LIV Golf considers turning its back on the traditional classification system
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EXCLUSIVE: LIV Golf is considering abandoning the sport’s traditional ranking system amid frustrations over being rejected by the OWGR…as breakaway tour Saudi Arabia seeks an alternative for its new ranking school ahead of 2024 season
- LIV has become exasperated by the continued denial of ranking point recognition
- Saudi-backed rebel tour is considering turning its back on the traditional system
- It comes amid growing concern that world golf rankings are no longer accurate.
The LIV breakaway circuit is considering turning its back on golf’s traditional ranking system amid growing exasperation over how its claim for official ranking recognition has so far been overlooked.
Although the Saudi-backed league has no plans to withdraw its long-standing application to golf’s official world ranking body, which if successful would open up a route to the majors for many of its players, they are exploring the possibility of using a ranking alternative. to determine eligibility for the new qualified school that will launch in November prior to the 2024 season.
Sportsmail understands that LIV is monitoring the recently launched Sports Illustrated World Golf Rankings, as well as the Universal Golf Rankings, both of which allocate points for performances on Greg Norman’s controversial tour, unlike the OWGR.
Having launched their second season last week without OWGR recognition, it is understood that LIV could switch to one of those less established systems if they continue to get turned down at their next two events, in Tucson later this month and Orlando earlier this month. April. .
The situation with the OWGR has led to LIV’s star names plummeting in the rankings, and Dustin Johnson’s latest ranking of 54th is held up as evidence that the existing structure has become too imprecise.
The LIV Tour led by Greg Norman is considering turning its back on golf’s traditional ranking system.
Dustin Johnson (L) has come to typify the problems in qualifying since the leak occurred.
While Johnson remains eligible for the majors, the problem is most acute for players further down the LIV pecking order who are close to being out of bounds for the big four tournaments, or already have.
LIV’s last application to OWGR was submitted in October and a response letter earlier this year is believed to have indicated they do not yet meet the criteria.
The specific details of the criteria have been unclear, as the OWGR did not comment on the ongoing requests, but sources told Sportsmail that a key hurdle is their circuit’s predominant lack of ‘relegation’.
LIV has tried to solve that problem for the 2023 season by relegating four golfers from its 48-player roster (three of the four players promoted would instead come from the ranking school), but there is considerable confusion within the sport on how does that feel with guaranteed participation from certain players.
A source pointed to Talor Gooch’s contract, which was made public last year during court disputes in the US and revealed a non-relegation clause until the end of the 2025 season.