While 2018 belonged to fidget spinners, 2023 belongs to rankings. The PGA Tour continued its strong start to the year with the rollout of full-field designated events, and LIV Golf got its second season underway. Last time we left you, Jon Rahm had just usurped Rory McIlroy atop The Power 18 as the Spaniard had won his first two tournaments of the new year at the Tournament of Champions and The American Express.
Fast forward a month and Rahm has widened the gap between himself and the rest of the world as his winning ways have only persisted. While the newly-minted world No. 1 -- in the Official World Golf Rankings, Power 18 Rankings and surely a couple hundred more -- has continued his torrid pace, others such as McIlroy have fallen a bit flat.
With the PGA Tour transitioning from the California Swing to the Florida Swing, players will have the opportunity to rise up the ranks as several designated events are featured in the build up to the year's first major championship at the 2023 Masters.
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
| 1 | |
| With his win at the Genesis Invitational, Rahm became the first player since Johnny Miller in 1975 to claim three titles in a calendar year before March. Since a simple setup adjustment at the BMW Championship, Rahm has averaged +1.25 strokes gained putting per round. The 28-year-old looks unstoppable at the moment, and the scary part is he isn't even driving it all that well for his standards. Previous rank: 1 | |
| 2 | |
| Scheffler at the WM Phoenix Open reminded us he is still a force to be reckoned with. Good for his fifth victory in exactly a year, his triumph in the Arizona desert could well propel him to yet another memorable spring stretch. The putter is cooperating in the early parts of the year and will continue to be key moving forward. He may be second in the rankings, but Scheffler does continue to get the better of Rahm in head-to-head bouts. Previous: 6 | |
| 3 | |
| The man who entered the new year as world No. 1 has struggled in his first two tournament on American soil. After winning the Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour, McIlroy has turned in a pair of forgettable starts. The putter was the main culprit on the West Coast, but don't expect this to continue. His next two starts will come at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship -- two tournaments where he has previously reigned supreme. Previous: 2 | |
| 4 | |
| He stood toe-to-toe with Rahm at the Genesis Invitational before ultimately claiming runner-up honors. Homa has notched five victories over the last two years and appears keen on improving his rather poor major championship résumé this season. With a pair of podium finishes in three designated events and a win at a difficult course like Torrey Pines, the Californian should remain a fixture on leaderboards during this claustrophobic part of the schedule. Previous: 4 | |
| 5 | |
| Morikawa has acquitted himself nicely following his collapse at the Tournament of Championship. Contending at both the Farmers Insurance Open and Genesis Invitational, the two-time major champion is on the cusp of breaking his dry spell. It has been two years since Morikawa has entered the winner's circle on U.S. soil. The good news is that instance came in the state of Florida and both Bay Hill and TPC Sawgrass are ideal for his blend of accurate driving and pinpoint iron play. Previous: 3 | |
| 6 | |
| Finau hasn't fallen outside the top 20 on a leaderboard since early November. His putter has cooled to a simmer since boiling towards the end of his 2022, but his premier ball striking remains. The Florida Swing has been a historically poor spot for Finau; however, perhaps that'll change this season as he arrives a different player compared to years past. Previous: 5 | |
| 7 | |
| The results have been solid, but Schauffele hasn't played himself into contention yet in 2023. His best effort to date came at the WM Phoenix Open where he shot out the gates before stumbling to a T10 finish. His short game may be to blame as he surges with his scoring clubs. Over the last three months, he ranks second only to Rahm in strokes gained approach. Previous: 7 | |
| 8 | |
| It's a good thing the California native found some form at the Genesis Invitational because Florida has stuffed him a locker and taken his lunch money over his career. Cantlay led the field in strokes gained tee to green at Riviera en route to a solo third-place finish and will need this quality to travel across the country if he is to continue his rise up the ranks. He is set to make his Arnold Palmer Invitational debut and will follow it up with an appearance at The Players Championship where he hasn't collected a paycheck since 2018. Previous: 11 | |
| 9 | |
| Zalatoris described his fourth-place finish at the Genesis Invitational as "step two of 10" in his recovery process. This step taken at Riviera also marked the first time since his victory at the FedEx St. Jude Invitational he gained strokes in each area of the bag. With his world class ball striking in tune, the 26-year-old should love his chances to reach steps three, four and five in Florida. Previous: NR | |
| 10 | |
| It is not Smith but rather Day who claims the top spot among Australians. The former world No. 1 is in the midst of a serious resurgence with eight top-21 finishes in his last nine starts including results of T7 at the Farmers Insurance Open, solo fifth at the WM Phoenix Open and T9 at the Genesis Invitational. If Disney World isn't on the mind, Day should threaten the leaderboards at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players as he did in 2016 when he won both. Previous: 18 | |
| 11 | |
| Thomas finally found the top 10 in a full-field event for the first time since the Canadian Open with his solo fourth-place finish at the WM Phoenix Open. He flashed his pristine iron play over the weekend at TPC Scottsdale but remains way too inconsistent. The 29-year-old has been able to get by with a massive effort around-the-green where he ranks first in strokes gained over last 12 months. Unfortunately, over this same period, Thomas finds himself outside the top 20 in the three other strokes-gained categories. Previous: 10 | |
| 12 | |
| This may be too high for the two-time major champion, but he remains a difficult equation to solve given the number of unknowns. He withdrew from the Saudi International with a back injury before a lackluster finish at LIV Golf in Mayakoba. Still, over the last six months, Johnson ranks ahead of names like Morikawa, Day, Viktor Hovland, Sungjae Im and Tom Kim in total strokes gained. IA legitimate bid for major No. 3 is coming in 2023 -- and that would be oh so tasty. Previous: NR | |
| 13 | |
| The wins have yet to match the talent level, but it is not for lack of effort. The Iron Man of the PGA Tour factored at the Farmers Insurance Open and the WM Phoenix Open before headlining at the Honda Classic. Im is in the field for the API, and assuming he competes at The Players, he will have teed it up in eight of nine tournaments in 2023. Let's hope he doesn't drain the fuel tank before Augusta National. Previous: 8 | |
| 14 | |
| Short game woes pulled the carpet from underneath the Norwegian at last year's API. Hovland should have won at Bay Hill, and while he did experience a reprieve from this suffering to end 2022, it returned on the West Coast. The ball striking will continue to carry Hovland to the first and second pages of leaderboards, but if he expects to win in the United States, his chipping and bunker play must improve. Previous: 12 | |
| 15 | |
| It was always going to be tough to follow a career year with another for the Aussie. Smith has struggled since his victory at the Australian PGA Championship as he missed the cut at both the Australian Open and Saudi International. It looks like he got his feet back underneath him with a T5 finish in Mayakoba, but even he would love to flash a bit more form before The Masters where he alway seems to factor. Previous: 14 | |
| 16 | |
| Regression was inevitable for Kim. After nabbing two early wins in his career, the 20-year-old is now facing the big boys on a more consistent basis -- and the results show. He didn't find the top 40 at either the WM Phoenix Open or the Genesis Invitational as his ball striking dipped ever so slightly. These struggles may continue at Bay Hill, but don't be surprised if he finds himself in the mix at TPC Sawgrass where his caddie, Joe Skovron, won in 2015. Previous: 9 | |
| 17 | |
| Since jumping to LIV, Niemann has collected five top-10 finishes in seven worldwide starts. Set to play in Tucson and Orlando in his lead up to the 2023 Masters, the 24-year-old will have plenty of competitive reps under his belt to feel comfortable around Augusta National. The Chilean remains a top talent but will need strong major showings to secure his place in future championships given the current landscape. Previous: 17 | |
| 18 | |
| This marks Theegala's first appearance in The Power 18 as he continues to pop up on leaderboards. In 11 starts this season, the Pepperdine product has produced five top-six finishes including most recently at the Genesis Invitational. His upside is undeniable, and as his career progresses, his floor will rise. He has gained over eight strokes on approach in two of his last three starts. Previous: NR | |
