How LIV Golf’s OWGR snub accelerated war with establishment

Oh, 2023! Another year of change in the world of professional golf. Once again, we bid farewell to 2023 with a completely new outlook on the sport. As we reflect on the past year, filled with thrilling LIV major championships, controversial Ryder Cup moments, and countless other captivating stories, let’s take a deep dive into the 15 most significant moments that shaped the golfing landscape. Let’s start uncovering these remarkable memories…

Biggest Golf Moments of 2023, No. 9: LIV denied OWGR points

On October 10, 2023, around 16 months after its initial event, LIV Golf faced a significant setback at the hands of the OWGR board, which consists of influential decision-makers in the world of golf. Although it was a procedural decision, its impact on the global professional golf scene was substantial, earning it a spot in our top 10 stories of the year.

The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) holds immense importance in men’s professional golf as it evaluates players from various tours to determine the best ones and those deserving of berths in major competitions.

During the summer and early fall, LIV Golf remained optimistic about its prospects. Gaining recognition from the OWGR would have been a major leap forward for the emerging league in two key aspects. Firstly, LIV golfers would have been eligible to earn OWGR points, enabling them to qualify for the four major championships through LIV. This would have eliminated a barrier that made professional golfers hesitant to join LIV and strengthened the league’s position in negotiations with the PGA Tour. Secondly, it would have provided LIV with a sense of legitimacy, which is invaluable but challenging to measure.

However, the decision in October deemed LIV’s format too different from established leagues, preventing its inclusion in the ranking. LIV’s events consist of 54 holes, whereas most tours have 72-hole events. They do not have a 36-hole cut, and there is a team element that can sometimes lead to conflicting motives. For instance, Sebastian Munoz mentioned that he intentionally missed a putt to protect his team’s score, even though it would have affected his individual performance. Additionally, LIV has closed fields of 48 players, most of whom have been signed to contracts rather than qualifying through a system.

The letter from the OWGR to LIV CEO Greg Norman and acting COO Gary Davidson has been made public. OWGR chairman Peter Dawson spoke to the Associated Press to emphasize that the decision was not political but rather a technical one. He explained that while LIV players are undoubtedly talented, the format they play in makes it difficult to rank them fairly against players from other tours.

Dawson highlighted the main obstacle to LIV players earning points, which is the lack of turnover in the league. This means that players on contract are guaranteed to stay, regardless of their performance, and it limits opportunities for outsiders to join the league. Although LIV only guaranteed the top 24 players their seats for the 2024 season, players like Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood, and Martin Kaymer were under contract and therefore avoided relegation.

Dawson also mentioned that players like Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia should be included in the ranking, indicating a potential future opportunity for LIV’s inclusion. He expressed hope that LIV can find a solution, particularly regarding qualification and relegation, rather than focusing solely on their format, which can be addressed through a mathematical formula.

The OWGR made efforts to prevent conflicts of interest by taking additional measures. Three members of the board, namely PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley, and Keith Waters of the International Federation of PGA Tours, abstained from the decision-making process. However, this did not mean that LIV would simply accept the decision without expressing their disagreement.

In response, LIV stated, “The OWGR’s main goal is to rank the top players worldwide. Today’s statement clearly indicates that it can no longer fulfill that objective,” as they directly criticized the legitimacy of the OWGR.

The statement further emphasized, “Professional golf now lacks a true and global scoring and ranking system. The lack of trust and clarity does not benefit fans or players, as long as outstanding player performances go unrecognized.”

As we approach the end of 2023, the repercussions of this situation continue to be felt.

The ongoing negotiations between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and PIF are definitely being influenced by LIV’s lack of OWGR points and limited access to major championships. LIV recently organized its first “Promotions” event in December and is actively exploring alternative formats that would attract more players, fans, and OWGR board members. However, LIV’s players are currently facing a decline in rankings. Apart from Jon Rahm (World No. 3), the only other LIV golfers in the top 60 are recent major winners Brooks Koepka (No. 17) and Cameron Smith (No. 23). It’s worth noting that while six LIV players, including Rahm, Koepka, and Phil Mickelson, have secured exemptions for all four majors next year, there is uncertainty about whether names like Joaquin Niemann or Talor Gooch will be included in this year’s major tournaments.

Therefore, it’s safe to say that this discussion will carry on into the new year.