LIV golf’s OWGR Bid Intricate by Ranking concerns, Despite Format Changes
ORLANDO, FL – Rory McIlroy expressed skepticism about the potential benefits of LIV Golf players gaining access to Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, despite recent changes to the league’s format and the OWGR’s algorithm. The debate centers on weather ranking points earned in LIV events will genuinely reflect player performance given the historically weaker strength of fields.
LIV Golf’s pursuit of OWGR inclusion has been ongoing since its inception, facing resistance due to its “closed shop” nature – limited competition with 54 holes, no cuts, and smaller field sizes – which made fair point distribution challenging. Now, with LIV transitioning to 72-hole tournaments and expanding access through the Promotions Event and International series, the league hopes for an expedited pathway to ranking eligibility.
However,McIlroy questioned the value of those points. “I think what’s hard is you’ve got the LIV guys, and say possibly they get World Rankings, but because their strength of fields are going to be so weak because a lot of the guys have fallen already in the rankings because they have not had ranking points for so long, I don’t know if the ranking points are really going to benefit them,” McIlroy said. “It will be interesting to see how it plays out.”
Currently, onyl three LIV players – Tyrrell Hatton, Bryson DeChambeau, and Patrick Reed – rank within the top 50 of the OWGR. Jon Rahm is 71st. A 2022 change to the OWGR algorithm may mitigate some of these concerns. Previously, a tournament’s strength of field was calculated solely using OWGR rankings. The OWGR now incorporates “Strokes Gained World Rating,” which considers a player’s score relative to the field.
Scottie Scheffler currently leads the OWGR in Strokes Gained World Rating (3.547), but DeChambeau is second (2.893), with rahm fifth. This metric could allow LIV Golf fields to accrue more points than under the previous system.
The OWGR has maintained a consistent position regarding LIV Golf, citing concerns about its competitive structure. The impact of these changes on LIV Golf and the broader landscape of professional golf remains to be seen, notably in light of the ongoing discussions surrounding a potential merger with the PGA Tour.
