LIV Golf gives up on futile fight to secure Official World Golf Ranking points

Breakaway circuit’s CEO and commissioner blasts current system in letter to his players

LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman is unhappy about the current system used for world rankings. Picture: Oisin Keniry/Getty Images.

Greg Norman has given up on his fight to see LIV Golf events receive Official World Golf Ranking recognition, describing the system as unfair to the likes of Jon Rahm, Cameron Smith and in-form Joaquin Niemann.

In a letter obtained by Sports Illustrated golf writer Bob Haring, Norman has told LIV players that the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit is no longer trying to make headway in its bid to be awarded OWGR points.

“A resolution which protects the accuracy, credibility and integrity of the OWGR rankings no longer exists,” wrote Norman, the circuit’s CEO and Commissioner, ahead of LIV Golf’s latest event this week in Hong Kong. “We have made significant efforts to fight for you and ensure your accomplishments are recognised within the existing ranking system. Unfortunately, OWGR has shown little willingness to productively work with us.”

LIV Golf, which was launched in June 2022, applied for OWGR status that year only to see an application formally rejected last October. Peter Dawson, the former R&A chief executive who is now the OWGR chairman, insisted it wasn’t a case of being “at war” with Norman, with a lack of player pathways in LIV Golf events being pinpointed as a stumbling block.

Former world No 1 Norman is now calling for a ranking system independent from the OWGR. The Australian would also like to see the majors grant LIV Golf a quota which allows pathways into the game’s biggest events.

In his letter, the Australian added: “The rankings are structured to penalise anyone who has not played regularly on an “Eligible Tour” with the field ratings disproportionately rewarding play on the PGA Tour.

“This is illustrated by the fact only four players inside the top 50 are not PGA Tour players – Jon Rahm (No 3), Tyrrell Hatton (No 17), Brooks Koepka (No 30) and Cam Smith (No 45) - and by the precipitous decline of LIV players generally, notwithstanding extraordinary performances on the LIV Tour.

“Even if LIV Golf events were immediately awarded points, the OWGR system is designed such that it would be functionally impossible for you to regain positions close to the summit of the ranking, where so many of you were prior to joining LIV, and deserve to remain based on your performance.”

Niemann, a two-time winner on the LIV Golf circuit already this season, sits 76th in the latest global standings. However, the Chilean was handed one of three international invitations for next month’s Masters and has also now secured a special exemption for the PGA Championship in May from the PGA of America.

Speaking to Associated Press golf writer Doug Ferguson last year, Dawson explained why LIV Golf’s application for recognition had been turned down. “This decision not to make (LIV) eligible is not political. It is entirely technical,” he insisted. “LIV players are self-evidently good enough to be ranked. They’re just not playing in a format where they can be ranked equitably with the other 24 tours and thousands of players to compete on them.”