LIV, finally, reapplies for OWGR inclusion

Has the league adjusted enough to earn accreditation this time into global ranking system?

Jon Rahm would certainly still be a top-50 player if LIV events got OWGR credit (Charles Laberge/LIV Golf)

There are numerous questions one could ask about LIV Golf’s reapplication for Official World Golf Ranking accreditation.

Two at the top of the list — what took so long and why did LIV abandon the process in the first place?

Last week, OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman — the 2007 Masters champion and current CBS-TV analyst — said in a statement that LIV had sent in an application on June 30.

“The OWGR board is committed to a thorough evaluation process of all applications, and LIV’s application will be reviewed in accordance with OWGR’s criteria to ensure fairness, integrity and consistency,” Immelman said in his statement. “We appreciate the interest of LIV Golf — and all tours — in contributing to the global landscape of men’s professional golf through OWGR. Further updates will be provided as the review progresses.”

One of the constant complaints among the LIV Golf supporters is the lack of OWGR love and what they deem the “irrelevance” of the rankings without LIV Golf’s players getting points at the 13 individual events they play.

While it’s true that LIV players not getting ranking points leaves a void in the system — surely Jon Rahm is not beyond the 50th best player in the world — the cry that the system is irrelevant is hardly true, either.

The OWGR might be flawed and have its detractors, but that misses the point completely. It is a system that has been tweaked and even overhauled for a vast majority of its 40-year existence. It is not perfect. But one thing it does is rank some 24 tours around the world that all follow a basic formula of access and accountability.

LIV has never had viable access into its tour nor does it have weekly variance of fields, two big sticking points with OWGR that LIV could have and should have addressed by now.

The other reason OWGR is not irrelevant is pretty obvious and a ridiculous talking point: The OWGR is used for direct access to the Masters, U.S. Open and the Open. It is also used by the PGA Championship to fill out its field with invitations, generally as many as 30 spots. Many players get endorsement bonuses via their OWGR standing. The Players Championship and BMW Championship exempt players via OWGR.

It is clearly very relevant which is why LIV Golf wants in — again.

There are numerous other ways to qualify for the majors, but for a LIV Golfer, so far, the only direct access is via the top spot on its points list into the U.S. and British Opens. That’s it. So unless you are competing outside of LIV, or have exemptions as a major winner, the chances of getting into the game’s biggest tournaments are non-existent.

And that has to be a big talking point within LIV Golf.

The OWGR board is scheduled to meet in Northern Ireland during the Open at Royal Portrush, although it would appear to soon to come to a decision. Whether or not one can be made in time for LIV Golf’s 2026 season will be the question going forward. Immelman does not have a vote and the board is comprised of one member from each major championship, two from the DP World Tour and one (Jay Monahan) from the PGA Tour.

Where should Joaquin Niemann reasonably rank in the world? (Jon Ferrey/LIV Golf)

LIV Golf had barely started when it pronounced in July of 2022 that it would be seeking OWGR accreditation. Because its players have not been receiving points while competing in LIV Golf events since 2022, some players who are considered among the best in the world have seen their standing fall considerably. Only Bryson DeChambeau (No. 15) and Tyrrell Hatton (22) currently rank among the top 50 in OWGR. Other prominent LIV rankings include Patrick Reed (No. 57), Jon Rahm (68), Joaquin Niemann (88), Brooks Koepka (247) and Dustin Johnson (957).

In October of 2023, the OWGR denied LIV’s bid, with then-chairman Peter Dawson pointing out the issues: a lack of proper relegation and promotion as well as a lack of field variance from tournament to tournament in the limited-field events comprised primarily of contracted players.

“We are not at war with them,” Dawson, a non-voting member of OWGR, said at the time. “This decision not to make them eligible is not political. It is entirely technical.

“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 trying to compete on them.”

The following spring, LIV Golf said it was withdrawing its OWGR bid — even though it had offered no compromises or changes to its system which has 13 individual 54-hole events with no cuts and scores also counting for a team format.

It was a baffling decision that has cost LIV, potentially, a year of ranking points. No matter what you think of LIV — and clearly there are numerous reactions to its existence — results in its tournaments are not worth nothing. Or shouldn’t be.

For example, a player such as Niemann would easily be among the top 20 in OWGR if he were getting points for his LIV results. He has four wins — each of which would come with an OWGR bonus. Depending on the way points are determined, he might be in the top 10.

A LIV event is certainly going to get less than half the points, sometimes fewer, than what is afforded players in full-field PGA Tour events. The reasons are obvious. A full-field PGA Tour event is going to rate higher because it is deeper. That’s just reality.

But a player who performs well on LIV Golf and consistently finishes among the top five and knocks off a few victories can do quite well. And he would move up the rankings much faster than LIV has maintained.

So what’s it going to be? Has LIV Golf put forth a plan that addresses its lack of relegation and field variance? If so, will it satisfy the OWGR board and how soon can the accreditation be ratified?

If it is, will leadership at LIV be left to wonder how things might have been different had they cooperated sooner and not walked away?