News

Top of the Heap

Published

14 years ago

Mar 4, 2012

Dennis de Jesus Jr.

By Dennis de Jesus Jr.

GolfWRX Contributor

Since late 2010, the world’s No. 1 position has changed a handful of times, giving golf’s most accomplished tour players not named after a zoo animal bragging rights as the best player in the world. For the casual fan, the race for the top may not be as exciting since names like Kaymer, Westwood and Donald might not hold much attention. But let’s be honest, we were spoiled for many years knowing without the need of official statistics and rankings who the number one golfer in the world was (the one named after the zoo animal).

But it looks like casual interest in that top spot will increase again. With his victory at The Honda Classic, Rory McIlroy is the newest King of the Hill and at the age of 22, the second youngest to ever hold the position (Tiger Woods was 21). It is another notch in the young Northern Irishman’s career, who many believe to be golf’s next great megastar. And the youth movement doesn’t stop there – players like Hunter Mahan, Dustin Johnson and Jason Day all hope to make a case for the top spot in the coming years while seasoned veterans like Steve Stricker, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood still remain within close reach of No. 1.

Here is a reminder of who has held the top spot in World Golf Rankings since 2005:

Tiger Woods (Jun 2005 – Oct 2010) 281 weeks
Lee Westwood (Oct 2010 – Feb 2011) 17 weeks
Martin Kaymer (Feb 2011 – Apr 2011) 8 weeks
Lee Westwood (Apr 2011 – May 2011) 5 weeks
Luke Donald (May 2011 – Mar 2012) 40 weeks
Rory McIlroy (Mar 2012 – present)

Obviously, Tiger Woods was the man for many years and in fact held the spot for a large percentage of time from 1998-2005 as well. He literally dominated the game and had the stats and tournament earnings to prove it. Much of the rankings discussion during those years defaulted to the race for No. 2, because unseating Tiger was always a difficult challenge anyways, almost as if it was the fifth major. As a fan, it would be something to say that he remained at the top through the twilight of his PGA career, but we all know that would be near impossible and there would be a time when a hungry younger generation (many of whom have modeled their game after Tiger to some degree) needed to make some noise themselves. Perhaps Rory’s climb to the top is just the start of this new wave.

We may not statistically see Tiger at the top anymore, but I don’t think it really matters – letting the game grow through a young, high-profile player like Rory can definitely build the fanbase and maybe give the next generation of young amateur golfers a genuine and strong role model to look up to, much like Jack did for Tiger and what Tiger has done for Rory.

Click here for more discussion in the “Tour Talk” forum.

Read more from Dennis at www.dennisdejesusjr.com
Or follow him on twitter @jugojr

News

GolfWRX’s Father’s Day Gift Guide (2026)

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

A reminder from your friends at GolfWRX: Father’s Day is June 21. And as we do every year, we’re rounding up the best gifts for dad.

As we say every year, there’s no better golf-related Father’s Day gift than a round of golf with pops. Be it a country club or your favorite muni, take the time to get together to play 18 if you can.

Let’s get to the gifts.

Ghost Golf Qualifier Diamond Polo

We like the new polos that Ghost is offering, as the fabric and fit are so good. These new Qualifier Collection polos breathe well, are lightweight, stretch with your swing, and of course look great. You can wear them on the course, in the office, or just out at a casual event and they will fit right in.

Buy here.

STR8-Strip Grip Tape Remover

If your dad is an equipment aficionado and tinkers with his clubs, this tool works wonders. Removing grip tape has never been easier, just put a little head on the tape and the STR8-Strip peals it right off the shaft without any damage.

Buy here.

Why Golf: Putting Thing

When it comes to practice, it is good to have a purpose. This “Putting Thing” sure does it. We know from personal experience how challenging it can be and how rewarding it is on the practice green. This also provides some competition for your kiddo to see who will unload the dishwasher or do the next chore around the house.

Buy here.

OluKai Lae‘ahi Men’s Breathable Slip-On Shoes

Riding to and from the course in style and comfort is always a good thing. If you’re in a hurry, it’s a nice feature to slide into your shoes and get to the tee time. For the post-game shoe, at your locker or while putting your clubs away in the car. Nice to slide into a shoe that looks good anywhere. Pair that with meeting the family for dinner, no need to change!

Buy here.

Therabody Theragun Relief

A little wellness goes a long way. Keeping loose is a good way to go when it comes to the weekend game or treatment during the week. If there is a little ache or pain, the Theragun is there to help out. Help loosen up the back for a pre-game warm-up or cool-down.

Buy here.

World Cup golf apparel

Something for the soccer dads. Embrace the World Cup fever this summer on the course with custom gear to support the nation of your choice.

Buy here.

FootJoy Pro SL spikeless golf shoes

Give the old man a break and save his feet with the Footjoy Pro SL Men’s Spikeless Golf Shoes for some added comfort on the course.

Buy here.

Bushnell Wingman 2 GPS speaker

Combine all the hits as well as some game improvement with the Wingman 2 Golf GPS Speaker by getting audible distance readings from 38,000+ courses worldwide through the Wingman 2 remote or speaker.

Buy here.

Personalized Titleist Pro V1 golf balls

The No. 1 ball in golf is a safe bet, and the Pro V1 fits the largest chunk of the bell curve if you don’t know what ball pops plays. Add personalization for a, well, personal touch!

Buy here.

GolfWRX may earn a commission for purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 OccuNet Classic

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

With the PGA Tour across the border in Canada this week, GolfWRX Tour Photographer Greg Moore stayed stateside and headed to the OccuNet Classic presented by Amarillo National Bank in Amarillo, Texas.

It’s always interesting to see what the guys are playing on the KFT, and this week certainly hasn’t disappointed so far, with some incredible wedge stamping on display.

Check out links to all our albums below.

General Albums

2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT) – Monday #1

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Luke Potter’s custom Cameron putter – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)

News

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: Scotty Cameron GOLO 6 with BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

Will Schube

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @HuskerFlyer is sharing a Scotty Cameron GOLO with a BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition shaft. While the putter is certainly enviable, the Augusta-inspired shaft is equally noteworthy.

From the listing:

Scotty Cameron Golo 6 with BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition Scotty Headcover 34″ $375

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules.