Can Scottie Scheffler reclaim world No. 1 spot from Jon Rahm at PGA Championship 2023?

Scottie Scheffler vs. Jon Rahm (Images via Getty)
Scottie Scheffler vs. Jon Rahm (Images via Getty)

The 2023 PGA Championship is through with two rounds, and the Oak Hill Country Club course has not been kind to all. World No. 2 Scottie Scheffler currently holds the lead alongside Viktor Hovland and Corey Conners with five under par. Jon Rahm, on the other hand, is T48 after a rough round left him with a four over par.

Scottie Scheffler can regain his World No. 1 title if he wins the PGA Championship this weekend. If Scheffler were to come second, Rahm would have to finish worse than fourth alone for the former to take back World No. 1. If Rahm were to finish 12th or worse alone, then Scheffler has the luxury of finishing third and taking the top spot on the OWGR board.

Finally, if Scheffler were to finish fourth, then Jon Rahm would have to finish T48 with one other golfer, which is where he currently sits. The Oak Hill Country Club course has not been kind to many, with just a handful of golfers managing to stay under par.

Scottie Scheffler finished his first round with a 67 and stayed consistent, finishing his second round with a 68. Jon Rahm, on the other hand, had a tough time in round one, carding 76. However, he came back stronger for round two, finishing with a 68.


Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm's tussle for World No. 1 ahead of the PGA Championship

Scottie Scheffler (L) and Jon Rahm (R)
Scottie Scheffler (L) and Jon Rahm (R)

Scheffler and Rahm came into the PGA Championship as the top favorites, followed by Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, and Jordan Spieth.

As of this year, Scottie Scheffler has spent five weeks at the top of the OWGR points board. His spot was taken by Jon Rahm, who has held it for nine weeks.

Rahm started his year off strong with back-to-back wins at the Tournament of Champions and the American Express Tournament. His win at the Genesis Open at Riviera earned him the World No. 1 title. His crowning moment came at the 2023 Masters, where he beat Brooks Koepka in a tight finish to earn a green jacket.

Scottie Scheffler took his first win of the year at the Phoenix Open, followed by a spectacular win at the Players. After finishing T10 at the 2023 Masters, Scheffler will be in search of his first major win of the year.

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