Augusta, April 8: Bernhard Langer was reminded of his place in history this week, unrelated to the 68-year-old German looking stately as ever in his Masters green jacket as a two-time champion. It was 40 years ago - April 6, 1986, to be exact - that the "Sony Ranking" was introduced.
What began as a list in 1968 for Mark McCormack's "World of Professional Golf" annual got the attention of The R&A as it reviewed criteria for the British Open. It was officially introduced at the 1986 Masters, where the headline read, "Europeans Top Golf Rankings. " Langer was No. 1 in the world, followed by Seve Ballesteros and Sandy Lyle. The leading American was Tom Watson at No. 4, while Jack Nicklaus, then 46, was ranked No. 33 before going on to win his sixth
Masters and 18th professional major that week.
While not perfect then and still debated now, the rankings marked a turning point. Measuring players across global tours remains complex, but the system's influence has grown far beyond expectations. Every major championship now uses the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) as a key qualification criterion, with the Masters and British Open taking the top 50, the U.S. Open the top 60, and the PGA Championship inviting players largely from the top 100.
The Sony Ranking evolved into the OWGR in 1997 when major tours and championships formed a governing board. Today, it includes 25 tours worldwide, including Saudi-backed LIV Golf, though debates continue over its weighting system.
The impact on global golf has been profound. From 1926 to 1993, only three foreign-born players won the U.S. Open - Gary Player, Tony Jacklin and David Graham. Since Ernie Els's win in 1994, 13 of the last 32 champions have been international players. Padraig Harrington's 2008 PGA Championship win marked the first by a European in 78 years.
"It wasn't a matter of getting better. It was a matter of getting an opportunity," Langer said, referencing Europe's rise in the Ryder Cup during the 1980s. "That helped open it up, especially in the majors, to some international golfers who Americans never heard of or didn't know much about. It's different now with the media. But it was an important step in the right direction. Was it perfect? Maybe not. But it was a good way to get the best field. "
The rankings also reshaped scheduling demands, particularly on the PGA Tour under former commissioner Deane Beman, where players needed to compete in at least 15 events annually. European players, often balancing global schedules, faced travel challenges. "We didn't go on boats," Langer said with a smile, "but we didn't go on private jets. "
Over time, the ranking system evolved, including a shift from a three-year to a two-year rolling system in 1995 and expanded strength-of-field calculations. Today, Scottie Scheffler leads the rankings with 185 weeks at No. 1, behind only Tiger Woods (683 weeks) and Greg Norman (331).
The global reach of the sport is reflected in the Masters field, which now features 91 players from 23 countries, compared to 88 players from just 11 nations when the rankings were first introduced in 1986.
