The 2021-22 PGA Tour season has come and gone in the blink of an eye and with it many players have changed the trajectory of their careers. World no. 1 Scottie Scheffler began the season without a win to his name and, after a torrid spring that included donning the green jacket at the 2022 Masters, has ascended into being one of the premier players in the game.
The same goes for the man who immediately follows him in the Official World Golf Rankings as Cameron Smith captured not only the Players Championship but also The 150th Open at St. Andrews. Utilizing a blend of pinpoint accuracy with his irons and his unmatched putting stroke, the Australian has forever been etched into the history books.
Tony Finau, Xander Schauffele, Sam Burns, Max Homa, Hideki Matsuyama and Patrick Cantlay all check in as multiple-time winners as well as each enjoyed periods of play where they were untouchable. However, in the end, the man who entered the FedEx Cup Playoffs as the No. 1 player in The Power 18 Rankings will end the season in the same position.
Rory McIlroy was able to pull off the improbable at the 2022 Tour Championship and track down Scheffler after falling as many as 10 strokes behind. In a year as hectic as this past one was — both on and off the golf course — it was McIlroy who rose above the rest.
The Power 18 provides insight as to how golfers are currently performing with benefits 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
Cameron Smith is officially joining LIV Golf. Rick Gehman and Kyle Porter discuss what this means for the PGA Tour. Follow & listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.