How Scottie Scheffler and Patrick Cantlay can become World No. 1 this week

Scottie Scheffler and Patrick Cantlay both have an opportunity to reach No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking at this week’s The American Express.

Scheffler is trying to return to the top spot, which he held for 30 weeks last year, for the first time since October while Cantlay, a former FedExCup champion, is trying to attain the top spot for the first time.

Scheffler would return to No. 1 if he finishes solo ninth or better this week. However, if Cantlay wins, Scheffler needs to finish solo eighth or better to return to the top spot. Cantlay has the chance to become the 26th No. 1 in the world ranking’s history if he wins and Scheffler finishes worse than solo eighth.

Scheffler is currently No. 2 in the world rankings, while Cantlay is fifth.

Scheffler reached No. 1 in the world with his victory in last March’s World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play, two weeks before he became a major champion at Augusta National.

The Match Play was just Scheffler’s 92nd start as a pro, making him the third-fastest to reach No. 1. Tiger Woods needed just 21 starts as a pro to claim the top spot, while Jordan Spieth did it in 77 pro starts. Scheffler’s rapid rise began in 2019, when he won the Korn Ferry Tour’s Player of the Year award in his first full year as a professional. He was named PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year a year later and the Player of the Year in 2022.

Scheffler was No. 1 in the world until Rory McIlroy supplanted him with a win at THE CJ CUP in South Carolina.

Cantlay has never been ranked higher than No. 3 in the world. He has eight PGA TOUR victories, his last coming with his successful defense of his title at the BMW Championship in August.