The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) board has recently denied LIV Golf’s application after a comprehensive review process that lasted for over a year. This decision means that players participating in LIV Golf events will not receive OWGR points in 2024. Despite featuring renowned major champions, including Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Brooks Koepka, LIV Golf’s unique structure and format have raised concerns among the OWGR committee, preventing the inclusion of the golf tour in the world ranking system.
LIV Golf’s Format and Structure:
LIV Golf sets itself apart from traditional professional golf events with its unique 54-hole tournaments, shotgun starts, lack of cuts, and a limited field of just 48 players. While this format provides an exciting and fast-paced experience for spectators, the OWGR committee believes that it does not facilitate a fair comparison to other established tours around the world.
The Team Aspect and Relegation Formula:
One significant aspect of LIV Golf is the emphasis on team competition. This team aspect has created situations where individual golfers choose strategies that prioritize their team’s success over individual accolades. For instance, in a previous event, Sebastian Muñoz decided not to be aggressive on the final hole, ultimately securing a team victory but compromising his chances of winning the individual portion of the tournament. Such scenarios have raised eyebrows within the OWGR committee and their assessment of LIV Golf’s ranking eligibility.
Concerns about Relegation and Open Access:
The OWGR committee has also expressed concerns about LIV Golf’s relegation and qualification formula. Unlike other tours where players move between various levels based on their performance and rankings, LIV Golf retains the same 48 players throughout the season, with limited changes for the upcoming year. This lack of turnover raises questions about open access and creates difficulties in determining fair rankings within the system.
The Path Forward:
Although the OWGR committee recognizes the importance of including major champions in the world ranking system, they acknowledge the need to establish a method to rank LIV Golf players effectively. Particularly, the focus lies on finding a solution for qualification and relegation issues rather than adjusting the format itself. The committee aims to ensure the equitable assessment of players’ performances while considering the unique nature of LIV Golf’s structure.
The Saudi Connection:
Interestingly, the announcement of the OWGR board’s decision coincided with the recent participation of Yasir al-Rumayyan, the Governor of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St. Andrews. Despite playing alongside influential golf figures, including Peter Dawson and Martin Slumbers, the decision not to award OWGR points to LIV Golf remains in place.
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