A few days have passed, and the news that LIV Golf players will receive world ranking points starting in 2026 has had time to sink in. The issue has generated all kinds of reactions in the golf world, particularly among players in the Saudi-backed league.
The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) announced this measure on Tuesday. Specifically, the decision stipulates that the final top 10 of each LIV event will receive points for the world ranking. Taking as an example the first event in which this system is being applied (Riyadh), the LIV event will receive fewer total points than the DP World Tour’s Qatar Masters, which is also being played this weekend. However, the winner in the Saudi Arabian capital will receive more points than the winner of the European tour.
What are the LIV Players Saying About This?
GettyJon Rahm criticized the new system for awarding world ranking points to LIV Golf players.
One of the first LIV Golf players to react to receiving points for the world ranking was Lee Westwood. The Englishman did not hide his disappointment when he posted his opinion on X:
“It’s a start. But if you think 11th in a LIV event doesn’t deserve OWGR points, you’re more biased than I thought,” he posted.
“It’s the young guys that have chosen Liv as the pathway for their careers that will suffer most from this decision. Still couldn’t quite manage to do their job, and fairly rank the best players in the world, could they?!,” he added.
Jon Rahm also made it clear that he was unhappy with the OWGR’s decision. In an interview at the Riyadh Golf Club that was shared on X by Flushing It, the Spaniard explained how this system differentiates LIV Golf from the other major professional circuits.
“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.”
Some Mixed Feelings
Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer agreed that there were some positive aspects to the OWGR’s decision. However, they shared the opinion of several colleagues that the measure was insufficient.
“It’s good to have LIV recognized finally, that after all these years, we should be getting points,” Poulter said in an interview posted to Instagram by the LIV Golf official account. “So that’s a massive plus. On the flip side, I’m not sure what algorithm they’ve used to work out the points
“It’s great that we tapped in, that we have a chance now to get world ranking points …” said Kaymer, also in an interview posted to Instaghram by the LIV Golf official account. “On the other hand, it would have been nice if more players got world ranking points.”
LIV Golf also released an institutional statement criticizing the decision to award points only to the top 10 finishers in each event.
“No other competitive tour or league in OWGR history has been subjected to such a restriction,” the statement reads. “We expect this is merely a first step toward a structure that fully and fairly serves the players, the fans, and the future of the sport.”
In announcing its decision, the OWGR explained why points will only be awarded to the top 10 in each event. According to the institution’s statement, this decision was made considering that “there are a number of areas where LIV Golf does not meet the eligibility standards set out by OWGR.”
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This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
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