Report: LIV Golf considering TURNING THEIR BACKS on OWGR
LIV Golf are reportedly considering turning their back on the OWGR after becoming increasingly frustrated their application has so far been overlooked.
The LIV Golf League are reportedly considering turning its back on the traditional ranking system.
According to Riath Al-Samarrai of the DailyMail, LIV are not withdrawing their application to the Official World Golf Ranking body.
But they are growing increasingly frustrated their application has so far been overlooked.
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It is said they are considering using alternative ranking systems such as the recently launched World Golf Rankings by Sports Illustrated and Universal Golf Rankings to determine eligibility for their new qualifying school which will launch in November ahead of their 2024 season.
LIV Golf supremo Greg Norman confirmed before the 150th Open Championship last July the breakaway tour had lodged their application to the governing body.
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But so far LIV Golf are still without accreditation, meaning their roster of players continue to slide down the rankings and, ultimately, unable to qualify for the major championships unless they are exempt.
LIV were written to last October stating they still don't meet OWGR criteria. Critics of the tour have stated the LIV players are reaping what they sow.
Others, such as Phil Mickelson, have claimed that the governing bodies of the majors and the chief executives of the established tour's have colluded to not award LIV players OWGR points.
Mickelson experienced a career first after LIV's inaugural event of 2023 by plummeting to outside the top 300 players in the world.
DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley and PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan - who both sit on the OWGR board - have recused themselves from LIV's application.
Pelley told the media in January:
The highest ranked LIV Golf player in the world currently is Cameron Smith.
After Smith, Joaquin Niemann occupies the No. 23 spot. Niemann was previously ranked as high as 15th in the world.
LIV Golf will be keen to get the issue resolved before their next two events are played given The Masters is just around the corner.
Augusta National have confirmed they are not changing their qualifying criteria for this year's major.
But a number of LIV players are in danger of missing out in Georgia given they are so close to falling outside the top 50 players who will qualify.
Talor Gooch (44), Mito Pereira (48) and Harold Varner III (49) are all perilously close to that cut-off mark.
LIV Golf have attempted other ways of getting OWGR accreditation.
Before their $25m invitational in Jeddah last October, they were accused of trying to pull a fast one by forming a strategic alliance with the little-known MENA Tour.
That briefly gave those at LIV the confidence their issues would be solved, but the OWGR said they would take this into consideration in their application.
It is understood that one of the reasons the OWGR are reluctant to award LIV points is the relegation aspect of Norman's league.
Some players have non-relegation clauses in their contract. The aforementioned Gooch has signed a deal with LIV until 2025.
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