OWGR announces two big changes to world ranking system 

The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) board has announced two significant changes to golf’s rankings system.

The governing body has introduced a new points distribution curve for limited field events and a fresh “multi-win benefit” scheme that provides bonuses to players who claim more than one victory in a single season.

A greater percentage of points will now be awarded to the top finishers in tournaments with fields of 80 players or less on the OWGR accredited circuits like the PGA and DP World Tours.

Ranking points will also no longer be awarded to players finishing in the bottom 15% of events that don’t have a cut.

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Notably, eight PGA Tour ‘signature events’ in 2024 will will feature roughly 70-80 players, without a traditional 36-hole cut.

However, exceptions for points awarded for a play-off series where eligibility is based on season-long performance, with the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Playoffs and the DP World Tour Championship named as examples.

“Following internal and independent analysis, OWGR determined its standard distribution curve did not accurately reflect performances in these events,” the board explained.

“For full field events, OWGR uses a curve that awards approximately 17-18% of the Field Rating to the winner. To reflect performances more accurately in fields of 80 players or less, a new curve is needed that awards approximately 21% to the winner in its base calculation.”

The multi-win bonus will also be implemented next year to “quickly identify emerging talent by providing opportunities for upward movement within the Ranking for top performing players.”

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Two-time winners in a 52-week period will earn a 60% points bonus, while players who win three titles will receive a 70% boost.

“Based on extensive analysis following the changes implemented in August 2022, we recognised these two opportunities to further enhance the OWGR and to accurately evaluate performances of the world’s participating players on all eligible Tours,” OWGR Chairman Peter Dawson said.

“Adjustments to the Ranking are made after careful consideration, and we are confident that today’s updates will better position the OWGR for the future.”

LIV Golf, meanwhile, continue to be frozen out of the OWGR system.

“We are not at war with them,” Dawson stressed after the Saudi-backed league’s application was rejected in October.

“This decision not to make them eligible is not political. 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.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.