By: Graham A. April 22, 2021

The Most Popular Golfers in the World According to Google

At Me And My Golf, we decided to investigate who were the most popular golfers according to Google search data, after details of the PGA Player Impact Program were revealed.

As reported by Golfweek, the PGA Tour has launched a new financial bonus pool that will be distributed among 10 players based on their impact on fans and sponsors away from the course.

The beneficiaries will be decided based on an ‘Impact Score’, made up of the following metrics:

– Their position in the FedEx Cup
– Their popularity in Google Search
– Their Nielsen Brand Exposure rating – the exposure players give sponsors when featured in broadcasts
– Their Q rating – the familiarity and appeal of a player’s brand
– Their MVP Index rating – the value of the engagement driven by a player across digital channels
– Their Meltwater Mentions – how often they’re mentioned on media platforms

The Official World Golf (Google) Rankings

The announcement made us wonder who were the most Googled players among the top 150 golfers in the world.

This is what our research found….

The Top 40 Most Searched Golfers in the World on Google – 2020/21

Below is the top 40 players who were searched most in Google over the past 12 months (up to the end of March 2021):

Google ranking	Golfer	OWGR
1	Tiger Woods	77
2	Dustin Johnson	1
3	Bryson Dechambeau	6
4	Justin Thomas	2
5	Rory Mcilroy	13
6	Jordan Spieth	29
7	Adam Scott	35
8	Brooks Koepka	11
9	Phil Mickelson	112
10	Rickie Fowler	109
11	Collin Morikawa	4
12	Jon Rahm	3
13	Patrick Reed	7
14	Tony Finau	12
15	Lee Westwood	23
16	Cameron Smith	25
17	Matthew Wolff	26
18	Xander Schauffele	5
19	Abraham Ancer	30
20	Jason Day	58
21	Bubba Watson	60
22	Webb Simpson	9
23	Viktor Hovland	15
24	Tommy Fleetwood	24
25	Cameron Champ	87
26	Daniel Berger	17
27	Paul Casey	20
28	Scottie Scheffler	21
29	Justin Rose	40
30	Max Homa	41
31	Matt Jones	53
32	Patrick Cantlay	10
33	Kevin Kisner	42
34	Sergio Garcia	45
35	Ian Poulter	63
36	Tyrrell Hatton	8
37	Matt Fitzpatrick	16
38	Billy Horschel	18
39	Harris English	22
40	Ryan Palmer	27

Golfers with the Biggest Difference Between Google Popularity and Current Form

The table below shows the players that should relish the announcement of the Player Impact Program, as their Google popularity ranking is currently much higher than their OWGR ranking.

We have worked out the top 40 golfers with the biggest POSITIVE difference between Google popularity ranking and OWGR ranking:

Google ranking	Golfer	OWGR	Difference between Google ranking place and OWGR place
9	Phil Mickelson	112	103
10	Rickie Fowler	109	99
43	Zach Johnson	122	79
1	Tiger Woods	77	76
67	Nate Lashley	141	74
65	Keegan Bradley	134	69
66	Harry Higgs	135	69
64	Jim Herman	132	68
25	Cameron Champ	87	62
63	Henrik Stenson	115	52
42	Sam Burns	91	49
97	James Hahn	146	49
56	Michael Thompson	101	45
83	Rory Sabbatini	127	44
96	Brandt Snedeker	138	42
77	Francesco Molinari	118	41
95	Nick Taylor	136	41
21	Bubba Watson	60	39
20	Jason Day	58	38
62	Maverick Mcnealy	100	38
110	Wyndham Clark	145	35
109	Matthew NeSmith	142	33
82	Richy Werenski	114	32
94	Cameron Davis	126	32
93	Graeme McDowell	124	31
118	Sepp Straka	147	29
7	Adam Scott	35	28
35	Ian Poulter	63	28
81	Jazz Janewattananond	106	25
6	Jordan Spieth	29	23
31	Matt Jones	53	22
122	David Lipsky	144	22
76	Adam Hadwin	96	20
104	Charles Howell III	123	19
131	Jamie Donaldson	150	19
55	Dylan Frittelli	71	16
92	Tom Lewis	108	16
103	Lucas Glover	119	16
102	Henrik Norlander	117	15
91	Tom Hoge	105	14

What about the players who are performing well on the course but not so well off it?

Here are the top 40 golfers with the biggest NEGATIVE difference between Google popularity ranking and OWGR ranking:

Google ranking	Golfer	OWGR	Difference between Google ranking place and OWGR place
148	Danie Van Tonder	80	-68
143	Takumi Kanaya	76	-67
105	Christiaan Bezuidenhout	39	-66
133	Antoine Rozner	68	-65
150	Rasmus Hojgaard	92	-58
111	Bernd Wiesberger	54	-57
112	Andy Sullivan	66	-46
123	John Catlin	79	-44
144	Garrick Higgo	100	-44
147	Sami Valimaki	103	-44
137	George Coetzee	94	-43
138	Shugo Imahira	95	-43
78	Marc Leishman	37	-41
68	Will Zalatoris	28	-40
69	Victor Perez	31	-38
70	Joaquin Niemann	32	-38
124	Lucas Herbert	86	-38
126	Thomas Detry	88	-38
140	Chan Kim	102	-38
84	Si Woo Kim	49	-35
113	J.T. Poston	78	-35
98	Sebastián Muñoz	64	-34
51	Sungjae Im	19	-32
99	Erik Van Rooyen	67	-32
106	Emiliano Grillo	74	-32
114	Branden Grace	83	-31
44	Hideki Matsuyama	14	-30
119	Sam Horsfield	89	-30
85	Russell Henley	56	-29
127	Brandon Stone	98	-29
128	Kurt Kitayama	99	-29
36	Tyrrell Hatton	8	-28
79	Matt Wallace	51	-28
71	Stewart Cink	44	-27
72	Robert Macintyre	46	-26
107	Thomas Pieters	84	-23
32	Patrick Cantlay	10	-22
129	Byeong Hun An	107	-22
37	Matt Fitzpatrick	16	-21
57	Jason Kokrak	36	-21

All data

Google ranking	Golfer	OWGR	Difference between Google ranking place and OWGR place	Estimated avg. monthly Google searches
1	Tiger Woods	77	76	2,740,000
2	Dustin Johnson	1	-1	450,000
3	Bryson Dechambeau	6	3	450,000
4	Justin Thomas	2	-2	301,000
5	Rory Mcilroy	13	8	301,000
6	Jordan Spieth	29	23	301,000
7	Adam Scott	35	28	301,000
8	Brooks Koepka	11	3	246,000
9	Phil Mickelson	112	103	246,000
10	Rickie Fowler	109	99	201,000
11	Collin Morikawa	4	-7	165,000
12	Jon Rahm	3	-9	135,000
13	Patrick Reed	7	-6	110,000
14	Tony Finau	12	-2	110,000
15	Lee Westwood	23	8	110,000
16	Cameron Smith	25	9	110,000
17	Matthew Wolff	26	9	110,000
18	Xander Schauffele	5	-13	74,000
19	Abraham Ancer	30	11	74,000
20	Jason Day	58	38	74,000
21	Bubba Watson	60	39	74,000
22	Webb Simpson	9	-13	60,500
23	Viktor Hovland	15	-8	60,500
24	Tommy Fleetwood	24	0	60,500
25	Cameron Champ	87	62	60,500
26	Daniel Berger	17	-9	49,500
27	Paul Casey	20	-7	49,500
28	Scottie Scheffler	21	-7	49,500
29	Justin Rose	40	11	49,500
30	Max Homa	41	11	49,500
31	Matt Jones	53	22	49,500
32	Patrick Cantlay	10	-22	40,500
33	Kevin Kisner	42	9	40,500
34	Sergio Garcia	45	11	40,500
35	Ian Poulter	63	28	40,500
36	Tyrrell Hatton	8	-28	33,100
37	Matt Fitzpatrick	16	-21	33,100
38	Billy Horschel	18	-20	33,100
39	Harris English	22	-17	33,100
40	Ryan Palmer	27	-13	33,100
41	Corey Conners	38	-3	33,100
42	Sam Burns	91	49	33,100
43	Zach Johnson	122	79	33,100
44	Hideki Matsuyama	14	-30	27,100
45	Louis Oosthuizen	33	-12	27,100
46	Kevin Na	34	-12	27,100
47	Matt Kuchar	48	1	27,100
48	Mackenzie Hughes	52	4	27,100
49	Brendon Todd	55	6	27,100
50	Gary Woodland	57	7	27,100
51	Sungjae Im	19	-32	22,200
52	Shane Lowry	43	-9	22,200
53	Carlos Ortiz	50	-3	22,200
54	Joel Dahmen	65	11	22,200
55	Dylan Frittelli	71	16	22,200
56	Michael Thompson	101	45	22,200
57	Jason Kokrak	36	-21	18,100
58	Brian Harman	47	-11	18,100
59	Lanto Griffin	59	0	18,100
60	Adam Long	72	12	18,100
61	Harold Varner Iii	73	12	18,100
62	Maverick Mcnealy	100	38	18,100
63	Henrik Stenson	115	52	18,100
64	Jim Herman	132	68	18,100
65	Keegan Bradley	134	69	18,100
66	Harry Higgs	135	69	18,100
67	Nate Lashley	141	74	18,100
68	Will Zalatoris	28	-40	14,800
69	Victor Perez	31	-38	14,800
70	Joaquin Niemann	32	-38	14,800
71	Stewart Cink	44	-27	14,800
72	Robert Macintyre	46	-26	14,800
73	Kevin Streelman	61	-12	14,800
74	Chris Kirk	62	-12	14,800
75	Danny Willett	81	6	14,800
76	Adam Hadwin	96	20	14,800
77	Francesco Molinari	118	41	14,800
78	Marc Leishman	37	-41	12,100
79	Matt Wallace	51	-28	12,100
80	Martin Kaymer	82	2	12,100
81	Jazz Janewattananond	106	25	12,100
82	Richy Werenski	114	32	12,100
83	Rory Sabbatini	127	44	12,100
84	Si Woo Kim	49	-35	9,900
85	Russell Henley	56	-29	9,900
86	Talor Gooch	69	-17	9,900
87	Charley Hoffman	70	-17	9,900
88	Brendan Steele	75	-13	9,900
89	Martin Laird	93	4	9,900
90	Chez Reavie	97	7	9,900
91	Tom Hoge	105	14	9,900
92	Tom Lewis	108	16	9,900
93	Graeme McDowell	124	31	9,900
94	Cameron Davis	126	32	9,900
95	Nick Taylor	136	41	9,900
96	Brandt Snedeker	138	42	9,900
97	James Hahn	146	49	9,900
98	Sebastián Muñoz	64	-34	8,100
99	Erik Van Rooyen	67	-32	8,100
100	Cameron Tringale	85	-15	8,100
101	Aaron Rai	90	-11	8,100
102	Henrik Norlander	117	15	8,100
103	Lucas Glover	119	16	8,100
104	Charles Howell III	123	19	8,100
105	Christiaan Bezuidenhout	39	-66	6,600
106	Emiliano Grillo	74	-32	6,600
107	Thomas Pieters	84	-23	6,600
108	Rafa Cabrera Bello	121	13	6,600
109	Matthew NeSmith	142	33	6,600
110	Wyndham Clark	145	35	6,600
111	Bernd Wiesberger	54	-57	5,400
112	Andy Sullivan	66	-46	5,400
113	Jt Poston	78	-35	5,400
114	Branden Grace	83	-31	5,400
115	Alex Noren	104	-11	5,400
116	Robert Streb	120	4	5,400
117	Andrew Putnam	129	12	5,400
118	Sepp Straka	147	29	5,400
119	Sam Horsfield	89	-30	4,400
120	Laurie Canter	113	-7	4,400
121	Andrew Landry	129	8	4,400
122	David Lipsky	144	22	4,400
123	John Catlin	79	-44	3,600
124	Lucas Herbert	86	-38	3,600
125	Justin Harding	131	6	3,600
126	Thomas Detry	88	-38	2,900
127	Brandon Stone	98	-29	2,400
128	Kurt Kitayama	99	-29	2,400
129	Byeong Hun An	107	-22	2,400
130	Ryo Ishikawa	140	10	2,400
131	Jamie Donaldson	150	19	2,400
132	Matthias Schwab	111	-21	1,900
133	Antoine Rozner	68	-65	1,600
134	Jason Scrivener	116	-18	1,600
135	Calum Hill	128	-7	1,600
136	Marcus Kinhult	149	13	1,600
137	George Coetzee	94	-43	1,300
138	Shugo Imahira	95	-43	1,300
139	Shaun Norris	125	-14	1,300
140	Chan Kim	102	-38	1,000
141	Adri Arnaus	133	-8	1,000
142	Romain Langasque	143	1	1,000
143	Takumi Kanaya	76	-67	880
144	Garrick Higgo	100	-44	720
145	Kalle Samooja	130	-15	720
146	Kyoung Hoon Lee	137	-9	390
147	Sami Valimaki	103	-44	260
148	Danie Van Tonder	80	-68	90
149	Rikuya Hoshino	148	-1	70
150	Rasmus Hojgaard	92	-58	0