World ranking shows PGA Tour bias
There has always been the suspicion that the Official World Golf Ranking is heavily biased towards events on the PGA Tour, but with no opportunity to check as the best of the overseas players are there, too, and measured by the same system.
Two weeks ago there was an ideal chance to compare as the DP World Tour had its finale in Dubai with all the best Europeans and many others, and the PGA Tour had a fall event in Bermuda with none of its best players. So, here’s the summary:
The 52 players in Dubai included 14 in the OWGR top 50 (eight top 25, four top 10), the Bermuda event just two in a field of 120; Dubai had 25 top-100 players (almost 50 percent), Bermuda just nine (7.5 percent). Top 200: Dubai had 92 percent against Bermuda’s 40 percent, with 8 percent of the Dubai field just over the 200 ranking (max 229) but a colossal 60 percent above that standard in Bermuda, many on the maximum ranking with zero points or unranked.
So, what should the factor be between the points for placings in these events? Perhaps three, or more, given the relative quality of the fields?
In fact, Bermuda winner Adam Schenk was awarded 26.1 and Dubai winner Matt Fitzpatrick received 32.2. Rory McIlroy was back on 18.7, so the Bermuda champion’s win was 40 percent more impressive than Rory’s playoff runner-up in an event crammed with top players? Laughable!
I’m a fan of the way the OWGR uses its data, reducing the points value after three months each week until it is all used up, but if that data is so skewed in favour of U.S. tournaments then it’s the old story: GIGO (garbage in, garbage out).
Terry Wall
Eastleigh, Hampshire, England
Rahm’s rewards seem wrong
This latest situation is typical of the shallow mindset we’re seeing from LIV Golf (“Rahm vs. DP World: Who wins?” Oct. 20, GGP).
Jon Rahm and other LIV players are now taking spots in DP World Tour events, playing selectively in Rolex tournaments. I have no problem with them taking the money, that’s their choice, but they should stay and play every LIV Golf event with their friends and entertain those who don’t truly understand our game.
Most of the big-name players who joined LIV already had issues with their respective tours, so it’s really an us-versus-them mentality. Now they want everything to suit them. Call it bitter if you like, but LIV is a disruptive tour, and Rahm being rewarded by still playing the DP World Tour and Ryder Cup feels wrong.
I’ve attended two Ryder Cups, two Walker Cups, and numerous PGA Tour and DP World Tour events across the U.S. and Europe. But honestly, the rising ticket prices and the behaviour of some U.S. fans make me feel that golf is heading in the wrong direction.
Ben Hayes
Birr, Offaly, Ireland
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