Power Ranking the Top 25 Golfers Heading into the 2016 Open Championship
The season's third major, and the oldest of the four by more than 30 years, adorns professional golf's calendar this week. For the first time since Todd Hamilton's surprise victory in 2004, The Open will be contested at Royal Troon in South Ayershire, Scotland, where it's been held eight times previously.
From the field of 156 golfers, we'll break down the top 25 with our annual pre-Open Championship power rankings.
What goes into the breakdown? A look at best play at the courses of The Open rota, given their essential similarity of style and links golf mandate, key statistical indicators, a golfer's last five starts and a glance at his Official World Golf Ranking. And of course, for those gray hairs who competed at Troon in 2004 (and a couple in 1997), their performances will be given particular emphasis.
Who has the best shot at hoisting the Claret Jug? How do the Big Three (or Four) stack up?
Click through to find out.
25. Chris Kirk
1 of 25
OWGR: 60
Best of 2016: Chris Kirk has made 14 of 21 PGA Tour cuts this season with a pair of top-10 finishes. He tied for 21st at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in his most recent action.
Why He's Here: Decent work at the WGC-Bridgestone suggests his game is in order, and a solid showing in his one and only turn at an Open venue is encouraging. Determined and unflappable, Kirk has the recent form and demeanor to crack the top 25.
The Open History: In the only Open appearance of his career, Kirk tied for 19th at Royal Liverpool in 2014.
24. Graeme McDowell
2 of 25
OWGR: 78
Best of 2016: Winner of the season-opening OHL Classic at Mayakoba, Graeme McDowell has stuck around for the weekend eight of the 14 times he’s teed it up on the PGA Tour, with four top-10 finishes. The Ulsterman tied for 18th at the U.S. Open.
Why He's Here: Veteran status. GMac’s recent form hasn’t been world-beating, but he played well in Scotland and has tallied top-10 finishes in two of the last four Opens. And although he missed the cut at Troon in 2004, the experience is a net positive entering this year’s competition.
The Open History: Nine cuts made in 12 starts. McDowell did his best work in 2012, tying for fifth. He tied for ninth at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in 2014.
23. Rafael Cabrera Bello
3 of 25
OWGR: 28
Best of 2016: A fourth-place finisher at the French Open, Rafael Cabrera Bello has made six of seven cuts in his work on the PGA Tour this season, including a fourth-place finish at the Shell Houston Open.
Why He's Here: Cabrera Bello gets the nod over McDowell thanks to steadier form recently. He’s showed himself to be a competent Open performer in the recent past and arrives on the heels of two weeks of strong work in France and Scotland.
The Open History: The Spaniard has made three of four Open Championship cuts, tying for 21st in 2013 at Muirfield.
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22. Martin Kaymer
4 of 25
OWGR: 52
Best of 2016: With top-10 finishes in four of his last five European Tour starts, Martin Kaymer looks to be rounding into form just in time for the season's third major. He's been consistently solid on the PGA Tour this season, missing just one cut in eight starts.
Why He's Here: Plenty of Open Championship experience with a spate of solid finishes and his strong play on the European Tour recently suggest Kaymer is due for a good showing at Troon.
The Open History: Kaymer has missed the cut just once in eight Open starts. His only top-10 finish came at St. Andrews in 2010 where he tied for seventh in the course of an inspired major run.
21. Justin Rose
5 of 25
OWGR: 11
Best of 2016: Justin Rose's best finish came at the Wells Fargo Championship, where he placed third. He's made a total of 10 cuts in 13 PGA Tour starts with eight top-25 finishes.
Why He's Here: While he's a veteran with a good career record at The Open, there's no way around the fact Rose hasn't played well since returning from injury after The Players Championship. Still, his pedigree just gets him into the top-25 conversation.
The Open History: Famously tying for fourth as an amateur at The Open in 1998, Rose hasn't had massive success in the competition as a professional, although he bucked that trend with a tie for sixth at St. Andrews last year. He's made nine of 14 cuts in his career at The Open.
20. Bubba Watson
6 of 25
OWGR: 5
Best of 2016: Maker of 11 cuts in 12 starts, Bubba Watson won the Northern Trust Open in February. He tied for 14th at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in his most recent action—his first top-15 finish since March.
Why He's Here: It's his inability to crack the top 20 at an Open venue thus far that lands Bubba Watson so far down this list. And an average run of recent form doesn't help. His comparatively better play than Rose edges out the Englishman, and his better health recently helps too.
The Open History: Watson and the Open Championship haven't exactly been the best of friends. He's made just three of seven cuts and did his best work in 2012 when he finished tied for 23rd.
19. Scott Piercy
7 of 25
OWGR: 25
Best of 2016: A pair of second-place finishes in his last two starts (U.S. Open, WGC-Bridgestone) place Scott Piercy among the hottest hands on tour. The Las Vegas native has made 16 of 18 cuts this season and also tied for 17th at the WGC-Cadillac Championship in March.
Why He's Here: Placing Piercy, who has little Open experience, this high is a risk. However, his inspired play at two difficult venues and what must be overflowing confidence heading to Troon suggest he’s prepared to notch at least a top-20 finish.
The Open History: Piercy has teed it up just once at The Open. He missed the cut at Muirfield in 2013.
18. Webb Simpson
8 of 25
OWGR: 67
Best of 2016: A sixth-place finisher at the Quicken Loans National his last time out, Webb Simpson has made 10 of 14 cuts this season. He tied for third at the Dean & Deluca Invitational and for 11th at the Memorial.
Why He's Here: With top-10 finishes in three of his last four starts, Simpson's strong forms earn him the edge over those just above him on this list. His position at 15th on tour in strokes gained: tee-to-green is a major boon as well.
The Open History: In four starts at the third major of the golf calendar year, Simpson has made three cuts. His best finish: tied for 16th at Royal St. George's in 2011.
17. Hideki Matsuyama
9 of 25
OWGR: 17
Best of 2016: A winner at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February, Hideki Matsuyama has placed inside the top 10 five times this season, including a tie for seventh at the Masters.
Why He's Here: Matsuyama has not been playing his best golf recently. Placing him in this position is based on the assumption he's straightened things out after a week off and an acknowledgement of pedigree and past Open play.
The Open History: Matsuyama impressively tied for sixth in his Open debut at Muirfield in 2013. He tied for 39th at Royal Liverpool in 2014 and finished tied for 18th at St. Andrews last year.
16. Lee Westwood
10 of 25
OWGR: 39
Best of 2016: With top-15 finishes in his last four European Tour starts and a tie for second at the Masters, Lee Westwood has shown plenty of game this season.
Why He's Here: With a top-15 effort at the French Open his last time out plus perennially solid ball striking and oodles of Open experience, Westy looks good on paper as he seems to every year.
The Open History: Westwood has competed in The Open 21 times. He's made 15 cuts. Most notably, he finished second at St. Andrews is 2010 and tied for third at Muirfield in 2013. Westy has totaled six top-25 finishes and finished tied for 49th last year.
15. Rickie Fowler
11 of 25
OWGR: 7
Best of 2016: Rickie Fowler has tallied seven top-10 finishes in 17 starts, but he has also missed five cuts, including three in his last five starts. His best finish came at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in February, where he finished second in a playoff. He also won on the European Tour at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Why He's Here: Off his game recently, Fowler rebounded with a 10th-place finish at the WGC-Bridgestone. He’ll tee it up at Troon after a week of rest, and he has certainly proved himself capable at Open tracks. Doubtless not a great season thus far, Fowler is at a tipping point and could be primed to reprise the solid showings of 2011 and 2014.
The Open History: Fowler tied for second at Royal Liverpool in 2014. He tied for fifth at Royal St. George's in 2011. He's made the cut five times in six tries, tying for 30th at St. Andrews last year.
14. Jim Furyk
12 of 25
OWGR: 19
Best of 2016: Sidelined for much of the season, Jim Furyk has teed it up just seven times in 2016. He tied for second at the U.S. Open and finished tied for 42nd at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational his last time inside the ropes.
Why He's Here: Golf’s prototypical grinder has only recently got into anything resembling top gear after a lengthy post-surgery layoff. He didn’t impress in his most recent start, but a gritty showing at the U.S. Open suggests he’s close to prime form. Two turns at Troon in the past bolster his chances as well.
The Open History: A fourth-place finisher in 2014, Furyk has made 13 of 20 cuts at the season's third major. He tied for 30th last year. Furyk missed the cut at Troon in 2004 and finished fourth at the venue in 1997.
13. Phil Mickelson
13 of 25
OWGR: 21
Best of 2016: Phil Mickelson has made 11 of 16 cuts this season with second-place finishes at the AT&T Pro-Am and the FedEx St. Jude Classic. He tied for 27th at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
Why He's Here: Lefty, a past Open winner, hasn’t overwhelmed recently. However, his pedigree and the fact that he has more experience than any other golfer on this list has to be respected.
The Open History: The veteran left-hander has recorded nine top-25 finishes in 22 appearances. Mickelson won The Open at Muirfield in 2013 and tied for 20th at the Home of Golf last year. He finished third in 2004 and tied for 24th in 1997 at Royal Troon.
12. Francesco Molinari
14 of 25
OWGR: 55
Best of 2016: In 14 PGA Tour starts this season, Francesco Molinari has tallied three top-10 finishes, including a tie for eighth at the Quicken Loans National in his most recent PGA Tour action.
Why He's Here: On a good run with strong performances at the Quicken Loans National and French Open, Francesco Molinari earns the No. 12 spot due to a combination of solid showings (albeit among less-than-top-tier fields) and some quality work at past Open Championships. A full season’s worth of reps and better form of late help him nudge out Jim Furyk and Phil Mickelson.
The Open History: Molinari has made five of eight Open cuts. He tied for ninth at Muirfield in 2013, tied for 15th at Royal Liverpool in 2014 and tied for 40th at St. Andrews last year.
11. Branden Grace
15 of 25
OWGR: 10
Best of 2016: RBC Heritage winner Brendan Grace has recorded an additional four top-10 finishes this season. The South African has just two missed cuts in 12 starts. He has been strong as of late, tying for fifth at the U.S. Open and 10th at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
Why He's Here: Grace slides into 11th on the strength of good work at the WGC-Bridgestone and the U.S. Open. However, the fact that he hasn't finished better than 20th at a past Open raises some concerns about his ability to truly contend.
The Open History: Grace hasn't missed a cut in five Open Championship appearances. He did his best work at St. Andrews last year, finishing tied for 20th.
10. Henrik Stenson
16 of 25
OWGR: 6
Best of 2016: BMW International Open winner Henrik Stenson also tied for fourth at the Nordea Masters, after a disappointing effort at the U.S. Open. On the PGA Tour, he’s made seven of 10 cuts with a second-place effort at the Shell Houston Open as his best result.
Why He's Here: A winner at the BMW International Open two starts ago, Stenson righted the ship after a poor showing and withdrawal at the U.S. Open. He’s cobbled together a few good finishes at past Opens. He earns the No. 10 spot and would be higher if not for an uncharacteristic up-and-down stretch recently.
The Open History: Stenson has made nine of 11 cuts at The Open. He finished second at Muirfield in 2013 and tied for third in 2010. He finished tied for 40th at St. Andrews last year.
9. Charl Schwartzel
17 of 25
OWGR: 22
Best of 2016: Winner of the Valspar Championship in March, Charl Schwartzel has missed just one cut this season with three top-10 finishes in 13 starts. He tied for seventh at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in his most recent start.
Why He's Here: With top-25 finishes in his last four starts and a series of strong showings in season's third major, Schwartzel is a lock for the top 10.
The Open History: Charl Schwartzel has made six of 11 Open Championship cuts with five top-25 finishes. He tied for 68th at St. Andrews last year.
8. Zach Johnson
18 of 25
OWGR: 18
Best of 2016: Zach Johnson has made 14 of 17 cuts with five top-10 finishes on tour this season. He tied for eighth at the U.S. Open and 10th at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
Why He's Here: Johnson’s winning performance at St. Andrews last year goes a long way, and his recent good form is encouraging. He and the gentleman in the seventh spot are in a dead heat, but it’s hard to argue against Matt Kuchar’s No. 8 ranking in strokes gained: total.
The Open History: Johnson, the defending Championship golfer of the year, missed the cut at Troon in 2004. He's made nine of 12 cuts with three top-10 finishes at the Open.
7. Matt Kuchar
19 of 25
OWGR: 15
Best of 2016: Kuchar hasn't logged any wins this year, but he's had steady quality week after week. Kuchar has missed just one cut in 18 starts with three third-place finishes and eight top-10 finishes. He's finished in the top 10 five of the last six times he’s teed up.
Why He's Here: That frequency of top-10 finishes and plenty of Open-venue experience, married to an ever-solid pedigree earn Kuchar the No. 7 spot.
The Open History: Kuchar has made five of 11 cuts at The Open. He tied for ninth in 2012 and finished tied for 58th at St. Andrews last year.
6. Adam Scott
20 of 25
OWGR: 8
Best of 2016: This season, Scott has logged a pair of wins, a pair of second-place finishes and no missed cuts in 14 starts. He tied for 10th at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in his most recent action.
Why He's Here: Scott pulls ahead of Kuchar thanks to a superior Open pedigree and more top-tier performances this season.
The Open History: Scott has had an impressive run recently at The Open, with top-10 finishes in his last four efforts. He finished second in 2012, suffering heartbreak at Royal Lytham. The Australian also tied for 42nd at Troon in 2004.
5. Sergio Garcia
21 of 25
OWGR: 12
Best of 2016: Maker of 10 of 11 cuts on the PGA Tour this season, Sergio Garcia won the AT&T Byron Nelson in a playoff. He tied for fifth at the U.S. Open in his most recent PGA Tour action and followed that with a fifth-place finish at the BMW International Open.
Why He's Here: He has top-10 finishes in his three most recent starts and top-10 finishes at the last two British Opens. Garcia has never looked like a better bet heading into an Open. It’s only his long-established penchant for being unable to get the job done in majors that keeps him from placing higher.
The Open History: In 19 career appearances, Garcia has made 15 cuts. He tied for sixth last year and finished tied for second at Royal Liverpool in 2014 and has totaled four top-five finishes in the competition. Garcia finished second at Carnoustie in 2007.
4. Jordan Spieth
22 of 25
OWGR: 3
Best of 2016: In 15 PGA Tour starts this season, Jordan Spieth has a pair of wins (Hyundai Tournament of Champions, Dean & Deluca Invitational) and 11 top-25 finishes. He finished tied for second at the Masters in heartbreaking fashion and tied for third at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in his most recent start.
Why He's Here: Spieth comes in at the No. 4 spot bested by golfers who are either hotter at the moment or have better Open Championship records. Despite sensational suggestions he’s slumping, Spieth continues to be a high performer, albeit off his 2015 levels.
The Open History: Spieth has teed it up three times at the Open Championship. He finished tied for 44th in 2013, tied for 36th at Royal Liverpool in 2014 and finished tied for fourth at St. Andrews.
3. Rory McIlroy
23 of 25
OWGR: 4
Best of 2016: After a missed cut at the U.S. Open, Rory McIlroy bounced back with a third-place finish at the Open de France. A winner at the Irish Open, McIlroy has made 10 of 12 cuts on the PGA Tour with five top-10 finishes.
Why He's Here: Something of a forgotten man this season, McIlroy, a comfortable Open performer, enters this year’s competition on the heels of a solid performance with a week off to tune things up further.
The Open History: McIlroy, who was champion in 2014 at Royal Liverpool, has made six of seven cuts with three top-25 finishes.
2. Jason Day
24 of 25
OWGR: 1
Best of 2016: Jason Day has three wins thus far this year, including a victory at The Players. He has also finished inside the top 10 in eight of his 13 starts this season. He tied for eighth at the U.S. Open and third at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in his most recent work.
Why He's Here: Day ought to have won at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in his most recent start but was derailed by a late double bogey. Last year’s showing at St. Andrews suggests he can handle links golf. He's a close second to the guy in the top spot.
The Open History: Day tied for fourth at St. Andrews last year. He made the cut in his four other Open starts but never challenged the top 10.
1. Dustin Johnson
25 of 25
OWGR: 2
Best of 2016: A convincing winner at the U.S. Open and then again at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Dustin Johnson put an exclamation point on a simmering season that has boiled over in recent weeks. Johnson hasn’t missed a cut this year, and he’s notched top-10 finishes in 10 of his 15 starts.
Why He's Here: Johnson is the best golfer in the game right now. He's rested, has a quality Open Championship record and is the easiest choice in this ranking.
The Open History: Johnson came close at Royal St. George's in 2011, ultimately finishing tied for second. He tied for ninth in 2012 and finished tied for 12th at Royal Liverpool in 2014. He tied for 49th at St. Andrews last year.
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