Rory McIlroy is set to return to the top of the World Golf Rankings next week, having last topped the list in September 2015.
Six other players have held the position since then, with four-time Major winner Brooks Koepka the man being leapfrogged on this occasion.
Jason Day, Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, and Justin Rose are the others who have earned the distinction, while next week will be McIlroy's seventh spell at the top in all.
The Down man will be in action at the Genesis Open in California next week, with neither Koepka nor third-placed Jon Rahm teeing up at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am this week.
That all means McIlroy will be top by the time he takes to the first tee on the U.S. west coast next week, as he edges ahead of Koepka by three-hundredths of a ranking point.
Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) say the reason McIlroy will take the top spot without even playing this week is as a result of the Holywood star losing points slower on the rankings table than Koepka, who has been number one since May of last year.
Rory hasn't been No. 1 in the world since Sept. 19, 2015. This is the largest gap in OWGR history between stints at No. 1, and it's not really close.
Rory McIlroy: 1,605 days
Greg Norman: 1,100 days
Tiger Woods: 877 days
Rory McIlroy: 497 days
Seve Ballesteros: 435 days https://t.co/eYLup8i2BP pic.twitter.com/wVRM5Rrxg4— Sean Martin (@PGATOURSMartin) February 3, 2020
Graeme McDowell is back into the top 50 at number 47 after his weekend win at the Saudi International, where he finished two shots ahead of American Dustin Johnson.
Speaking yesterday, McDowell said he was delighted to get his first European Tour win since 2014, after his twelve-under-par display.
"It's special. I've been working hard the last year and a half. I want to be back up there one more time just to be able to play against these guys.
"The game of golf is in such great shape, there are so many great players in the world, it's so exciting to be a top player in the world and I want to be back up there again."
The good news for the Irish contingent didn't end there - Open champion Shane Lowry was tied for 13th at the same event on five-under-par.
That result ensures the Offaly man will hit a career high world ranking position of sixteenth.
