PGA Rankings: Breaking Down the Top 25 Players Post-Masters
Jordan Spieth was already in the top position in the pre-Masters rankings. So even with his brilliant, record-tying performance at Augusta, he can't move up any further.
That is not the case for a few golfers who performed particularly well at golf's premier event: Charley Hoffman, Hideki Matsuyama and Dustin Johnson to name a few.
And of course some Masters participants are going in the wrong direction after the season's first major.
What goes into the breakdown? A look at recent performances, emphasizing play at Augusta and a consideration of a player’s overall talent.
Click through for the full list.
25. Brandt Snedeker
1 of 25
Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR): 38
Previous Ranking: 14
Why He's Here: Brandt Snedeker had a few weeks of practice and preparation at Augusta National. Unfortunately, it didn't matter. When you're not long off the tee and don't hit a ton of greens in regulation, it's tough to contend at the Masters. Still, the missed cut was a very poor result from the veteran and requires he fall down this ranking, especially when coupled with his play prior to the Masters.
How he fared at Augusta: Missed cut; Snedeker bogeyed the easy par-five 15th hole both Thursday and Friday. He missed the cut by a stroke, carding rounds of 74 and 73. He hadn't missed a cut at Augusta since 2009.
24. Charley Hoffman
2 of 25
OWGR: 50
Previous Ranking: N/A
Why He's Here: In addition to performing well at the Masters, Charley Hoffman has been playing some quality golf lately. He tied for 11th at both the Shell Houston Open and the Valero Texas Open. In addition, he won the OHL Mayakoba Classic in November. His Masters performance earns him a spot in these rankings.
How he fared at Augusta: Hoffman played well in his first Masters since 2011. While he wasn't exactly up to the task Sunday (he shot 74), he rode a first-round 67 to a tie-for-ninth finish.
23. Brooks Koepka
3 of 25
OWGR: 20
Previous Ranking: 25
Why He's Here: Brooks Koepka moved up two spots as making the cut in one's maiden Masters start is an achievement, especially when dealing with injury (rib). The solid Masters showing (T-33) comes on the heels of a tie for 17th at the WGC-Cadillac Championship March 8.
How he fared at Augusta: Dealing with a nagging rib issue, Koepka was solid in his first Masters start. He finished at even par, tied for 33rd and made 17 birdies and an eagle for the week.
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22. Lee Westwood
4 of 25
OWGR: 32
Previous Ranking: 21
Why He's Here: While he missed the cut in his start immediately before the Masters (Shell Houston Open), the Englishman hasn't finished worse than 25th this season.
How he fared at Augusta: Westwood, who seems perennially inspired at Augusta, was never a factor in this year's Masters. Thanks to a final-round 74, the veteran finished tied for 46th at two over par.
21. Bill Haas
5 of 25
OWGR: 25
Previous Ranking: 22
Why He's Here: Bill Haas has now finished inside the top 15 in two of his last three starts. He tied for seventh at the WGC-Cadillac Championship. He's won once this year and has five top-25 finishes in nine starts. He moves up a spot on the strength of his work in Georgia.
How he fared at Augusta: Haas opened his Masters campaign with a tidy three-under 69. He fired three more rounds of 72 or better to finish tied for 12th at six under.
20. Tiger Woods
6 of 25
OWGR: 101
Previous Ranking: 23
Why He's Here: Tiger Woods earned the 23rd spot in the last rankings based largely on the strength of his past performances at Augusta National and the expectation that he'd sorted things out over the past two months of practice. His Masters performance proves he has. He moves up two spots with the understanding that his game is largely repaired.
How he fared at Augusta: Tiger played than a lot of people expected. Woods finished tied for 17th, although his final-round 73 was disappointing. More importantly, there were no signs of the chipping and pitching yips that had recently afflicted the golfer.
19. Matt Kuchar
7 of 25
OWGR: 17
Previous Ranking: 12
Why He's Here: Matt Kuchar's play at the Shell Houston Open (he finished 70th) was rightfully a cause for concern entering the Masters. He finished near the bottom of players making the cut and falls behind those who performed better at Augusta.
How he fared at Augusta: Kuchar tied for 46th. He was never a factor last week as he failed to break par in any of the four rounds. He finished at two over for the tournament and failed to follow up his tie for fifth last year with anything notable.
18. Ian Poulter
8 of 25
OWGR: 26
Previous Ranking: 20
Why He's Here: Ian Poulter grabbed the 20th spot in last week's rankings thanks primarily to his record at Augusta National. His last three starts including the Masters are: T24, T21 and T6. He leaps ahead two spots thanks to inspired Masters play.
How he fared at Augusta: As one would expect, the Englishman availed himself nicely in Georgia. He moved up the leaderboard Saturday with a third-round 67. He added a final-round 67 to finish tied for sixth at nine under.
17. Keegan Bradley
9 of 25
OWGR: 33
Previous Ranking: 16
Why He's Here: Keegan Bradley was in the ascendency heading toward Augusta. He earned his position last time here due to that fact and his improving putting as well as a respectable history at Augusta. He falls a spot only because of the significantly better play of a duo of golfers behind him in last week's ranking.
How he fared at Augusta: Bradley closed with a 68 to finish inside the top 25 at Augusta National. He pencilled in 17 birdies for the week and hit 65 percent of greens in regulation, per Masters.com. A third-round 75 kept the St. John's alum's finish from being better.
16. Paul Casey
10 of 25
OWGR: 36
Previous Ranking: 19
Why He's Here: While some may have doubted our placing Paul Casey inside the top 20 heading into the Masters, he validated that ranking with his strong play at Augusta. He finished ninth in Houston and added a tie for sixth at Augusta, earning him a three-spot jump.
How he fared at Augusta: Casey was excellent in the first two rounds at Augusta, carding scores of 69 and 68 to begin his pursuit of a green jacket. He closed his week with a Sunday 68 to finish tied for sixth at nine under par.
15. Justin Rose
11 of 25
OWGR: 8
Previous Ranking: 18
Why He's Here: We placed a great deal of weight on Justin Rose's past Masters play in the last rankings as his recent form hasn't been impressive. He followed a 37th-placed tie at the Shell Houston Open with a brilliant showing at Augusta National. He moves up three spots accordingly.
How he fared at Augusta: Rose found himself in the final pairing Sunday at Augusta National. He fired a pair of five-under 67s in the first and third rounds to enter the final round as Jordan Spieth's nearest pursuer. He finished tied for second at 14 under.
14. J.B. Holmes
12 of 25
OWGR: 12
Previous Ranking: 10
Why He's Here: J.B. Holmes was the tour's most recent winner entering the Masters. That fact earned his substantial clout in this ranking. However, a missed cut necessitates a rankings tumble, and a golfer who put together a stellar week amid the Georgia pines passes Holmes.
How he fared at Augusta: Holmes birdied the 33rd hole of the competition, but it wasn't enough. The long hitter finished one stroke outside the cut line in a disappointing first trip to Augusta since 2008.
13. Rickie Fowler
13 of 25
OWGR: 13
Previous Ranking: 17
Why He's Here: Orange-loving Rickie Fowler garnered the 17th slot in the last rankings, owing much to his tie for fifth at Augusta last year. He moves up to the 13th spot after a quality showing at the Masters.
How he fared at Augusta: Fowler got collectively better at Augusta National. After opening with a one-over par 73, Fowler carded a second-round 72 and a third-round 70. The California native finished tied for 12th after a superb final-round 67.
12. Adam Scott
14 of 25
OWGR: 7
Previous Ranking: 9
Why He's Here: Adam Scott slides from ninth to 12th after a substandard week in Georgia. Hopes that a return to the long putter would substantially improve his scores proved futile. His last three results were: cut, T35 and T38.
How he fared at Augusta: The 2013 Masters winner, Scott tied for 38th at one over par. Scott never really had anything going and was unimpressive on the weekend, firing a pair of 74s. He hit just 61 percent of greens in regulation for the week, which was never going to get the job done.
11. Sergio Garcia
15 of 25
OWGR: 9
Previous Ranking: 13
Why He's Here: Sergio Garcia is one of golf's biggest enigmas. Blessed with loads of talent, he's constantly tantalizing fans with up-and-down rounds on golf's biggest stages. You have to wonder if he'll ever finally put four rounds together to claim a major, but when we see little windows of his ability, it's a joy to watch.
How he fared at Augusta: Another big event, another decent performance but still no major victories for his career. The Spaniard piqued our interest with an opening-round 68 but quickly disappointed with a second-round 74. He broke par twice on the weekend to finish tied for 17th.
10. Jason Day
16 of 25
OWGR: 5
Previous Ranking: 6
Why He's Here: A tie for 17th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and time off to prepare for the Masters suggested Jason Day would play well at Augusta. As that wasn't really the case, he slides four spots and is overtaken by players who fared better in Georgia.
How he fared at Augusta: Day finished tied for 28th at one under. Due to his excellent track record at the course, Day was in the pre-tournament conversation as a potential winner. Unfortunately, a pedestrian final-round 75 marred by six bogeys led to an equally pedestrian finish.
9. Hideki Matsuyama
17 of 25
OWGR: 15
Previous Ranking: 15
Why He's Here: Hideki Matsuyama had to answer a question with his Masters play this year: "Does he have a nose for Augusta National as his T27 finish as an amateur in 2011 suggested?" Our assuming the answer to that question was going to be "yes" was the biggest reason he previously earned the 15th spot. In short, he proved this week that he does have an aptitude for the Alister Mackenzie-designed track, hence the big leap forward.
How he fared at Augusta: Matsuyama broke par in his three opening rounds at Augusta National. He compiled scores of 71, 70 and 70 to put him in position for a top-10 finish Sunday. And thanks to a brilliant bogey-free six-under 66 in the final round, the 23-year-old Japanese national finished fifth.
8. Henrik Stenson
18 of 25
OWGR: 3
Previous Ranking: 8
Why He's Here: Henrik Stenson finished inside the top five in his four starts prior to the Masters. It's unfortunate he was under the weather for the duration of the tournament or his finish surely would have been much better. Stenson stays put.
How he fared at Augusta: Reportedly suffering from bronchitis, per Golf Monthly (via Rotoworld), Stenson was apparently so unwell during the course of the Masters, he contemplated withdrawing. In light of that fact, his final-round 68 and tie for 19th with a four-under look pretty good.
7. Patrick Reed
19 of 25
OWGR: 14
Previous Ranking: 7
Why He's Here: In his previous two starts entering the Masters, Patrick Reed had a second-place finish and a T17 finish under his belt. Those results, coupled with his strong play earlier this season and a decent Masters showing, have him treading water in this ranking.
How he fared at Augusta: Reed finished much better than his missed cut at Augusta last year. He carded a final-round two-under 70 that included four birdies to finish tied for 22nd at two under.
6. Phil Mickelson
20 of 25
OWGR: 18
Previous Ranking: 11
Why He's Here: Phil Mickelson is trending upward. He tied for 30th at the Valero Texas Open, tied for 17th at the Shell Houston Open and made a heck of an effort at the Masters. He moves up five spots on the strength of both the trend and his T2 at the season's first major.
How he fared at Augusta: Mickelson awoke from his slumber at Augusta National. Lefty went 67 and 69 on the weekend to vault into a tie for second at 14 under.
He made 19 birdies for the week against just nine bogeys, and he hit an impressive 71 percent of greens in regulation. The 44-year-old would have needed a Sunday 65 to catch Spieth, and he just didn't have the magic, despite holing from the bunker on 15 for eagle.
5. Bubba Watson
21 of 25
OWGR: 4
Previous Ranking: 4
Why He's Here: Bubba Watson falls from fourth to fifth in this ranking as a certain long-hitting Carolinian moves up. He's been strong this season with a victory and four top-10 finishes in six starts and belongs near the head of the class, despite a meager showing in his title defense.
How he fared at Augusta: Watson finished tied for 38th at one over at Augusta. He strung together a pair of 71s in his opening rounds but faltered on the weekend, carding rounds of 73 and 74. There were simply too many blemishes on his scorecard this week as he tallied 15 bogeys and a pair of double bogeys.
4. Jimmy Walker
22 of 25
OWGR: 11
Previous Ranking: 3
Why He's Here: You've got to chalk up Jimmy Walker's lackluster week at Augusta to the combination of injury and its disconcerting force. He still won in his start prior to the Masters at the Valero Texas Open and doesn't deserve to plummet this week.
How he fared at Augusta: A wrist injury sustained during his opening round derailed Walker's efforts. He didn't break 70 en route to a tied-for-38th finish at one over par. He made 18 birdies for the week but also suffered 15 bogeys and pair of doubles.
3. Dustin Johnson
23 of 25
OWGR: 6
Previous Ranking: 5
Why He's Here: Dustin Johnson jumps up two spots, leaping Bubba Watson and Jimmy Walker thanks to a tied-for-sixth finish at Augusta National.
How he fared at Augusta: DJ made three eagles in the course of his second-round 67. He fired a final-round 69 to tie for sixth. This finish is the best of his career at the Masters.
2. Rory McIlroy
24 of 25
OWGR: 1
Previous Ranking: 2
Why He's Here: He holds down the No. 2 spots because he's still Rory McIlroy.
Though Jordan Spieth may have dominated at Augusta, McIlroy is still the reigning British Open and PGA Championship titleholder. He hasn't been as razor-sharp as he was at the close of last year, but we are still expecting a big 2015 from the Northern Irishman. He'll still be one of, if not the, prohibitive favorites at the U.S. Open in mid-June.
How he fared at Augusta: Somewhat lost in Spieth madness, McIlroy put together an amazing Masters, firing a final-round low score of 66 (tied with Hideki Matsuyama) to finish tied for fourth. In fact, from Friday through Sunday, McIlroy was 11 under par, while Spieth was only 10 under.
Over his last 45 holes, McIlroy had two eagles and 14 birdies against only three bogeys. Though he'll have to wait another year to try to complete the career Grand Slam, his game is as good as it's ever been.
1. Jordan Spieth
25 of 25
OWGR: 2
Previous Ranking: 1
Why He's Here: Where else would he be? Jordan Spieth entered the Masters as the hottest golfer in the game, coming off three straight second-place-or-better finishes. Our leaving Spieth in the top spot after his triumphant Masters coronation is the only decision.
How he fared at Augusta: He won the darn thing! (And handily). The 21-year-old made up for last year's second-place finish to Bubba Watson with a four-day onslaught that shattered scoring records. Spieth opened his week with a 64 and never looked back.
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