The DP World Tour and PGA Tour returned earlier this week and with it came a sense of normality. I think it’s fair to say that blurry period after Christmas where nobody knows what day it is has well and truly passed. It’s also too late to say Happy New Year to someone.
Irish golf was front and centre in many of the big golfing stories of last year and fans should be hopeful of widespread success this year. But just how do we fare rankings wise?
Currently, Irish golf boasts one player in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings, two in the top-50 and three inside the top-100.
In the Rolex Rankings we have two women in the top-200 after Leona Maguire recently fell outside the top-100.
Rory McIlroy: World number 2
As expected, Rory McIroy leads the way for Irish golf. The world number two and grand slam champion will be looking to close the gap to Scottie Scheffler and perhaps overtake him and reach the top of the world for the tenth time.
There is a sizeable gap between McIlroy and Scheffler so the five-time major winner will need to add to his tally this year.
Shane Lowry: World number 26
Although a first win since 2022 eluded Shane Lowry once again, he did reach a career-high 10th in the world after a runner-up finish at the Truist Championship – an event he should have won.
At 26, Lowry is in a good spot and won’t be looking over his shoulder at the top-50 and will be aiming to push his way towards the top-10 again especially if he can win the Dubai Invitational this weekend.
Tom McKibbin: World number 74
Tom McKibbin ended his rookie season on LIV Golf the fourth highest ranked player from the Saudi backed circuit.
It was a superb year for the 23-year-old who clinched his second tour win at the Hong Kong Open which punched his ticket to the Masters and Open Championship.
Seamus Power: World number 163
Once ranked inside the top-30 in the world. Seamus Power’s last two seasons were dogged by injury but heading into 2026 he seems to be fully fit and raring to get back to his best form.
He begins the PGA Tour campaign with conditional status after losing his card in 2025 but his goals for the new season must be to win, get back into the majors and Signature Events and break back into the world’s top-100.
Conor Purcell: World number 464
Conor Purcell will be looking for an immediate return to the DP World Tour after losing his card last year. Purcell is back on the HotelPlanner Tour where he was a two-time winner in his promotion season in 2024.
Leona Maguire: Rolex Ranking 107
Leona Maguire begins 2026 ranked outside the top-100 for the first time since 2021. Twelve months later she was inside the top-10 of the Rolex World Rankings. But 2025 has seen her slip from 52nd to 107th and she has a battle on her hands to secure major starts and a place on the European Solheim Cup team.
Lauren Walsh: Rolex Ranking 164
Lauren Walsh begins the season at a career high 164th in the world after she clinched a top-10 spot on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit and her maiden LPGA Tour card.
Walsh will be looking to push as close to the top-100 as she can and who knows how high she can go this year.
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