Wichita's Sam Stevens peaks in world golf rankings after top-10 PGA finish
Sam Stevens’ steady climb to become one of the best professional golfers in the world took another meaningful step Sunday, punctuated by a bogey-free closing round in the California desert.
The Wichita native finished tied for sixth at The American Express in La Quinta, California, thanks to a 5-under round of 67 on Sunday at the Pete Dye Stadium Course to post a 72-hole total of 266 strokes, 22-under par. It marked his first top-10 finish of the 2026 PGA Tour season and earned him a $322,000 paycheck — the fourth-largest of his career.
More importantly, it reinforced a growing truth about Stevens’ place in the game: The 29-year-old is no longer an up-and-comer but a fixture among the world’s elite. With the result, Stevens climbed 10 spots in the Official World Golf Ranking to No. 40, more than 100 spots higher than where he finished in the 2024 season.
Stevens set the tone early in the tournament, opening with an 8-under 64 — his lowest round of the week — and followed with rounds of 67, 68 and 67.
He wasted no time getting started Sunday. On the par-4 first hole, Stevens drove it 301 yards into the fairway, wedged his approach from 143 yards to 4 feet away and converted the birdie. He added another on the par-5 fifth hole after chipping to just 15 inches, then picked up two more birdies shortly after making the turn.
His final birdie came on the par-3 17th, where he stuffed a 169-yard iron shot inside 13 feet and rolled in the putt.
It was a fitting finish for a player whose game is built on strength and precision. Last season, Stevens ranked 37th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee, averaging 305.5 yards and 36th in strokes gained around the green. He also ranked 35th in scrambling and finished 10th on Tour in total birdies with 392, a statistical profile that mirrors his aggressive but disciplined style.
The strong start continues a career trajectory that took a sharp upward turn in 2025. Stevens recorded four top-10 finishes last season, including runner-up showings at the Farmers Insurance Open and the 3M Open. He qualified for the FedExCup Playoffs for the second time in his three years on Tour, advanced to the BMW Championship and finished No. 38 in the FedExCup standings after making 25 cuts in 31 starts.
He opened the 2026 season last week with a tie for 31st at the Sony Open in Hawaii and now sits 13th in the early FedExCup points race. It’s still early, but it’s indicative of momentum carrying over.
Stevens, a 2014 graduate of Kapaun Mt. Carmel who starred collegiately at Oklahoma State, is a third-generation professional golfer, following in the footsteps of his grandfather Johnny and father Charlie — both regarded among the best golfers Kansas has produced.
Stevens turned professional in 2018, grinding through the PGA Tour Latinoamerica and Korn Ferry Tour before earning his PGA Tour card in September 2022. Just two summers ago, he was back home chasing a title at the Wichita Open. Now, he is ranked among the top-40 golfers in the world.
Next up is a familiar setting: Stevens heads to Torrey Pines in San Diego for the Farmers Insurance Open, where he finished runner-up a year ago and earned a career-best $1.01 million payday. The first round tees off Thursday, offering another opportunity for the Wichita native to continue his rise on the PGA Tour.
This story was originally published January 26, 2026 at 6:03 AM.
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