LIV Golf blasts OWGR over ranking points decision

LIV Golf has hit out at the Official World Golf Ranking board after its application to receive ranking points was thrown out.

It was announced on Tuesday that the Saudi-funded golf league’s accreditation attempt has been blocked after it was determined that the 48-player circuit could not be reasonably measured against the 24 other verified tours.

“This decision not to make them eligible is not political,” explained OWGR chairman Peter Dawson. “It is entirely technical. LIV players are self-evidently good enough to be ranked.

“They’re just not playing in a format where they can be ranked equitably with the other 24 tours and thousands of players trying to compete on them.”

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The decision has, as you might expect, provoked a stinging backlash from LIV officials.

In a statement, the organisation said: “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.

“Players have historically remained subject to a single world ranking to qualify for major championships, the biggest events, and for corporate sponsor contract value.

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“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.”

LIV stages the final event of its second season in Jeddah this week.

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor