Most weeks as world number one in golf

Since the official world golf rankings were established in 1986, a total of 25 golfers have occupied number one spot.

Rankings are calculated each week based on finishing positions at individual tournaments over a two-year period across various golf tours around the world.

Bernhard Langer was golf's first official number one in April 1986 before being swiftly overtaken by fellow European Seve Ballesteros. Ballesteros and Australian Greg Norman frequently swapped places as number one throughout the late-80s with Nick Faldo taking the mantle in 1990.

Tiger Woods began the first of his record-equalling 11 stints as number one in 1997, being deposed by Ernie Els a week later. Woods's record 264 consecutive weeks as world number one finally came to an end in September 2004, five years after reaching the summit, only to reclaim his place less than a year later, when he'd go on to break his own record with 281 straight weeks at the top.

To this date, Woods and Scottie Scheffler are the only golfers to have spent 100 consecutive weeks as world number one, and only Woods, Norman, Scheffler, Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy have spent 100 total weeks at the top.

Most weeks as world number one in golf (total)

Player	Weeks as number one
Tiger Woods	683
Greg Norman	331
Scottie Scheffler	160*
Dustin Johnson	135
Rory McIlroy	122
Nick Faldo	97
Seve Ballesteros	61
Luke Donald	56
Jon Rahm	52
Jason Day	51
Ian Woosnam	50

*Correct as of 9th October 2025.

Most weeks as world number one in golf (consecutive)

Player	Weeks as number one	Reign
Tiger Woods	281	Jun 2005-Oct 2010
Tiger Woods	264	Aug 1999-Sep 2004
Scottie Scheffler	125*	May 2023-
Greg Norman	96	Jun 1995-Apr 1997
Nick Faldo	81	Jul 1992-Feb 1994
Dustin Johnson	64	Deb 2017-May 2018
Greg Norman	62	Feb 2017-May 2018
Tiger Woods	60	Mar 2013 - May 2014
Greg Norman	54	Aug 1989-Sep 1990
Rory McIlroy	54	Aug 2014-Aug 2015
Ian Woosnam	50	Apr 1991-Mar 1992

*Correct as of 9th October 2025.