LIV Golf are finally set to work in unison with their rivals at the PGA Tour, and former Open champion Louis Oosthuizen has highlighted what he would like to see introduced on the back of the deal
Following the completion of the PGA Tour’s framework agreement with the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF), LIV Golf star Louis Oosthuizen has stated what he would like to see happen first.
With the support of the Saudi fund, the golfing community is ready to come together after a year-long feud between LIV and their PGA Tour rivals. What the proposed agreement will mean for professional golf, which was split in two as a result of the dispute, is still up in the air.
One change Oosthuizen is keen to see is the awarding of world ranking points to the LIV Golf setup, after players have been left to compete without them since making the move to the breakaway league.
Speaking in July, the South African said: “Yeah, look, there’s a lot of things that need to happen. I think the first thing is somehow getting World Ranking points to LIV or changing the system completely. I think the system at the moment is really, it’s not a real reflection of what’s going on out there.
“That can change, and we can somehow get back to getting points and things.” Despite Oosthuizen’s hopes, he and his fellow LIV players were dealt a huge blow last week, after the Official World Golf Rankings denied the rebel league’s latest application for world ranking recognition.
The OWGR explained in a letter to the public why they were unable to award ranking points for LIV events, citing among other things their closed shop membership, which sees the same competitors each week and a particular group exempt from the league’s relegation process.
Greg Norman and company suffered a setback as a result of the decision because they have fought since their founding in June 2022 for the right to award their players world ranking points. LIV leaders retaliated with a stern statement of their own, expressing their displeasure with the selection.
“OWGR’s sole goal is to list the top players in the world. The statement read, “Today’s communication makes clear that it can no longer achieve that objective. Players have traditionally been required to meet a single world ranking in order to compete in the biggest events, major championships, and earn corporate sponsorship money.
“A ranking that fails to accurately represent all competitors, regardless of where they play golf in the world, robs fans, players, and all of golf’s