List of world number one male golfers

A total of 25 different golfers from ten countries spanning four continents have been ranked world number one.

Five countries; the United States, England, Australia, Spain and Germany have had multiple world number ones.

Four golfers have spent one or more entire calendar years atop the rankings: Nick Faldo (1993), Greg Norman (1996), Woods (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009), and Scheffler (2024).

Lee Westwood and Luke Donald are the only world number one golfers to have not won a major championship.

McCormack's rankings listed Jack Nicklaus as the number one from 1968 to 1977, Tom Watson from 1978 to 1982 and Seve Ballesteros from 1983 to 1985.

Tiger Woods with his club behind his after after finishing his swing.
Tiger Woods , the record holder of most weeks spent as world No. 1.
Bernard Langer crouched down to analyze a shot.
Bernhard Langer was the first golfer to be ranked world No. 1.
Professional headshot of Greg Norman.
Greg Norman spent the most weeks atop of the world rankings in both the 1980s and 1990s.
Nick Faldo headshot.
Nick Faldo is one of only four players to have held the world No. 1 ranking for an entire calendar year, doing so in 1993.
Vijay Singh walking.
Vijay Singh was the only golfer other than Woods to be ranked world No. 1 in the 2000s.
Duston Johnson just after completing a drive
Dustin Johnson 's 135 weeks spent atop the world rankings are the 3rd most of all time.
Rory McIlroy looking at his club.
Rory McIlroy was the world No. 1 for 95 weeks in the 2010s, the most of any golfer.