Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Writer Mar 6, 2024, 12:51am
ShutSenior College Football Writer Author of seven books on faculty soccer University of Georgia Alumni
LIV Golf League has withdrawn its utility for recognition within the Official World Golf Ranking, LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman knowledgeable gamers in a letter Tuesday.
The LIV Golf League, at the moment in its third season, had been competing for OWGR certification since July 2022. World rating factors are used to find out exemptions and different invites to the 4 main championships by the PGA of America’s Augusta National Golf Club. Golf Association and R&A.
“It is evident that the very best path ahead for LIV as a league, and for you as LIV golfers, shouldn’t be via the present rating system,” Norman mentioned within the letter. “The decision defending the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the OWGR rankings now not exists. We will combat for you and work onerous to make sure your achievements are acknowledged inside the present rating system. Unfortunately, OWGR has proven little need to work productively with us. ”
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OWGR denied LIV Golf’s utility on October twenty third. In a letter to Norman and LIV Golf COO Gary Davidson, OWGR chairman Peter Dawson mentioned the board is worried in regards to the lack of turnover amongst LIV Golf’s gamers and the shortage of pathways to different gamers. He mentioned he was involved in regards to the restrictions. take part. He additionally cited issues about a few of the group points of LIV golf, the place gamers compete concurrently in particular person and group competitions over 54 holes.
The LIV Golf League has made some changes to its format this season to permit 4 new gamers to affix the league via promotion occasions and automated spots via the Asian Tour’s International Series Order of Merit. It wasn’t sufficient to fulfill the OWGR board.
“We should not at struggle with them,” Dawson advised The Associated Press in October. “This resolution to disqualify them shouldn’t be political; it’s purely technical. It is self-evident that the LIV gamers are ok to be ranked. They simply do not play in a format that enables them to be ranked pretty in opposition to the opposite 24 excursions which have 1000’s of gamers attempting to compete on them. ”
For the previous three seasons, golfers haven’t earned world rating factors for ending LIV Golf League occasions, and lots of have seen their rankings plummet.
There are at the moment solely 4 gamers within the LIV Golf League who’re ranked within the high 50 on the earth. Reigning Masters champion Jon Rahm made the bounce from the PGA Tour to the LIV Golf League in December and is ranked No. 3 on the earth. England’s Tyrrell Hatton, who joined Lahm’s squad earlier than this season, is ranked seventeenth.
Former world No. 1 golfer Brooks Koepka tied for second on the Masters, received his fifth main on the 2023 PGA Championship, and is at the moment ranked thirtieth within the OWGR. Australia’s Cameron Smith, who received the 2022 British Open Championship in St. Andrews, Scotland, has fallen to No. 50 on the earth.
“Rankings are structured to penalize gamers who don’t play commonly on ‘eligible excursions,’ and discipline rankings are designed to penalize gamers who don’t play commonly on the PGA Tour,” Norman wrote in a letter to LIV Golf League gamers. “We’re giving gamers a disproportionate quantity of compensation for his or her play.”
“Even if factors are awarded immediately for LIV golf occasions, the OWGR system is functionally designed in such a method that it’s inconceivable so that you can regain a place close to the highest of the rankings, the place many will return you to the place you earned and deserved earlier than becoming a member of LIV. You will stay primarily based in your efficiency.”
Other LIV Golf League gamers have seen their world rankings drop much more precipitously. Taylor Gooch, a three-time LIV Golf League winner and final season’s circuit particular person champion, is ranked 476th on the earth. Two-time main champion Dustin Johnson dropped from thirteenth to 266th within the OWGR after becoming a member of LIV Golf in May 2022. Six-time world champion Phil Mickelson is ranked 147th.
“I believe it is nearly out of date now,” Smith mentioned in October. “We have a few of the greatest golfers on the earth right here and so they’re not even within the high 100 or 200 on the earth. It’s simply ridiculous.”
Norman mentioned the LIV Golf League will work with the governing our bodies of the 4 main championships to get extra gamers into the sector. Chile’s Joaquín Niemann, ranked 76th on the earth, acquired a particular invitation to the Masters after successful the Australian Open on December 3.
After successful his second LIV Golf League championship in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, Niemann mentioned he additionally acquired an invite from the PGA of America to compete within the PGA Championship in May.