The PGA Tour has held seven tournaments so far this year. It all started with the Sentry back in the first week of January, followed by the Sony Open, American Express, Farmers, AT&T Pebble Beach, Phoenix Open and Genesis Invitational. An analysis of the first winners of 2024 leads us to a very striking conclusion: only once in history since the world ranking has existed has a similar start to the year been seen on the American circuit. It’s been 37 years…
It turns out that of the seven champions we have already had, only one of them was within the top 50 in the world at the time of winning the tournament. A meagre balance to say the least. To wit:
– Sentry: Chris Kirk: 52nd place
– Sony Open: Grayson Murray: 132nd
– American Express: Nick Dunlap: 4,129th
– Matthieu Pavon: 78th
– Wyndham Clark: 10th
– Nick Taylor: 55th
– Hideki Matsuyama: 55th.
At first glance, the data is striking, but it becomes unique when compared to what has happened throughout history. We have reviewed all the beginnings of the year of the PGA Tour since 1987, the first full year of the world ranking, as the great classification started in May 1986. Well, only in 2011 was what happened this year repeated, that is, that among the first seven winners only one was in the top 50 in the world. To wit:
– Jonathan Byrd: 121st
– Mark Wilson: 237th
– Jhonattan Vegas: 187th
– Bubba Watson: 33rd
– Mark Wilson: 91st
– D.A. Points: 167th
– Aaron Baddeley: 224th
The forcefulness of the data is absolute, since beyond these two years, where there was only one top 50 champion, only on three other occasions was the figure two, in 1987, 1993 and 1994. From there, the most repeated number is four top 50 champions, up to 14 times. There were five nine times, six in two years and seven in another two. The two full houses were in 2003 and 2005.
2003: Stuart Appleby (14), Vijay Singh (1), Tiger Woods (2), Justin Leonard (40), Phil Mickelson (5), Phil Mickelson (4) and Adam Scott (12).
2005: Ernie Els (3), Ernie Els (2), Vijay Singh (7), Mike Weir (39), Davis Love III (10), Tiger Woods (1) and Mike Weir (15).
The first conclusion from this interesting data is obvious: the world’s best have started 2024 somewhat leisurely, far from what happened, just last year. At this point, Jon Rahm had already won three times, Scottie Scheffler another and Max Homa one more. Who knows if all the fuss about the possible agreement or not between the PGA Tour and the PIF has the main swords a bit distracted. It could be. Another conclusion is that each passing year equality is greater in the world of golf. The third conclusion could perfectly be that it is a mere, albeit curious, coincidence.
The reality is that none seem particularly well-oiled, beyond Rory McIlroy‘s triumph in Dubai, and as they say the Masters is just around the corner. We are exactly halfway since 2024 began. Top gentlemen, it’s time to start getting your act together.
By the way, Nick Dunlap has the honour of being the winner of one of the first seven tournaments of the year of the PGA Tour with the highest world ranking. By far. The next in this classification is Garrett Willis, who won in Arizona in 2001 the second tournament of the year being the 746th in the world ranking.
Another curious fact: it’s been a lustrum since the World Number One has not won one of the first seven tournaments of the year of the PGA Tour. The last one was Justin Rose in 2019. In the history of the world ranking, up to twelve times the Number One won one of the first seven. Of course, the one who repeated the most was Tiger Woods, who achieved it on seven occasions, including the year 2000, where he added two victories in those seven attempts as Number One. In addition to Rose and Tiger, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Vijay Singh and Greg Norman have achieved it.
