Matti Schmid starts 2026 as the top German in the golf 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 number 92, and he is also the only German player within the top 100. On the other hand, Stephan Jäger, who was ranked 52 at the beginning of last year, lost points and now stands at 114.
The best German player not competing on the PGA Tour is Nicolai Von Dellingshausen, ranked 193. Marcel Siem has already improved his position following his T14 finish at the Dubai Invitational in the third weekend of January, now sitting at 257. Also within the top 300 are Marcel Schneider at 243 and Thomas Rosenmüller at 276.
Sepp Straka in the Top 15
The highest-ranked player from the German-speaking region remains Sepp Straka at the start of 2026, positioned at number 12. Despite taking it easy late last year due to family issues, Straka is now poised to challenge the top 10 of the world rankings again in the new year based on his previous results.
Scottie Scheffler Remains Unchallenged Leader
The undisputed world number one remains Scottie Scheffler. He leads with over 200 points ahead of second-placed Rory McIlroy. Completing the top five are England’s Tommy Fleetwood and Americans Xander Schauffele and Russell Henley.