With the newest Official World Golf Rankings came a new world No. 1.
Justin Thomas supplanted Dustin Johnson for the top spot with a T-11 finish at The Players Championship, becoming the top-ranked player in the world for the first time in his career. Thomas becomes the 21st player to hold the No. 1 spot since the rankings were created in 1986.
Webb Simpson, who won by four shots at TPC Sawgrass, jumped 21 spots to No. 20 in the world. After dropping as far as 95th in the summer of 2016, Simpson now has his best position in the rankings since he was No. 19 in February 2014.
Other notable moves this week include the three men who finished closest to Simpson: Jimmy Walker, Charl Schwartzel and Xander Schauffele. Walker moved from No. 83 to No. 56 with a T-2 finish, while the same result helped Schwartzel climb 19 spots to No. 43 and Schauffele six spots to No. 23.
Tiger Woods, who started the year ranked 656th in the world, moved up another 12 spots to No. 80 following a T-11 finish on the Stadium Course.
The top 60 in the world rankings after this week will automatically qualify for next month’s U.S. Open. Among those teeing it up at the AT&T Byron Nelson are No. 57 Peter Uihlein, No. 59 Charles Howell III and No. 65 Adam Scott, all of whom are not yet exempt for the year’s second major.
Aside from Thomas’ ascent, the only other changes near the top came at No. 3, where Jordan Spieth edged past Jon Rahm, and No. 10, where Tommy Fleetwood’s T-7 finish moved him up four spots and knocked Brooks Koepka out of the top 10. Dustin Johnson now sits at No. 2 behind Thomas, with Spieth, Rahm, Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama and Fleetwood comprising the new top 10.
Source: Internet
