Then and Now: 2013 Official World Golf Ranking

THE OFFICIAL WORLD GOLF RANKING (OWGR), a points system, is not a perfect measure of golf supremacy on planet Earth, but it’s interesting nonetheless and provides a framework for assessing what happened during this calendar year in this unpredictable game.

So, first, here’s a look at who was on top about 50 weeks ago.

THEN

(Week ending January 6, 2013)

1. Rory McIlroy

2. Luke Donald

3. Tiger Woods

4. Justin Rose

5. Adam Scott

6. Louis Oosthuizen

7. Lee Westwood

8. Brandt Snedeker

9. Bubba Watson

10. Jason Dufner

It seems like so long ago, but Rory was king of the golf world and could seemingly do no wrong. Luke Donald was solid at No. 2. Who knew both were headed for a free fall? Those next three guys on the list (Tiger Woods, Justin Rose and Adam Scott) were destined for great deeds.

Meanwhile, Phil Mickelson was ranked 19th. And no one had a fleeting thought about Henrik Stenson, who started the year at No. 53.

NOW

(Week ending December 18, 2013)

1. Tiger Woods

2. Adam Scott

3. Henrik Stenson

4. Justin Rose

5. Phil Mickelson

6. Rory McIlroy

7. Matt Kuchar

8. Steve Stricker

9. Zach Johnson

10. Sergio Garcia

Tiger, with five wins but no majors, and Scott, capturing his first major and other tournaments, now hold down the top two spots. Stenson, though, is not far behind Scott after a return from golf oblivion. The Swede has been the best player in the world since the U.S. Open.

Justin Rose also won his first major this season, the U.S. Open, and is right where he started in the world rankings: fourth. Lefty has moved into the top five after another heartbreak at the U.S. Open followed by an inspiring breakthrough at the British. There’s Rory at sixth, after a disastrous year on and off the golf course.

Kooch, Stricks, Zach and Sergio round out the “now” top ten.

I guess it was an interesting year in golf, after all.

[Check out the entire Official World Golf Ranking]