continued into the Olympics where he was clearly the best player for the first 63 holes opening a four-stroke lead. Unfortunately, he wasn't the best during the last nine holes as he carded a 39 and let every medal fall through his grasp. Previous: 7 | |
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| DeChambeau's early exit at The Open was not necessarily a surprise given his inability to figure out links golf. When tasked with taking down parkland, traditional golf courses, the big-hitting American is in his element. He has three straight top 11s on LIV Golf since his win at the U.S. Open and will be returning to The Greenbrier in a couple weeks where he fired a final-round 58 in last year's tournament. Previous: 4 | |
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| Morikawa has been the model of consistency since the Masters finishing inside the top 25 in every tournament since. Experiencing close calls at the Memorial and the Scottish Open, he still seeks his first win of the season as his iron play still has room to grow to reach to his historical highs of 2021. He is currently amid his best season in terms of driving, chipping and putting. Previous: 5 | |
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| The former Masters champion made amends at the Olympics. Falling just short of the podium in his native Japan, Matsuyama claimed the bronze medal in Paris adding to what had already been a sensational 2024. A winner on the PGA Tour, a contender at the U.S. Open and now an Olympic medalist, Matsuyama has reminded us of the champion he is when he plays at his best. Previous: 10 | |
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| There's a concerning trend in regards to Åberg's play on Sundays; he has not broken 70 in the final round of a tournament since his runner-up finish at the Masters. This has hindered his efforts at the Scottish Open -- where he entered the final round with the lead -- and more recently at the Olympics where he had a chance to medal before a closing 72. His ball-striking remains elite, but there are some short-game shortcomings to keep an eye on. Previous: 6 | |
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| A consistent campaign gave way to a silver medal performance in the Olympics. Occupying the bronze medal spot ahead of the final day, Fleetwood fought tooth and nail to find the second spot on the podium just behind Scheffler. It was an overdue performance given the well-rounded nature of his game and lack of top 10s since his third-place finish at the Masters. Previous: 12 | |
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| The former FedEx Cup champion looks like old self. After enduring a disappointing start to his year, Cantlay has rattled off top-five finishes at the U.S. Open and the Travelers Championships. A top-25 result at The Open marked another quality outing as his tee-to-green presence continues to show signs of life. Previous: 9 | |
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| Im hung tough at The Open and climbed back from an opening 76 to finish inside T7 by week's end. This result represented his eighth top 15 in his last 10 worldwide starts with the outliers coming in the form of missed cuts at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open. A slight uptick off the tee could be the missing link between him and his first win on the PGA Tour since Fall 2021. Previous: 16 | |
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| His major championship pedigree needs to improve, but Hatton has been the guy on LIV Golf the last couple months. A win in Nashville has been followed by podium finishes at LIV Golf Andalucia and LIV Golf UK where he missed a short par putt on the last to fall out of a potential playoff. Previous: 13 | |
| 13 | |
| Finau got caught in the wrong wave at The Open resulting in a 71-81 two-day trip to Scotland. In the United States, he has been stellar with another nice run at the 3M Open and six straight top-20 finishes going back to the PGA Championship. A strong finish to his summer could result in the best approach season of his career and possibly another win in the FedEx Cup Playoffs. Previous: 9 | |
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| Lowry was one of the handful of players to make the cut in all four majors this season, and he nearly capped it off in a big way at The Open. Leading at the halfway stage, the Irishman lost his magic on Moving Day and instead settled for a sixth-place finish. Lowry's 2024 represents his best season in terms of approach play but one of his worst in terms of around-the-green prowess. Previous: Not ranked | |
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| Henley finished inside the top 25 in the final three majors of the year with top-10 efforts at the U.S. Open and The Open. His play on the major stage shouldn't come as a surprise given the steady nature of his game and improvement on the greens where he's enjoying his best season since 2017. Previous: NR | |
| 16 | |
| Similar to Hatton, Niemann needs to find something in the major championships. The big numbers hindered his chances at The Open as he carded not one, but two quintuple bogeys throughout the week. He bounced back with a runner-up finish at LIV Golf UK and a solid run for Chile at the Olympics where he finished T9. Previous: 14 | |
| 17 | |
| Conners' consistency is beginning to turn heads. He hasn't missed a cut this year, clocked quality results at the U.S. Open and The Open, and finished inside the top 10 at the Olympics. The Canadian has been a top-five iron player this season but will need to putter to start cooperating if he is to qualify for the Tour Championship. Previous: NR | |
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| Hovland's had a horrendous year, but there's too much talent in his bones to suggest he is still not a top-18 player in the world. Without the podium finish at the PGA Championship, Hovland's 2024 would be without a top-10 finish despite some solid ball-striking output. He's on the outside looking in when it comes to qualifying for the BMW Championship which he won in 2023. Previous: 11 | |
