LIV golfers have officially approached the chairman of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) Peter Dawson with the issue concerning the awarding of ranking points to competitors on the PGA’s rival circuit.
The letter, dated Sept. 16 included electronic signatures of every player that participated in LIV’s fifth event at Rich Harvest Farms where British Open champion Cameron Smith triumphed on just his second attempt.
OWGR has been mulling granting LIV golf ranking points for some time. Ranking points are needed by participants in order to play the four majors on the golf circuit.
According to the letter sent by the players, every week that passes without the inclusion of LIV Golf athletes “undermines the historical value” of the world rankings.
“To maintain trust, we urge you – as one of the true statesmen of sports – to act appropriately to include, on a retroactive basis, the results of LIV Golf events in OWGR’s ranking calculations,” the players wrote. “An OWGR without LIV would be incomplete and inaccurate.”
LIV’s unique play system may also be contributing to the slow progress of their case. Their 54-hole events as opposed to 72-hole events by PGA, do not follow a cut system.
According to the OWGR website, the ranking points breakdown is derived from each tournament’s total field rating and points are awarded to the players who make the cut and complete an event, subject to their finishing position in the tournament.
Organisers of golf’s four majors have not changed their qualifying rules but are looking to tighten up their rules to prevent LIV rebels from entering.
