Matti Schmid starts 2026 as the best German golfer in the world rankings, followed by Stephan Jäger and Nicolai Von Dellingshausen.
Only One German in the Top 100
As the 2026 golf season begins, we look at the rankings of German players entering the year. The top German is Matti Schmid at rank 92, and he is also the only German player in the top 100. Stephan Jäger, who was ranked 52 at the start of the previous year, lost points and is now ranked 114.
The highest-ranked German not competing on the PGA Tour is Nicolai Von Dellingshausen at 193. Marcel Siem improved his position after a T14 finish at the Dubai Invitational in the third weekend of January, now ranked 257. Marcel Schneider at 243 and Thomas Rosenmüller at 276 are also within the top 300.
Sepp Straka in the Top 15
The highest-ranked player from the German-speaking region remains Sepp Straka, currently ranked 12th. Despite taking it easy late last year due to family issues, Straka’s past results have positioned him to challenge the top 10 in the coming year.
Scottie Scheffler Clearly Leading
The undisputed number 1 in the world remains Scottie Scheffler, leading by over 200 points ahead of second-placed Rory McIlroy. The top 5 is rounded out by Englishman Tommy Fleetwood and Americans Xander Schauffele and Russell Henley.