SI World Golf Rankings: Viktor Hovland's Bold Statement

Hovland scorched Olympia Fields on Sunday and made a move in this week's SI World Golf Rankings. See how high he climbed in our latest list.

Jeff Ritter | Aug 21, 2023

SI World Golf Rankings: Viktor Hovland's Bold Statement /

Viktor Hovland caught fire Sunday at the BMW Championship, and in addition to scorching Olympia Fields with a course-record 61, Hovland won the event and made a move in this week’s Sports Illustrated World Golf Rankings, our proprietary, data-driven list of the top 100 men’s golfers in the world right now. Hovland is up two spots this week to a career-best No. 4.

Hovland is another an example of the how SIWGR emphasizes current form in its calculations. Here’s how we run our numbers. (Hovland is currently No. 5 in the Official Golf World Rankings.)

Hovland has already locked up a spot on the European Ryder Cup roster, but both U.S. captain Zach Johnson and European captain Luke Donald will soon make six at-large selections to fill out their teams. If you’re curious how the SIWGR would advise Johnson to make his six U.S. picks, we ran those numbers this week.

Here's a closer look at the risers and fallers in this week’s Sports Illustrated World Golf Rankings. Look for more movement next Monday at the conclusion of the Tour Championship.

3 Risers in the SI World Golf Rankings

Viktor Hovland - Up 2 Spots

This Week: 4

Last Week: 6

Skinny: Not much higher for the young Norwegian left to climb, but he indeed leveled up with his statement win at the BMW. Suddenly a good bet at East Lake and perhaps the last person a U.S. Ryder Cupper would want to face next month in Rome.

Matt Fitzpatrick - Up 9 Spots

Matt Fitzpatrick hits a bunker shot in the first round of the 2023 U.S. Open. — Lindsey Wasson/AP

This Week: 16

Last Week: 25

Skinny: T2 at the BMW Championship while hanging in all afternoon. Has had an uneven summer but may be finding form just in time for Rome.

Adam Svensson - Up 5 Spots

Adam Svensson hits his fairway shot on the fourth hole during the second round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions. — Kyle Terada/USA TODAY Sports

This Week: 71

Last Week: 76

Skinny: Didn’t make the top 30 to earn a spot at East Lake but gave it a run with a T15 at the BMW.

3 Fallers in the Latest SI World Golf Rankings

Kurt Kitayama - Down 5 Spots

Kurt Kitayama watches a shot at the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational. — Reinhold Matay/USA TODAY Sports

This Week: 26

Last Week: 21

Skinny: The man known to his buddies as “Quadzilla” is about as streaky as they come. Didn’t have it last week while finishing T41 out of 50 players to whiff on a spot at East Lake.

Sepp Straka - Down 5 Spots

This Week: 27

Last Week: 22

Skinny: Squeaked into East Lake as the 30th man in the field after a Sunday 66 was just enough to extend his season. Still finished T37 in the event and almost played himself out of it.

Adam Scott - Down 9 Spots

Adam Scott watches a shot at the 2023 British Open at Royal Liverpool. — Peter Morrison/AP

This Week: 61

Last Week: 52

Skinny: Failed to qualify for the playoffs after finishing just outside the FedEx top 70. Second straight week of inaction while his peers continue to play accelerates his decline.

Published Aug 21, 2023

JEFF RITTER

Jeff Ritter is the managing director of SI Golf. He has more than 20 years of sports media experience, and previously was the general manager at the Morning Read, where he led that business's growth and joined SI as part of an acquisition in 2022. Earlier in his career he spent more than a decade at SI and Golf Magazine, and his journalism awards include a MIN Magazine Award and an Edward R. Murrow Award for sports reporting. He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and a master's from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.