Jon Rahm slams OWGR decision after R1 of LIV Golf's curtain-raiser

Jon Rahm criticised the sport's global rankings body after round one of LIV Golf's curtain-raiser in Saudi Arabia. 

The two-time major champion shot a five-under 67 under the lights at Riyadh Golf Club on Thursday. 

It leaves the Spaniard two shots off early pacesetters Peter Uihlein and new recruit Thomas Detry. 

Unsurprisingly, the biggest topic this week has been the Official World Golf Ranking's (OWGR) decision to finally award LIV players points. 

But the points will only be distributed to the top-10 finishers across all 13 of their regular season events in 2026. 

In all 24 other men's professional golf tours that are part of the OWGR, all players who make the cut earn points.

Rahm told the official LIV broadcast after putting the finishing touches on his round that it was "fantastic" the league were getting points. 

"With that said, I don't like how we're not being treated the same as every other tour," he added.

"It seems like the rules that have been in place don't really apply to us, with only 10 of us only getting points. It doesn't seem fair. 

"The small fields out there throughout the course of the year, their players get full points."

LIV Golf reacted to the news by saying the recognition was "long overdue" and hoped it was the first step towards a different structure.

But league officials were furious at the "unprecedented outcome".

In their own statement, OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman said the process had been incredibly complex and challenging. 

"We fully recognised the need to rank the top men's players in the world but at the same time had to find a way of doing so that was equitable to the thousands of other players competing on other tours that operate with established meritocratic pathways.

"We believe we have found a solution that achieves these twin aims and enables the best-performing players at LIV Golf events to receive OWGR points."

Rahm said there is work to be done. 

 "While it's good for some people, it could cause some players to actually lose world ranking points instead of gaining them because finishing 11th is basically a missed cut, and we're already adding to the divisor," he added. 

"But I'm thankful that I would say LIV Golf got their foot in the door, and there's a possibility for us to walk in the room and be recognized as a tour, as we should be."

Meanwhile, former PGA Tour star turned golf's yeti, Anthony Kim, recorded one of his best ever rounds with LIV Golf by firing a four-under 68. 

Kim came out of retirement two years ago to join the PIF-backed breakaway and finished in the relegation zone in successive seasons. 

LIV enforced relegation for the first time last year, but Kim earned his spot back via their qualifying school tournament in January. 

Kim currently shares 10th place alongside a host of players, including Bryson DeChambeau and Sergio Garcia. 

Lee Westwood and Phil Mickelson are not playing this week. 

Westwood injured his wrist whilst Mickelson said he was attending a private family health matter with his wife Amy. 

Westwood was among those to also criticise the OWGR.