DeChambeau reignites OWGR debate as U.S. Open champion makes world No. 1 claim

Bryson DeChambeau has admitted that he feels like the best player in the world on the back of his second major championship victory at the U.S. Open last Sunday.

DeChambeau played his part in a final round for the ages, pipping PGA Tour rival Rory McIlroy by a single shot to to be crowned champion at Pinehurst No. 2. The victory continued the LIV Golf star’s impressive run in the majors this season, and saw him return into the top-10 of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) for the first time in two years.

Like many other LIV stars, DeChambeau’s world ranking has taken a huge hit since making the Saudi switch and found himself outside the top 200 in the world just two months ago heading into April’s Masters.

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The Crushers captain is yet to become the world’s No. 1 player in his career but believes he was playing as good as anyone on the back of back-to-back wins in 2018, a feeling that has returned to his golf game on the back of his flagship victory in North Carolina last weekend.

Ahead of LIV Nashville this week, DeChambeau was asked whether he felt he was the best golfer on the planet currently, replying: “What’s funny is in 2018 when I won back-to-back FedExCup Playoff events, I felt like even though the OWGR didn’t reflect me being No. 1, I felt like I was No. 1.

“I felt like I was playing good enough to where I could win this week, I could win again and I could win again. That was kind of the same thing that I sort of feel right now. I don’t feel like the stats reflect purely what it shows exactly. But being 10th I think I am, is what it says, is awesome. For only playing a few events, most of them being majors.

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“Am I the best player in the world? It’s not for me to decide. I’m just going to go out there and play the best golf I possibly can and try to get that darned ball in the hole quicker than everybody else. I’m not going to put a label or title on myself. That’s not what I do. I’m here to go play the best golf I can and inspire others and give people some great entertainment.”

Of course, the man currently on top of the world is Scottie Scheffler, who has set himself apart from the rest of the chasing pack after dominating for the most part of 2024. The legitimacy of the current list has been questioned by many though, with LIV players continuing to compete in events without world ranking points on offer.

Just two LIV stars are a part of the world’s top-10, with DeChambeau one spot behind world No. 9 Jon Rahm, who sat third in the list prior to his move to the breakaway league last December. DeChambeau’s highest rise in the OWGR came in 2021 after the American moved up to No. 4 in May of that year.