The rise in popularity of golf in the US can be attributed in part to the recent legalization and safety measures surrounding sports betting in multiple states, including Illinois. As a result, there has been a noticeable increase in interest and participation in the sport.

Golf rankings serve as a valuable resource for beginners looking to delve into golf betting and experienced bettors seeking an edge in their wagers.

Are you interested in learning about golf rankings and how they can be advantageous to you? You’ve come to the right place. We will explain how these rankings are calculated and how you can utilize this information for betting.

What are golf rankings?

Team-based sports utilize power ratings or power rankings to assess the performance of clubs. These systems can range from simple rankings to more complex analyses of team performance.

Rankings can be used in golf as well. For instance, the futures market or the odds board for an upcoming tournament can give a general ranking of the players participating.

Advanced rankings assign a numerical value to each golfer, ranking them in descending order based on their performance at events. These rankings may fluctuate throughout the season as players improve or decline in their performance.

Top golf ranking systems

There is no one-size-fits-all system for determining golf rankings. Instead, various methods are used to analyze the field as different events occur. Let’s delve into these methods to better understand how they operate.

Official world golf rankings

The Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) were established in 1986 with the main purpose of ranking the best golfers globally by evaluating their performance over a span of two years.

While many top professionals compete in the PGA Tour, others choose to participate in European or other circuits. It can be difficult to compare all of these players, but the OWGR aims to simplify this task by creating a user-friendly ranking system from the data.

In short, golfers earn points based on their tournament performances, which are then averaged out by the number of tournaments they have played. This average ranking determines the overall ranking of the golfer.

Initially seeming simple, the ranking system becomes intricate because events vary in importance. To account for this disparity, major events are prioritized over minor ones in determining the top five on the OWGR.

Golfer	Average	Total Points	Events
Dustin Johnson	12.7638	548.84	43
Jon Rahm	10.2940	514.70	50
Justin Thomas	9.4805	455.06	48
Rory McIlroy	7.5339	361.63	48
Collin Morikawa	7.4156	296.62	40

The rankings are updated weekly, and it is crucial to compare the changes in rankings from the previous week and the same week of the previous year. However, one drawback is that the rankings cover a two-year period, which may not accurately capture current hot or cold streaks.

FedExCup standings

The FedExCup made its debut in the golfing world in 2007 with the goal of providing a playoff system akin to those found in other sports, ultimately determining a clear season champion each year.

During the season, golfers accumulate FedExCup points based on their performance in competitions. Like the OWGR, the FedExCup utilizes a weighted system for each event, awarding higher points for more prestigious tournaments.

The points board is updated following each event, with the playoffs being accessible to the top 125 competitors in the standings. This stage is divided into three tournaments, with the number of participants decreasing after each event. Initially, 70 competitors advance to the next round, and eventually, only the top 30 will move forward.

Since the FedExCup was introduced, two champions have won the title twice. Tiger Woods won in 2007 and 2009, while Rory McIlroy claimed victory in 2016 and 2019. Now let’s take a look at the top positions on the leaderboard.

Rank	Golfer	Events	Points
1	Dustin Johnson	3	950
2	Bryson DeChambeau	3	698
3	Stewart Cink	5	671
4	Patrick Cantlay	5	660
5	Jason Kokrak	5	596

The FedExCup golf rankings provide a helpful summary of events, but it’s important to note that some players compete in more tournaments than others, leading to potential distortions in the early-season standings. This discrepancy typically evens out as the PGA Tour moves into the spring portion of its schedule.

Money leaders

Players compete in various events throughout the season and receive monetary rewards based on their performance. Typically, tournament champions receive the most money, with higher finishes also resulting in higher earnings.

The money leaderboard continuously tracks earnings and can be used for comparing different players and seasons. Generally, the most successful golfers will have the highest earnings. However, it is important to heed a cautionary note.

As the season advances, monitoring the top earners in prize money becomes more accurate. The standard PGA Tour season starts in late year and extends into the summer months.

Although some golfers may begin the season at a slower pace, they typically improve their performance as the season goes on. As a result, the initial rankings may not accurately represent the players’ current abilities. Here are the top five golfers in the current money rankings:

Golfer	Age	Events	Earnings
Dustin Johnson	36	3	$3,117,040
Bryson DeChambeau	27	3	$2,502,850
Jason Kokrak	35	5	$2,008,789
Matthew Wolff	21	5	$2,007,135
Patrick Cantlay	28	5	$1,888,835

It’s important to note that some tour stops have much larger prize pools than others. This means that competitors who excel in these events can quickly climb the leaderboards, even if they haven’t participated in as many events. By keeping this in mind, the money leaderboard can be a valuable tool for research.

Golf power rankings

Different websites provide golf power rankings, also known as power ratings, which can range from simple rankings based on intuition to more complex systems that analyze various factors.

Advanced users are assigned a numerical value for each golfer, similar to the OWGR system. However, unlike the OWGR which mainly looks at tournament finishes, power rankings take into account a range of other factors in their calculations.

One example is Jeff Sagarin, a respected authority in the field who provides rankings for various sports. His power rankings, featured in Golfweek, are determined using a distinct calculation method that considers factors such as records, strokes gained, common opponents, and additional metrics.

The purpose of this ranking system is to assess golfers’ performance throughout the year. Let’s take a look at the top performers based on these rankings. It is worth mentioning that in this system, a lower score is considered better as it is used to showcase potential stroke differences for comparison.

Golfer	Rating	Events
Dustin Johnson	67.60	17
Jon Rahm	67.71	21
Xander Schauffele	67.80	21
Rory McIlroy	68.09	18
Justin Thomas	68.11	20

For example, let’s say you’re looking at Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas for an upcoming event. According to the power rankings, Johnson has a slight edge of about half a stroke. While this isn’t enough to make a final decision, it can be an important factor to consider when making your argument.

How do golf betting odds work?

Sportsbooks release odds for golfers in PGA Tour events, including predictions on winners, high finishers, head-to-head matchups, and various other betting options. Additionally, they offer futures odds for major tournaments such as The Masters.

The main odds board offers a glimpse into the oddsmakers’ view on a golfer’s chances of winning, and by doing some basic calculations, we can determine the potential payout for a winning bet. While these are important aspects to consider, there are still other factors worth exploring.

By taking a step back, you’ll see that odds can be a valuable research tool to help you analyze the field for an upcoming tournament or event. The experts have already put in the effort for you, constantly updating the odds as bettors weigh in.

Placing wagers can affect the odds for different golfers, with some seeing a decrease and others a potential increase. While the market is usually efficient, a crucial part of handicapping involves pinpointing any discrepancies in the numbers. Below are the odds for some top contenders at the Masters tournament.

Golfer	DraftKings Odds	FanDuel Odds
Bryson DeChambeau	+800	+800
Jon Rahm	+900	+1100
Dustin Johnson	+1200	+1200
Rory McIlroy	+1200	+1300
Justin Thomas	+1200	+1400

It is clear that odds differ among different operators and are not consistent. When conducting research, be sure to compare prices by exploring different options. For example, while PointsBet Sportsbook and Caesars by William Hill Sportsbook may share some popular picks, the differences in odds may become more apparent as you examine the full range of options.

Key golf stats to research

If you want a more detailed understanding beyond golf rankings, one way to gather additional information is through exploring statistics. Just like in other sports, golf offers a wide range of statistics that can provide valuable insights into player performance.

In sports, certain statistics hold more weight than others. It’s important to prioritize the data that has the biggest impact on the game and disregard the less relevant information. Focus on the key points that significantly influence the outcome of the game during your research.

• Typically, cuts are made after the second round of a tournament. Those who make the cut are able to continue on to the final two rounds, providing a good measure of how often golfers are successful in making the cut.
• Strokes Gained is a metric used to evaluate a golfer’s performance compared to their peers, and can be analyzed in different aspects of the game, including driving and approach shots.
• Fairways in Regulation: A measure of how accurately golfers hit the fairway with their tee shots.
• Greens in Regulation: This statistic measures how often a golfer successfully reaches the green with the chance to score a birdie or eagle.
• The typical distance a golfer achieves with their tee shots.
• This can be observed in different areas including tee shots, iron play, and putting to assess accuracy.
• Up and Down, also known as scrambling, is when a golfer successfully recovers after missing an approach shot towards the putting green.

It is important to grasp the fundamental principles. Furthermore, there are various iterations of each measurement, as well as a wide range of other statistics to explore. It is essential to emphasize the importance of avoiding the pitfall of over-complicating matters.

Spending excessive time analyzing statistics may not always lead to goal achievement. However, dedicating time to understanding important factors can be beneficial. Utilizing golf statistics can enhance your handicapping skills, as long as you use your time wisely.

How to create a golf ranking system

After familiarizing yourself with various golf ranking systems, you may be interested in developing your own. To take a more advanced approach, consider gathering a range of statistics that you find significant, and then merging them with betting odds and other metrics to produce a distinctive set of rankings.

You have the option to streamline tasks by consolidating data from various systems. Feel free to enter your information into a spreadsheet or take notes on a notepad. The decision is up to you.

Once you have gathered all the data, you have the option to either compare all data points or assign a value to each golfer based on their ranking. Next, factor in the betting odds for the tournament you are looking to analyze.

Here is a potential breakdown of the favorites for an upcoming tournament. Please note that the figures provided are hypothetical and are used for illustrative purposes only.

Golfer	Odds	OWGR	FedEx	Money	Power	Avg.
D. Johnson	+850	1	1	3	1	1.5
J. Rahm	+1100	2	10	2	5	4.75
B. DeChambeau	+1200	7	2	1	2	3.0
B. Koepka	+1400	12	12	8	4	9.0
C. Morikawa	+1600	5	15	6	3	7.25

Rather than relying solely on one rating system, you are gathering multiple data points in order to come to a consensus. After doing so, you compare the golfer’s average rating with the odds for the week to pinpoint potential value opportunities.

While there is no foolproof system for research and handicapping, this approach provides a straightforward method for evaluating event fields. If time is limited and you can’t analyze every golfer, focus on the top-10 or top-20 favorites.

Can golf rankings help with betting?

While they can assist in your handicapping process and decision-making, it is important to remember that there are no guaranteed wins in sports betting in Illinois.

While power rankings can help you quickly grasp the event landscape and future market for important events, it is important to also consider factors such as a golfer’s performance on the specific course and their recent form.

When it comes to golf course performance, certain golfers may shine at one tournament location but struggle at others. Factors such as the venue or course design can play a role in this. Analyzing a golfer’s past performances at a specific event can provide valuable information about their potential success.

Just like athletes in different sports, golfers go through both ups and downs in their recent performances. For example, if a golfer misses the cut in five consecutive games, it may be cause for concern. Conversely, if a golfer finishes in the top 10 in three out of their last four games, it may grab your attention.

Additionally, make sure to keep an eye on the weather forecast, tee times, and player pairings. Once you have gathered all relevant information, compare it to the betting odds displayed on the board. Don’t forget to examine the head-to-head and prop betting opportunities for the week, as the insights from your research may prove valuable in those aspects too.

Although it may take some time to get comfortable with golf betting at first, with patience and dedication, you can quickly overcome the learning curve. The long intervals between events also offer a convenient opportunity for thorough research.

What to remember about golf rankings 

Golf rankings can be used as a valuable resource for predicting the field in upcoming or future events. There are several ranking systems to choose from, and with practice, individuals can even create their own rankings.

Be cautious of rankings like the Official World Golf Rankings, the FedExCup leaderboard, season’s money leaders, and other reputable online systems.

Additionally, you have the option to merge multiple data points with the betting odds to develop your own rudimentary system. While golf rankings can aid in evaluating a tournament field, it is important to remember that they are just one of many factors necessary for successful betting.