After years of discussion and dissent, world golf ranking points will now be awarded to LIV Golf, though on a limited basis reflective of the tour’s unique framework.
In making the announcement last Tuesday, the Official World Golf Ranking said points will be awarded to the top 10 finishers in LIV Golf’s individual stroke-play events, a decision “which recognizes there are a number of areas where LIV Golf does not meet the eligibility standards set out by OWGR.”
The league’s points will be based on the OWGR’s “small-field tournaments” guidelines and limited to the top 10 and ties in part because of LIV’s failure to meet other eligibility requirements from the rankings organization.
Jon Rahm
COURTESY Liv golf
“This has been an incredibly complex and challenging process and one which we have devoted a huge amount of time and energy to resolving in the seven months since LIV Golf submitted their application. We fully recognized the need to rank the top men’s players in the world but at the same time had to find a way of doing so that was equitable to the thousands of other players competing on other tours that operate with established meritocratic pathways,” Trevor Immelman, chairman of the OWGR, said in a statement.
“We believe we have found a solution that achieves these twin aims and enables the best-performing players at LIV Golf events to receive OWGR points.”
Jon Rahm, one of LIV’s biggest stars, wanted more from the OWGR decision.
“It’s fantastic that we’re getting points. It’s fantastic that we’re being recognized in a way,” Rahm said. “With that said, I don’t like how we’re not being treated the same as every other tour. It seems like the rules that have been in place don’t really apply to us, with only 10 of us getting points. It doesn’t seem fair. The small fields out there throughout the course of the year, their players get full points…
“But I’m thankful that I would say LIV Golf got their foot in the door, and there’s a possibility for us to walk in the room and be recognized as a tour, as we should be.” READ MORE
“So, in every single way that a metric could be used to measure whether something is a major, the Players [Championship], to me, stands alone and above the other four major championships – not just as a major. It is, in my estimation, the best major.”
Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee, speaking during Saturday’s coverage of the WM Phoenix Open.
Andrew Redington, Getty Images
LPGA commissioner Craig Kessler acknowledged that the tour scored a bogey by shortening its season-opening Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions to 54 holes two Sundays ago amid challenging weather conditions in Orlando, Florida.
The LPGA announced it would shorten the tournament due to sub-freezing temperatures and high winds. Only a handful of players were permitted to complete the suspended third round early Sunday afternoon, and Nelly Korda, who had completed her third-round 64 at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club on Saturday, was declared the winner.
With weather conditions expected to improve, the LPGA faced questions about why it didn’t opt to postpone the final round until Monday. “We were not fully prepared for Monday,” Kessler admitted in an interview with Golfweek.
In a memo to players, Kessler apologized for the decision. “I made the decision to limit the event to 54 holes, worried that our athletes might be injured given the way record overnight low temperatures hardened the course,” he wrote. “While the decision was a tough one and ran counter to prior statements we shared, I made a judgment call. With the benefit of hindsight, there were clearly other ways we should have managed the situation.
“I recognize this decision, and others we made in real time, were confusing and disappointing to our fans. And our communication around the decision wasn’t clear or timely enough. Your frustration is valid – I own that, and I’m sorry. We are already taking steps to improve.” READ MORE
Tap-Ins
The world’s top five players – Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood and Russell Henley – will headline the signature-event field at this week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. READ MORE
TMRW Sports announced Arthur M. Blank as the first team owner for WTGL – a new women’s indoor golf league that will launch next winter in partnership with the LPGA – with a team representing Atlanta. Blank owns TGL’s Atlanta Drive GC and the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons among multiple sports properties. READ MORE
The PGA Tour and ESPN are doubling sports betting coverage for the 2026 PGA Tour season. PGA Tour Live Betcast presented by DraftKings, which will air on ESPN+ during 12 PGA Tour events throughout the year, began with last week’s WM Phoenix Open. READ MORE
Compiled by Mike Cullity
