Matti Schmid starts 2026 as the highest-ranked 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 with which German players enter the year. The top German is Matti Schmid at 92nd place, also the only German player in the Top 100. In contrast, Stephan Jäger, who was ranked 52nd at the start of last year, lost points and currently stands at 114th.
The highest-ranked German not competing on the PGA Tour is Nicolai Von Dellingshausen at 193rd. Marcel Siem has already improved his position after finishing T14 at the Dubai Invitational in the third weekend of January. He is now ranked 257th. Also within the Top 300 are Marcel Schneider at 243rd and Thomas Rosenmüller at 276th.
Sepp Straka in the Top 15
The highest-ranked player from the German-speaking region is still Sepp Straka at the start of 2026, holding 12th place. After taking time off late last year due to family issues, Straka is now poised to challenge the Top 10 of the world rankings again in the coming year thanks to his prior results.
Scottie Scheffler Dominates World Number 1
Scottie Scheffler remains the undisputed world number 1, leading by over 200 points ahead of second-placed Rory McIlroy. The Top 5 is rounded out by England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Americans Xander Schauffele and Russell Henley.