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LIV Golf has officially given up on earning world ranking points, but Greg Norman said he still hopes to secure a path to a major championship for his players.
LIV first applied for Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) certification in July 2022, when the Saudi-backed league began acquiring some of the game’s biggest names from the PGA Tour.
However, their bid was rejected last October by the OWGR, which took issue with the league’s team format, lack of cuts, and closed invitation model. The league tried to appease the OWGR by offering some players a way to qualify for the event, but the move proved futile.
“We have fought for you and have gone to great lengths to ensure your achievements are recognized within the existing ranking system,” LIV Commissioner Norman said in a letter to players. Stated. “Unfortunately, OWGR has shown little desire to work productively with us.
“This is not a decision we have made lightly. Over the past 18 months, we have been in near-constant dialogue with various members of the OWGR Technical Committee and Board of Directors, and as a result, LIV as a league, and as LIV golfers, It has become clear that the best way forward for all of us is not with our current ranking system. There is no longer a resolution to protect the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the OWGR rankings.”
The lack of recognition of the OWGR has caused several high-profile players to fall down the world rankings and jeopardize their ability to qualify for major tournaments.
However, Norman said the league will continue to speak directly with Major, who is a member of the OWGR Board of Directors, in an effort to create a path for LIV players to participate in the tournament.
Joaquin Niemann has been vocal about his frustration with the lack of ranking points available at LIV events
(Reuters)
“We will continue to pursue meaningful communications and relationships with each major to ensure LIV golfers are fairly represented and golf fans around the world have the opportunity to see the best possible game. ” added the Australian.
Chilean Joaquín Niemann, who won two of LIV’s first three tournaments, has already received invitations to the upcoming Masters and PGA Championship, but if an agreement is not reached, many high-profile names will lose their futures. There is also a good chance that he will miss out on participating in the tournament.
Meanwhile, OWGR chairman Peter Dawson previously acknowledged that there was talent in the league, but said the decision not to award ranking points was entirely technical.
“We are not at war with them,” he said when his first bid was rejected last October. “This decision to not qualify them is not political. It is completely technical.
“It’s clear that LIV players are good enough to be ranked. They just haven’t played in a format that allows them to rank equally with the other 24 tours and thousands of players is.”