Dustin Johnson Falls Out Of World's Top 50 For First Time In 13 Years

Dustin Johnson at a LIV Golf press conference

Dustin Johnson currently ranks 51st in the world

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 13 February 2023

Dustin Johnson has officially dropped out of the world's top 50 for the first time since January 2010.

The two-time Major winner was one of LIV's huge signings prior to the first event near London last June, but DJ has seen his world ranking drop significantly after only playing in two Official World Golf Ranking-sanctioned events since. New World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has played in 14 for comparison.

His fellow American and LIV star Bryson DeChambeau fell out of the world's top 100 last week, too, as players signed to the Saudi-backed series continue to fall in the rankings.

DJ, who has spent 135 weeks as World No.1, the third-longest spell since the OWGR's inception in 1986, is now down at 51st. He had been inside the world's top 50 for over 13-consecutive years, moving inside of it at the end of January 2010.

Johnson was set to make his first start of the year at the Saudi International on the Asian Tour, where he is a two-time champion, but had to withdraw after tweaking his back.

He joined LIV for a reported fee of around $125m last year and went on to bank over $35m in winnings including the $18m individual bonus.

His opening event of 2023 will come later this month in Mexico for the start of the 14-event $405m LIV Golf League, which is still yet to receive world ranking points.

We'll next see him in an OWGR-sanctioned event in April at The Masters, where he will be arriving at Augusta National even lower down the rankings than he current sits.

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Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV

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