Open Championship 2025: Top 25 Player Rankings

1. Scottie Scheffler

Predicting Scheffler`s performance in any major is almost redundant; he simply has the ability to overpower the field like no one else. The key interest this week lies in seeing how the three-time major winner translates his dominant form from the US to the distinctive challenge of links golf overseas.

Scheffler recently finished tied for eighth at the Scottish Open. His record at The Open has been relatively inconsistent compared to other majors. In four previous appearances, his best results were a tie for seventh last year and a tie for eighth in his 2021 debut, with two finishes outside the top 20 in between. Since 2021, when he began playing all four majors, The Open is the only one where he has finished outside the top 20 more than once in 19 starts. Nevertheless, it`s highly probable the world`s best player will be a strong contender this week.

2. Jon Rahm

Jon Rahm has been steadily improving throughout the year. Beyond his numerous top-10 finishes on the LIV Tour, his performances in the major championships have been particularly noteworthy. Since finishing tied for seventh at last year`s Open Championship at Royal Troon, Rahm`s game has evidently strengthened.

He finished 14th at the Masters and was in contention on the back nine at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. While he couldn`t overtake Scheffler, his determined play there and his tie for seventh at Oakmont felt characteristic of Rahm. Known for his intense competitive drive and holding a prominent place in European golf history, it seems fitting that he should have a Claret Jug to his name. Given his recent form, Portrush appears to be an ideal venue for him to potentially achieve that goal.

3. Rory McIlroy

The Open is back in McIlroy`s native Northern Ireland, raising expectations that he *should* be in contention for his sixth major title. This was also the hope in 2019 when Portrush last hosted, but McIlroy famously hit his opening tee shot out of bounds and missed the cut, ending a highly anticipated week anticlimactically.

Much has changed since then; McIlroy has won a green jacket and completed the career grand slam. However, his performance has been somewhat subdued since his historic Masters win in April. He has spoken openly about finding motivation challenging but acknowledges that playing this specific tournament in Northern Ireland could provide the necessary spark. That spark might have ignited early, as he delivered some of his best golf since the Masters at the Scottish Open last week, with rounds of 68-65-66-68 leading to a tie for second place.

4. Bryson DeChambeau

Just as his strategic approach to Augusta National draws attention, Bryson DeChambeau`s game translates, or perhaps doesn`t translate, to links golf is always fascinating. In seven previous Open appearances, he has only one top-10 finish (Royal Liverpool in 2022) and has missed the cut three times, including last year at Royal Troon.

Anything is possible for the two-time U.S. Open winner this week. It wouldn`t be surprising if DeChambeau found his approach game and relied on his short game to secure a dominant victory at Portrush. Conversely, it`s equally plausible he could struggle with keeping his shots in play under challenging conditions and miss the cut. While links golf doesn`t naturally favor DeChambeau`s style, watching him attempt to master it is highly compelling.

5. Xander Schauffele

The reigning champion is ranked here at No. 5 primarily because he has had a relatively quiet season following his two major wins last year. After recovering from a rib injury early in the year, Schauffele took some time off and has been working to regain his peak form. He has recorded only one top-10 finish this season. His strong approach play (ranking in the top 10 in strokes gained on tour) has been a highlight in what has been an unusually inconsistent year for his driving, short game, and putting.

Schauffele`s remarkable consistency, one of his greatest strengths, was key to his comeback victory last year at Troon. This same quality will likely be crucial again this week at Portrush.

6. Shane Lowry

Ranking Lowry this high might seem ambitious, but his memorable six-shot victory at Royal Portrush in 2019 was heavily influenced by the emotional energy of playing in a region he knows intimately. The enthusiastic support he will receive from the home crowd at a venue where he has already triumphed should provide a significant boost to his prospects this week.

Like McIlroy, Lowry will be a crowd favorite. Although his form in majors this year hasn`t been strong (two missed cuts and a tie for 42nd at the Masters), he has four top-10 finishes on the regular tour. It would not be surprising if he performs exceptionally well at Portrush once more.

7. Viktor Hovland

Predicting Viktor Hovland`s performance in a major is quite unpredictable these days. He might express concerns about his swing and quest for the perfect feel in press conferences, only to end up contending, as he did at Oakmont last month, finishing third with a genuine chance to win on the back nine.

Earlier this year, Hovland missed three consecutive cuts, but shortly after, he won the Valspar Championship. Last year, he finished third at the PGA Championship but missed the cut at the other three majors, including The Open. Similar to DeChambeau, Hovland possesses the talent to win this week, but the variance between his best and worst performances is as wide as anyone near the top of this list.

8. Collin Morikawa

Few players globally are striking the ball as effectively as Collin Morikawa has this season. His ball-striking remains world-class. Despite having four top-10 finishes this year, he hasn`t managed to secure a win since the 2023 Zozo Championship.

Morikawa is a former Open champion, having won at Royal St. George`s in 2021. While his overall game has improved since then, he seems to struggle with consistently putting together four strong rounds in top tournaments. This year, he was 14th at the Masters but finished tied for 50th at the PGA Championship and tied for 23rd at the U.S. Open. Theoretically, a course like Portrush, which rewards iron play and accuracy off the tee, should suit him well for contention. His putting, however (currently 99th on tour this season), will significantly influence how high he can climb the leaderboard.

9. Ludvig Åberg

Following his victory at this year`s Genesis Invitational, Ludvig Åberg became a major talking point in golf. Since then, however, he has experienced a slight downturn, missing four cuts (including at the PGA and U.S. Open) and achieving only one top-10 finish (seventh place at the Masters). Despite this, Åberg is quietly regaining form. At the Scottish Open last week, he showed signs of his potential, finishing tied for eighth. It wouldn`t be surprising to see him enter the mix at Portrush this week and remain a contender through Sunday.

10. Tommy Fleetwood

Could this finally be Tommy Fleetwood`s week? He has come agonizingly close to winning not just a major but any significant tournament outside the DP World Tour in recent years. Fleetwood`s game, particularly his exceptional ball-striking, appears ideally suited for The Open Championship, and Portrush, in particular, should play to his strengths. Although he missed the cut at Troon last year, he finished inside the top 10 in his two Open appearances prior to that.

11. Tyrrell Hatton

Tyrrell Hatton could arguably be ranked higher. His tied for fourth finish at Oakmont was highly impressive, representing his best-ever major result. It feels like he is progressively becoming more of a factor during the weekends of major championships (he has two top-15 finishes at Augusta in the last two years).

However, it`s difficult to overlook the challenge that Hatton`s emotional responses to poor shots or bad luck might face on a challenging links course like Portrush. Regardless, watching his attempt this week will be entertaining.

12. Robert MacIntyre

Robert MacIntyre`s performance at Oakmont was truly impressive; he handled the difficult conditions and Sunday`s delay masterfully, carding a 2-under round to briefly hold the clubhouse lead and nearly force a playoff with Spaun. MacIntyre is exceptionally comfortable in this region and on links courses. Despite missing the cut at the Scottish Open last week, he possesses the game required to contend at Portrush.

13. Russell Henley

Russell Henley typically excels at venues where ball-striking and accuracy are prioritized over driving distance, and with good reason. He ranks among the top 10 players in strokes gained and has secured eight top-10 finishes along with one win this season. In majors, however, Henley has struggled, missing the cut at both the Masters and the PGA Championship. His top-10 finish at Oakmont felt more representative of his capabilities. He arrives at Portrush following a fifth-place finish at Troon last year.

14. Brooks Koepka

Assessing Brooks Koepka`s current form is challenging. While he showed glimpses of his previous dominance at Oakmont and discussed overcoming struggles with his swing, he subsequently withdrew from a LIV event and finished tied for 32nd in his most recent tournament. If conditions at Portrush become severe, Koepka might thrive, but his game may not be sharp enough currently to mount a serious challenge.

15. Joaquín Niemann

Joaquín Niemann probably deserves a higher ranking, but despite his continued success on the LIV Tour (four wins this season), his results in major championships consistently fall short of expectations. Even after finally achieving his first major top-10 finish at the PGA Championship this year, he followed it with a missed cut at Oakmont.

16. Justin Thomas

Justin Thomas and The Open Championship historically haven`t been a great pairing. In eight appearances at this event, Thomas has missed three cuts and never finished within the top 10. For a positive sign, his best Open finish came at Portrush in 2019, where he played all four rounds at even par or better. He will be aiming to replicate that performance on the Dunluce course this week.

17. Matt Fitzpatrick

Matt Fitzpatrick`s current form is difficult to gauge. He hasn`t won on tour since 2023 and hasn`t been a significant factor in majors since his 2022 U.S. Open win. However, he has shown promising signs heading into this week with an eighth-place finish at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and a strong fourth-place finish at the Scottish Open last week.

18. Jordan Spieth

Speaking of players whose performance is hard to predict, here is Jordan Spieth. It`s challenging to envision him winning this week, but despite his sometimes inconsistent play, Spieth has four top-10 finishes this season and has missed only two cuts. Last year, these numbers were three top-10s and seven missed cuts, indicating some improvement.

19. Justin Rose

It`s worth remembering that Justin Rose had a genuine chance to win The Open last year at Troon, ultimately finishing tied for second. Rose`s season has been a mixed bag, including taking McIlroy to a playoff at Augusta but missing three of his last four cuts, including the PGA and U.S. Open. Despite being 44, he has proven he can still contend, and The Open might represent his best opportunity to secure a second major title.

20. Corey Conners

Like Henley, Corey Conners` primary strength is his exceptional ball-striking, a skill well-suited to links golf courses like Portrush. He hasn`t quite elevated his game enough yet to truly compete for major championships (his best finish is sixth place at the 2022 Masters). However, as seen with Brian Harman in 2022, The Open has a history of producing unexpected winners who simply keep the ball in play effectively throughout the week. Conners could certainly be that player.

21. J.J. Spaun

Following his U.S. Open victory at Oakmont, J.J. Spaun`s career trajectory has changed. Repeating that competitive performance at another major championship might be a tall order, especially since this week marks Spaun`s debut appearance in The Open.

22. Ben Griffin

How could Ben Griffin not be included? The 29-year-old has been one of the standout players on tour this season, achieving two victories and accumulating eight top-10 finishes. Griffin hasn`t had much luck at The Open in the past, missing the cut in both of his previous attempts, but he is clearly playing at a significantly higher level this year.

23. Keegan Bradley

Five top-10 finishes, a top-10 result in a major, and a PGA Tour win define Keegan Bradley`s season so far. Speculation about him potentially serving as a playing captain at the Ryder Cup is already intense. While he may not need it, a strong finish or even an unlikely victory at Portrush would undoubtedly solidify his case.

24. Sepp Straka

In contrast to Koepka, Sepp Straka has built a reputation for excelling in regular PGA Tour events but continues to face challenges on golf`s biggest stages. Like Griffin, he has two wins and five top-10s this season, but he has missed the cut at the Masters, the PGA Championship, and the U.S. Open.

25. Hideki Matsuyama

Hideki Matsuyama`s best result at The Open Championship was a tied for sixth finish in his debut appearance at Muirfield in 2013. Can Matsuyama win? Certainly. However, it would require a significant turnaround in form for a player who hasn`t recorded a top-10 finish this year outside of his victory at The Sentry tournament.