LIV Golf’s application to receive Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points has been denied.
The Saudi-backed league had faced questions about its “competitive integrity,” and it appears those questions persist. The OWGR cited two broad areas for its decision: the 54-hole no-cut format for its 48 players, and the limited access for players to join LIV and limited relegation for underperforming players.
“The important thing is that it’s not about the players. The LIV players are obviously good enough to be ranked; There’s no question about that,” said Peter Dawson, chairman of the OWGR board of directors. “It’s about whether a circuit whose formats are so different and whose qualification criteria are so different, can it be ranked equally with other tours that conform to the OWGR standard and have more competition than perhaps the closed store that is LIV?”
“We’re not at war with them,” Dawson said. “This decision not to make them eligible is not political. It is entirely technical. It is clear that LIV players are good enough to be ranked. They simply aren’t playing in a format where they can qualify fairly with the other 24 circuits and thousands of players trying to compete in them.”
“Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, of course they should be in the rankings,” he added. “We need to find a way to make it happen. I hope LIV can find a solution, not so much its format; That can be solved by a mathematical formula, but by ranking and relegation.”
LIV Golf applied for OWGR accreditation last July, following its launch in June 2022. OWGR accreditation is a one- to two-year process. However, Norman and LIV members went on the offensive because their case was not fast-tracked, especially when LIV players plummeted in the rankings. When LIV started out, it had nearly two dozen players in the top 100 in the world. Right now, only two LIV members are in the top 50 and six in the top 100 of the World Rankings.
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Anger of LIV Golf
LIV Golf was displeased to say the least with the news that the World Ranking had rejected its request for points after more than a year of deliberations and did not hold back in its response.
This is the official statement from LIV Golf in response to the OWGR decision:
“OWGR’s sole objective is to rank the best players from around the world. Today’s communication makes it clear that it can no longer meet that goal.”
“Historically, players have remained subject to a single world ranking to qualify for majors, major events and corporate sponsor contract value. A ranking that does not fairly represent all participants, regardless of where in the world they play golf, deprives fans, players and all golf stakeholders of the objective basis that underpins any accurate recognition of the performances of the world’s best players. It also deprives some traditional tournaments of the best possible players.”
“Professional golf now lacks a real or global scoring and ranking system. There is no benefit to fans or players from a lack of confidence or clarity as long as the best player performances are not recognized.”
“LIV will continue to strive to level the market so that fans, media and sponsors have the assurance of an independent and objective ranking system and the pure pleasure of watching the best golf in the world.”
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