Golf's World Ranking Fueled Global Growth

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The Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia this week highlighted the global growth of golf, with 68-year-old German golfer Bernhard Langer serving as a living symbol of the sport's worldwide reach. The establishment of the Official World Golf Ranking in the 1980s is credited with driving golf's international expansion by providing a standardized metric for comparing players across different tours and regions.

Why it matters

The Masters, one of golf's most prestigious major championships, has historically been dominated by American players. But the rise of the World Ranking has allowed international golfers like Langer to compete at the highest levels of the sport, broadening the global appeal and participation in golf.

The details

The Official World Golf Ranking was established in 1986 to provide a consistent way to measure and compare the performance of professional golfers around the world. Prior to the ranking system, golfers primarily competed on regional tours, making it difficult to assess their relative skill levels. The World Ranking allowed players from different tours and countries to be evaluated on a level playing field, opening up new opportunities for international talent to gain recognition and access to major tournaments like the Masters.

• The Official World Golf Ranking was established in 1986.
• Bernhard Langer, a 68-year-old German golfer, competed in the 2026 Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia.