Howdy speedgolf family! You're reading This Week in Speedgolf.

Did you miss me? I missed you. Back in the saddle again.

Here’s what’s happening in speedgolf this week.

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Emily Mollard claims world #1 spot in ISGA rankings update

The ISGA published updated world rankings last week, and for the first time since anyone's been counting, a French flag sits atop the women's leaderboard. Emily Mollard jumped from #3 to #1 after sweeping three major championships in late 2025: the British Championships, the European Speedgolf Open, and (for the fifth consecutive year) the French Open.

Liz McKinnon — reigning World Champion — dropped to #2 with 411 points. It's the first time McKinnon hasn't held the top spot since the ISGA resumed publishing world ranks six months ago.

Meanwhile, intrepid traveler and 2025 Senior Woman Speedgolfer of the Year Bev Fentiman reached the #3 spot after playing a very full schedule in 2025, including stops in Ireland, Finland, France, and of course the British Championships.

Don't take this the wrong way. Nothing against Bev. I'm proud to count her as a friend. BUT... this is what's wrong with the ISGA's world rankings methodology. It doesn't measure how good you are. It measures how often you show up.

When your rankings are built on accumulation, it quietly turns into a travel budget contest. Play more events, collect more points, climb the board. Simple as that. By the way, this is not a "scandal". If the ISGA wants to incentivize more tournament registrations, this is a pretty good way to do it.

But if the goal is to recognize the best speedgolfer on Earth, the rankings need a "quality of performance" variable that's more precise than one ISGA data analyst's opinion on whether Event X was a "signature event" or not.

Women — Top 20 (Jan 26, 2026)

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Hogan and Palmberg Storm the Top Six

Two-time World Champion Rob Hogan climbed to World #4 this week after winning the Japan Speedgolf Open, while Sweden's Carl Palmberg cracked the top six on the strength of back-to-back major championship victories.

Hogan jumped from #6 to #4 (268 points) after finally conquering Japan on his fourth attempt. You'll remember he waded waist-deep into water at the Irish Open to fish out his ball during the death-defying 'Mass Start Time Trial'. The man doesn't quit.

Palmberg rose from #8 to #6 (214 points) as the reigning European Open and Swedish Open champion. When Carl shot 69 (-4) in 42 minutes at the EU Open earlier this year, I asked if he thought he had that kind of performance in him. His answer? "Well -4 is always a great round, but lately I've been playing good and a score below 70 felt in reach if I'd make a couple of putts."

Couple of putts. The guy is ice cold.

Robin Smith remains World #1 with 472 points — a 141-point cushion over #2 Luke Willett (331 points). Robin flew 37 hours from New Zealand to win the US Open, so yeah, he's earned it.

But injuries have carved ugly holes in the middle of the pack.

Jamie Reid — the 2022 World Champ who just broke 99 at Fitzroy Golf Club just — dropped from #4 to #8 after missing competition since his 4th-place finish at Worlds 2024. And Scott Dawley fell five spots from #15 to #20 after injury kept him out of the US Open entirely.

The silver lining? Fresh blood is filling the gaps.

James Hardy debuted at #13 after winning the 2025 British Championships. Will Major (another Brit) climbed from #13 to #11. And then there's the curious case of Jason Hawkins, who dropped out of the Top 20 entirely despite finishing 5th at the US Open — the only qualifying event he played.

That's the speedgolf rankings in a nutshell: show up or slide down.

The Kiwis still dominate (Smith, Bernie Smith #5, Brad Hayward #7, Reid #8, Harry Bateman #14), but Europe is closing the gap. Four of the top eleven are now European: Willett #2, Hogan #4, Palmberg #6, and Stan Masson #10.

If I had to guess, I'd say this summer is going to be highly competitive as everyone looks to peak as they arrive in Auckland this November.

Thanks as always to ISGA Data Analyst Robin Smith for compiling these rankings. I may disagree on methodology, but there is no questioning the level of effort required to put these together.

Men — Top 20 (Jan 26, 2026)

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Maeba Outpaces Ota in Japanese 9-Hole Sprint

Masahiko Maeba posted a scorching 60.25 on a chilly morning to win the 9-hole Japanese Tour opener: the Speedgolf Minami Tsukuba Open on February 1st, holding off a field that included 2024 World Champ and 2025 Japanese speedgolfer of the year Jin Ota.

Maeba shot 39 in 21:25 — not the lowest score and not the fastest time, but the best combination of both. That's speedgolf for you.

Shojiro Kawahara finished second with 38 in 24:06 (62.10), playing cleaner golf but giving back nearly three minutes on the clock. Ota was the fastest of the top three, covering nine holes in 21:34, but a 41 on the scorecard left him third at 62.34.

Speedgolf Minami Tsukuba Open (9H) | Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan | Feb 1, 2026

• Men: Masahiko Maeba (JPN) | 39 in 21:25 | 60:25
• Senior 50+: Yasuki Ogawa (JPN) | 39 in 22:14 | 61:14
• Women: Meguna Haga (JPN) | 44 in 23:43 | 67:43

results

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Upcoming Events

• Feb 7–8, the Wairarapa Speedgolf Open — Waitangi Weekend chaos: big swings, bigger lungs, and (we expect) Jamie Reid's return. info
• Mar 21–22, the North Island Speedgolf Open lands at Waipū Golf Club — links vibes, fast turf, and a course that rewards negative splits. info
• Apr 10 it’s the Speedgolf Ibaraki Open (18H) at One Way Golf Club — a “through-round” layout built for flow, rhythm, and ruthless pace control. info
• Apr 18–19 the TORO New Zealand Speedgolf Open at Taupō Golf Club — Centennial — fast, runnable, and guaranteed to punish sloppy transitions. info
• Apr 25 the Indiana Speedgolf Open — Midwest golf meets early-season grit (and yes, the weather might have opinions). info
• May 1–3 the Australian Speedgolf Open at Club Tocumwal — three days, hot legs, and a leaderboard that never stops moving. register
• May 17 the Arizona Speedgolf Open is slated to bring firm fairways and precision demands — desert speedgolf: miss small, pay big. info
• Jun 14 the Oregon Speedgolf Open is expected back at Arrowhead — Pacific Northwest running lanes, sneaky greens, and the kind of pace that feels “too easy” until it doesn’t. info
• Jun 20 the Speedgolf Irish Open returns to Castlebar Golf Club — Irish hospitality, serious racing, and a field that always brings spice. register
• Jun 26–28 the Scandinavian Open Speedgolf at LinksGolf Öland — wild links, big wind, and a prize pool that turns heads. info
• Nov 3–6, 2026 the Speedgolf World Championships hit Whitford Park in Auckland, New Zealand — Worlds Week pressure, global bragging rights, no hiding. info

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That's all folks!

Until next week, keep it in the short grass.

Adam

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Adam Lorton

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