Rory McIlroy resides at the 2nd top in the OWGR rankings. McIlroy has been in a neck-to-neck competition with Scottie Scheffler for the coveted World No. 1 spot. The 2024 season has brought some ups and downs, with points won and lost shaping the global ranking trajectory.

As we look ahead to the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a fascinating speculation looms: Could Rory McIlroy, with a victorious statement, derail Scottie Scheffler to claim the World No. 1 ranking?

McIlroy vs. Scheffler: The race for No. 1 continues

The title of World No. 1 has been evading McIlroy for quite some time now. But once again, the 24-time PGA Tour winner has an opportunity to get back the title through the upcoming Arnold Palmer Invitational. But the current World No. 1’s performance will also have a big impact on the Northern Irishman’s journey to the top.

Recently, a post was uploaded on X (formerly known as Twitter) by the account Nosferatu that stated the conditions through which the Northern Irishman could climb up to the No. 1 position in the OWGR charts and stated, “@McIlroyRory can become No.1 in the world IF he wins the @APinv  AND IF Scottie Scheffler will finish worse than 2-way T3.“

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Looking at McIlroy’s current statistics at the OWGR standings, it’s just a step behind the top spot, with an average point total of 7.8257 compared to the 6-time PGA Tour winner’s 9.0045. But standing in his way is Scottie Scheffler, who has been defending his throne for over 50 weeks with impressive performances on the course. The 34-year-old has been able to secure a total of 48.84150 points to date, with a loss of 67.77523 points this year. While the World No. 1 rank has garnered 51.39133 points and marked a loss of  -87.45475.

However, the 24-time PGA Tour winner is just one win away at the Arnold Palmer Invitational to get the points boosted. The stage is set for a deciding showdown on March 7 at Bay Hill. McIlroy had a chance to make his road to World No. 1 much easier through the recently concluded Cognizant Classic. But it looks like Rors failed to make the most of the Floridian greens.

McIlroy falters at the PGA National Members Club

As World No. 1 didn’t participate in last week’s Cognizant Classic, McIlroy had the opportunity to gain the winning reward of 50.65055 points. That win alone couldn’t have closed the gap but left him with a 9-point gap for the least. However, he failed to grab the title and now has to depend on Scheffler’s defeat to rise back to the top.

The 17-time European Tour champ found himself in the T21 position, ranked 16th with a total of 5 pars in round 4. The critical moment occurred on the par-4 16th hole, marking his third consecutive tournament with a triple bogey on his scorecard. McIlroy shared his view on the performance after a post-match interview. He said, “I felt like most of my play was a bit better than what the result suggested.”

Rory McIlroy in Deep Trouble? ‘Dangerous’ Cognizant Classic Delay May Affect Time With Dad at Seminole

Last year’s winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Kurt Kitayama, earned 67.28448 total points, which propelled him from the 46th position to the 19th position in the OWGR rankings. Based on this statistical figure, the winner of the 2024 Arnold Palmer Invitational most probably receive a similar number of points for the OWGR.

As both top-ranked pros will be appearing in next week’s event, World No. 1 will have an upper hand in their competition of rankings. While the numbers are a base for analysis, the human element of unpredictability acts as a deciding factor in the sport’s allure. So, who will be winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational 2024 to climb up the ranks? Let us know your thoughts below.

Read more: Scottie Scheffler May Destroy Rory McIlroy’s Dreams Amid a Tiger Woods Disappointment