Getting to the top is easy, but staying there? That’s the difficult part. This adage is true for a reason, and when it comes to professional golf, it’s often true.
The consistency shown by the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy is rare. Scheffler has been the world’s No. 1 for the longest time since Tiger Woods, but McIlroy hasn’t fallen out of the world’s top 20 in more than a decade.
It’s truly mind-boggling. That’s not normal. It shouldn’t look so easy.
So it’s no surprise that the rest of the average players who are considered big-time players go through ups and downs over the course of their careers. There are highs and lows, and it is important to avoid reaching extreme levels of either.
In 2025, the highs belonged primarily to Scheffler and McIlroy, which means other prominent names experienced the lows.
Former U.S. Open champion Windham Clark started the year seventh in the Official World Golf Rankings, but finished 41st. The injury bug affected other teams’ campaigns. Jordan Spieth has returned from offseason wrist surgery and is back on track. Saheth Segala sustained a neck injury while playing for TGL, leading to a shaky campaign. Will Zalatoris was forced to take a break after the Tourist Championship in May, but returned after undergoing another back surgery a few weeks ago. These are just a few examples of people who will find themselves in trouble in 2025.
If you stay at the top, it will be even harder to climb back up from where you fell. Which players are best able to regain their place among the world’s elite, and which players may be past the peak of their careers?
2026 recovery candidate
Listed by OWGR
