College Golf Experience (CGX) has acquired The Universal Golf Ranking (TUGR), a significant move in junior golf circles.
TUGR, which produces both professional and junior golf rankings using a strokes-gained, head-to-head model, has been fully integrated into the GCAA-endorsed college golf camp company. The acquisition brings together teams with over 100 years of combined business, data analytics and golf experience.
What makes TUGR’s junior ranking system stand out is its inclusivity. It incorporates 30% more tournaments and 25% more players than competing systems like Junior Golf Scoreboard and AJGA. But it’s not just about rankings – the platform offers ranking trends, heat maps showing where players compete, and even performance analytics in different weather conditions.
“TUGR’s algorithm was created to solve one of golf’s biggest pain points – unbiased and inclusive rankings through a head-to-head methodology,” said Joshua Jacobs, CEO of CGX. “The result gives college coaches the most accurate analytics and transparent data to make informed decisions. TUGR ensures the entire junior golf and professional golf ecosystem has access to the most reliable and predictive rankings in the game.”
Looking ahead, Jacobs confirmed that TUGR will be governed by three boards of college coaches who’ll shape the platform’s “vision and direction domestically and internationally.”
On the current TUGR professional rankings, Jon Rahm sits at world No. 2 behind Scottie Scheffler, while amateur Jackson Koivun is ranked seventh globally.
