Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy will become the new World No 1 on Monday following the completion of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this coming weekend.
The four-time Major winner will replace American Brooks Koepka at the summit of the Official World Golf Rankings despite not one of them even competing in Florida from Thursday onwards.
The complex rankings system favours McIlroy and will move him to the No 1 spot for the first time since 2015.
Last season’s Race to Dubai winner and current World No 3 Jon Rahm had the opportunity to claim pole position this past weekend had he won the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
But, it was not to be as Webb Simpson beat Tony Finau in a playoff, while Rahm finished in T9.
Koepka’s fourth reign as No 1 will end with him having held this position since his win at the PGA Championship last year.
Two lengthy injury lay-offs during that time has knocked him back in terms of adding points to his tally and he only recently returned to action on the European Tour.
McIlroy will now begin his eighth stint at the top of the rankings and be hoping it could kickstart a big year for him after winning the FedEx Cup last year.
