Much has been said about the situation since mid-summer 2022. Will the LIV Golf circuit one day be recognized by the global scoring system? After months of debate and delays, the highly anticipated decision came at the end of the day. Negative.
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It is therefore the approximately 50 enrolled on the circuit entirely financed by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) who will not be able to gain valuable points in the world ranking.
What can they do to maintain their place on the world golf stage?
Those who are eligible for the four Grand Slam tournaments will be able to earn points. The Asian circuit, recognized by the global system, is the other option.
For more than 30 years, the world ranking has been used as a tool to determine the fields of major championships.
Chaired by Peter Dawson, a former British Royal and Ancient, the governance office is made up of representatives from Augusta National, the R&A, the United States Golf Association (USGA), the PGA of America, the PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan, DP World Tour Commissioner Keith Pelley and the International Federation of Professional Tours.
“Not political”
Although several representatives of the governance office have spoken publicly and negatively against LIV Golf, the management of the world ranking has denied having made a political decision. The big man, Peter Dawson, mentioned strictly technical reasons in his explanatory letter to the leaders of the circuit, including commissioner Greg Norman.
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Since the formulation of its request to integrate the global system last summer, the format of LIV Golf raised doubts of admissibility. The circuit is distinguished by its individual game format, but also simultaneously as a team, over three rounds, without a cut.
The global entity’s governance committee also studied the selection criteria, accessibility to the circuit and relegation.
Peter Dawson, President of the World Golf Rankings.
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“To integrate the system, it would be necessary to develop a structure inviting new players according to objectives such as performances and more equitable and efficient relegations of underperforming players,” it is mentioned.
“The role of the global scoring system is to attempt to fairly compare the performances of professional players who compete in tour tournaments who meet the criteria established in our playbook. For better or worse, these conform to historical norms.”
To the Associated Press, Dawson added that “LIV golfers are obviously good enough to be ranked. But they don’t play in a format where they can compete fairly among the 24 other circuits and their thousands of players.
Remember that before signing their huge contract with LIV, Dustin Johnson, Cameron Smith, Patrick Reed and co. were among the best golfers in the world. Now 121st in the world, Johnson was 13th at the time of his signing. He had fallen to 41st at the end of 2022. For the moment, only Smith (15th) and Brooks Koepka (18th) appear in the top 30.
Since signing with LIV Golf in June 2022, former world number one Dustin Johnson has fallen 108 places in the world rankings, going from 13th to 121st.
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Strong reaction from LIV
Obviously, LIV Golf reacted strongly in a press release to this decision.
“The main goal of the global system is to rank the best players in the world. This decision proves that it cannot meet this objective.
“The world of golf finds itself without a real ranking and overall scoring system. This lack of confidence and clarity leaves no benefit for fans and players as long as the performances of the best golfers are not recognized,” is also written in the dispatch sent from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, site of the tournament this week.
The global system does not close the door to a possible LIV response if the circuit wishes to make a new request for inclusion.
Remember that the agreement in principle reached between the PGA Tour and the governor of the PIF, Yasir Al-Rumayyan, last June is being studied by American government authorities.
To read the response from the management of the World Golf Ranking (in English only): https://www.owgr.com/news/owgr-denies-liv-golf-s-application-for-eligible-tour-status