Schauffele No. 2 in world; Bryson DeChambeau vaults 89 spots

MIAMI: Along with winning his first major at the PGA Championship and taking home the $3.33 million prize, Xander Schauffele moved up to No. 2 in the latest Official World Golf Rankings on Monday. Schauffele, 30, won on Sunday at Valhalla Country Club in Louisville, Ky., birdieing the final hole to defeat Bryson DeChambeau by one stroke.

Schauffele, who now has the highest ranking of his career, bumped Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland to the third spot while Scottie Scheffler remained at No. 1. The 30-year-old DeChambeau, who plays for LIV Golf, leapt 89 spots from 124th to 35th in the world.

Because golfers do not earn ranking points for LIV events, DeChambeau began the year at No. 155 and was No. 210 before he tied for sixth at the Masters. With their strong performances at the PGA, Thomas Detry of Belgium and Justin Rose of England moved into the top 60 and earned spots in the next major, the U.S. Open, which will be held June 13-16 at Pinehurst No. 2 in Pinehurst, N.C. Detry rose from 71st to 54th after tying for fourth, while Rose’s T-6 moved him from 68th to 56th. Rose won the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion, but his 10-year exemption expired after last year’s championship.

Players who crack the Top 60 following the Memorial Tournament (June 6-9 at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio) can earn their spots at the U.S. Open. Stefan Schauffele has spoken openly on monetary topics before. At last year’s Ryder Cup, he said players should be paid directly for their participation (as opposed to donations to their charities). He claimed his son nearly lost his spot on the U.S. team with the PGA of America after contract issues were raised.

It was rumored that Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay were not wearing their uniform hats for part of the Ryder Cup as a form of protest over not being compensated. That, in turn, has fueled Schauffele-to-LIV rumors, as LIV has continued to peel away the world’s best golfers with massive guaranteed paydays. If not LIV, what is next for the 30-year-old PGA champ? He will be a favorite at more majors going forward. Schauffele also moved to No. 2 in the Official World Golf Ranking on Monday.