Justin Rose becomes World No.1

Justin Rose finished solo second at the BMW Championship to overtake Dustin Johnson at the top of the World rankings for the first time

Justin Rose paid tribute to his dad and thanked his family, friends and sponsors after claiming the World No.1 spot for the first time in his career, fulfilling his ‘boyhood dreams’. 

Both Rose and eventual winner Keegan Bradley bogeyed the 72nd hole on Monday at the weather-delayed BMW Championship to force a play-off, before Bradley parred the first hole of sudden death to take the title. It meant a Rose finished as the runner-up for the second consecutive week, becoming the the 22nd person to have topped the World rankings. 

“Oh, man, that’s an amazing achievement,” Rose said of his new place in golf’s official rankings. “I’d love to go there by winning because obviously I want to get to No. 1 by winning golf tournaments, but today was fun.

“I birdied 16, 17. I knew Keegan was ahead of me doing the same thing, so I kind of was responding to that. Hit a great putt in regulation to win it, but then obviously it was a poor playoff, just — kind of glued coming out of that fringe there and then I under-read the putt. 

“Yeah, delighted to be world No. 1. Yeah, it’s boyhood dreams; know what I mean?”

And while Rose lost the tournament in a playoff, he called it ‘some consolation’ as he reflected on what it means to him to become the best player in the World.

“Yeah, that’s kind of — that’s an end goal dream for sure. Obviously today is all about the process, and there will be next week to win tournaments, but to get to world No. 1 is unbelievable. It’s something I can say now in my career I’ve been the best player in the world. I’ve been to the top of the game. That’s definitely some consolation.

“I just wish I could have enjoyed the moment maybe. This just slightly dampens it. But tomorrow or the next day, the week after, I’ll look back at this and think it was amazing, an amazing moment in my career.”

List of players to have been World No. 1

September 10, 2018 — Justin Rose
July 28, 2018 — Dustin Johnson (8 weeks)
May 13, 2018 — Justin Thomas (2 weeks)
Feb. 19, 2017 — Dustin Johnson (64 weeks)
March 28, 2016 — Jason Day (47 weeks)
Nov. 8, 2015 — Jordan Spieth (20 weeks)
Oct. 18, 2015 — Jason Day (3 weeks)
Sept. 27, 2015 — Jordan Spieth (3 weeks)
Sept. 20, 2015 — Jason Day (1 week)
Sept. 13, 2015 — Rory McIlroy (1 week)
Sept. 8, 2015 — Jordan Spieth (1 week)
Aug. 30, 2015 — Rory McIlroy (1 week)
Aug. 16, 2015 — Jordan Spieth (2 weeks)
Aug 3, 2014 — Rory McIlroy (53 weeks)
May 18, 2014 — Adam Scott (11 weeks)
March 24, 2013 — Tiger Woods (60 weeks)
Aug. 12, 2012 — Rory McIlroy (32 weeks)
May 27, 2012 — Luke Donald (11 weeks)
May 6, 2012 — Rory McIlroy (3 weeks)
April 29, 2012 — Luke Donald (1 week)
April 15, 2012 — Rory McIlroy (2 weeks)
March 18, 2012 — Luke Donald (4 weeks)
March 4, 2012 — Rory McIlroy (2 weeks)
May 29, 2011 — Luke Donald (40 weeks)
April 24, 2011 — Lee Westwood (5 weeks)
Feb. 27, 2011 — Martin Kaymer (8 weeks)
Oct. 31, 2010 — Lee Westwood (17 weeks)
June 12, 2005 — Tiger Woods (281 weeks)
May 22, 2005 — Vijay Singh (3 weeks)
April 10, 2005 — Tiger Woods (6 weeks)
March 20, 2005 — Vijay Singh (3 weeks)
March 6, 2005 — Tiger Woods (2 weeks)
Sept. 6, 2004 — Vijay Singh (26 weeks)
Aug. 15, 1999 — Tiger Woods (264 weeks)
Aug. 8, 1999 — David Duval (1 week)
July 4, 1999 — Tiger Woods (5 weeks)
March 28, 1999 — David Duval (14 weeks)
June 14, 1998 — Tiger Woods (41 weeks)
May 17, 1998 — Ernie Els (4 weeks)
May 10, 1998 — Tiger Woods (1 week)
April 12, 1998 — Ernie Els (4 weeks)
Jan. 11, 1998 — Tiger Woods (13 weeks)
Sept. 7, 1997 — Greg Norman (18 weeks)
July 6, 1997 — Tiger Woods (9 weeks)
June 29, 1997 — Greg Norman (1 week)
June 22, 1997 — Ernie Els (1 week)
June 15, 1997 — Tiger Woods (1 week)
April 27, 1997 — Greg Norman (7 weeks)
April 20, 1997 — Tom Lehman (1 week)
June 18, 1995 — Greg Norman (96 weeks)
Aug. 14, 1994 — Nick Price (44 weeks)
Feb. 6, 1994 — Greg Norman (27 weeks)
July 19, 1992 — Nick Faldo (81 weeks)
April 5, 1992 — Fred Couples (15 weeks)
March 29, 1992 — Nick Faldo (1 week)
March 22, 1992 — Fred Couples (1 week)
April 7, 1991 — Ian Woosnam (50 weeks)
Feb. 3, 1991 — Nick Faldo (9 weeks)
Oct. 14, 1990 — Greg Norman (16 weeks)
Sept. 2, 1990 — Nick Faldo (6 weeks)
Aug. 20, 1989 — Greg Norman (54 weeks)
April 2, 1989 — Seve Ballesteros (20 weeks)
March 26, 1989 — Greg Norman (1 week)
Nov. 13, 1988 — Seve Ballesteros (19 weeks)
Nov. 6, 1988 — Greg Norman (1 week)
Oct. 30, 1988 — Seve Ballesteros (1 week)
Nov. 29, 1987 — Greg Norman (48 weeks)
Nov. 22, 1987 — Seve Ballesteros (1 week)
Sept. 14, 1986 — Greg Norman (62 weeks)
April 27, 1986 — Seve Ballesteros (20 weeks)
April 6, 1986 — Bernhard Langer (3 weeks)