Rory McIlroy began the year as No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking but was bumped out by Scottie Scheffler following his win at the WM Phoenix Open.

Now McIlroy has a chance to return the favor.

With a win at the FedEx St. Jude Championship, where both players shot 67 in the first round, McIlroy would become the new world No. 1 if Scheffler finishes T5 or worse.

No. 2 McIlroy has had quite the summer, finishing inside the top 10 in his last seven starts, including the PGA Championship (T7), U.S. Open (2nd) and The Open Championship (T6). The four-time major champion also birdied the last two holes to notch his second win of the season and 24th of his career on the PGA TOUR at the co-sanctioned Genesis Scottish Open in July.

Scheffler, though, has been the model of consistency on TOUR, racking up 15 top 10s and 13 top 5s through 20 starts. He and McIlroy, along with world No. 3 and FedExCup leader Jon Rahm, are playing together through the first two rounds of the FedEx St. Jude to kickstart the Playoffs.

McIlroy started the year at No. 1 in the world -- becoming the first person to end the year holding the FedExCup, DP World Tour's Race to Dubai and the top spot in the Official World Golf Ranking. Scheffler regained the top spot in the world ranking when he successfully defended his title at the WM Phoenix Open, but Rahm supplanted him a week later by winning The Genesis Invitational.

The back-and-forth continued in the spring, with Scheffler becoming No. 1 after his victory at THE PLAYERS before Rahm replaced him by winning the Masters. Scheffler has been No. 1 in the world since his runner-up at the PGA Championship in May.

No one outside of this trio has held the top spot in the OWGR since July 2021.