LIV abandons pursuit of world ranking points

The Great White Shark is waving the white flag when it comes to LIV Golf being recognized by the Official World Golf Ranking. Greg Norman, the CEO and commissioner of the Saudi-funded league, has told his players that LIV has withdrawn its application.

LIV Golf first applied for world ranking points in July 2022, about a month after the league launched with the same 48 players competing over 54 holes with no cut.

The OWGR board formally rejected the application last October, saying it could not fairly measure a league with the same group of players against 24 other tours around the world that have fuller tournaments and a path to get into them.

“We have made enormous efforts to fight for you and to ensure your accomplishments are recognized within the existing ranking system,” Norman wrote to players in a letter reported by multiple media outlets. “Unfortunately, the OWGR has shown little willingness to productively work with us.”

The four majors use the world ranking as part of their criteria. Representatives from the majors were the ones voting to reject LIV’s application last fall.

The stronger effect would be the Olympics, which also relies on the world ranking to determine eligibility. Players like former British Open champion Cameron Smith of Australia and Tyrrell Hatton of England are unlikely to qualify, depending on how they fare in the majors.

Peter Dawson, chairman of the OWGR board, had said in October that “we are not at war” with LIV. He said it was a technical decision, not a political one. Dawson said LIV did not have a format that allowed it to be ranked equitably with other tours and “thousands of players trying to compete on them.”