LIV Golf bid for world ranking points status falls through, for now

LIV Golf League will not be able to offer its members Official World Golf Ranking points after the organisation that runs the ratings on Tuesday turned down an application seeking status on the basis of the Saudi-backed circuit’s format.

LIV Golf Leaue events are played over 54 holes, as opposed to 72 for the match play format national and international organisations running professional golf like the PGA Tour follow. Also LIV Golf tournaments are limited to 48 player and do not have a cut eliminating half a professional field, which is regulation on the other tours.

In a statement that was in effect a reply to LIV Golf League chief executive Greg Norman and chief operating officer Gary Davidson, OWGR chairman Peter Dawson said, “It is unfortunate that no way to include LIV Golf in the Ranking could be found which would be fair and equitable to the 24 currently eligible tours and their thousands of playing members.

“Keeping this matter under review, OWGR will continue to monitor developments in men’s professional golf as a whole and at LIV in particular.

“Simply put, the board committee does not believe it is equitable to thousands of players who strive every day to get starts in OWGR eligible tournaments to have a tour operate in this mostly closed fashion.

“The Board Committee met recently to again review your OWGR submission in light of your latest responses to the Committee's questions and concerns. At the meeting, the Board Committee unanimously determined that at this time the LIV Tour will not be recognised as an Eligible Golf Tour in the OWGR system.”

There was enough in the Dawson statement to suggest this was not an outright rejection. However, in the light of June’s development when the PGA Tour and DP World (European) Tour came together with LIV Golf to open the doors to a new and unified organisation, the rejection would have come as a rude shock to the cash-rich Saudi-backed league.

In a statement issued later on Tuesday, LIV Golf lashed out at the OWGR’s decision, calling the organisation a failure.

“OWGR’s sole objective is to rank the best players across the globe. Today’s communication makes clear that it can no longer deliver on that objective,” the LIV reaction said.

“Players have historically remained subject to a single world ranking to qualify for Major Championships, the biggest events, and for corporate sponsor contract value. A ranking which fails to fairly represent all participants, irrespective of where in the world they play golf, robs fans, players and all of golf’s stakeholders of the objective basis underpinning any

accurate recognition of the world’s best player performances. It also robs some traditional tournaments of the best fields possible.

“Professional golf is now without a true or global scoring and ranking system. There is no benefit for fans or players from the lack of trust or clarity as long as the best player performances are not recognized.

“LIV will continue to strive to level set the market so fans, broadcasters, and sponsors have the assurance of an independent and objective ranking system and the pure enjoyment of watching the best golf in the world.”

With the final round of LIV Golf’s schedule teeing off on Friday in Jeddah, the development would have come as a blow to Norman’s aspirations, but not a shock. Even since the June announcement heralding the Public Investment Fund’s involvement in a unified world golf body, the traditional powers have shown no great keenness to push matters forward and this is only the latest manifestation of that approach.

Incidentally, the OWGR board has seven members among whom are Jay Monahan, commissioner of the PGA Tour, Keith Pelley who is chief executive of the European Tour, Martin Slumbers of the Royal and Ancient (St Andrews), and Keith Waters of the International Federation of PGA Tours. Not a very friendly group when it comes to LIV Goilf and the threat it poses to the “establishment”.