OWGR chief provides update on LIV Golf's application

The chairman of golf's global rankings body says "no decision" has been made yet over LIV's latest application. 

The PIF-backed breakaway has been locked out of the Official World Golf Ranking system since its launch in 2022. 

An application with the body was lodged before the landmark 150th Open at St Andrews and was ultimately rejected. 

Then OWGR chairman Peter Dawson said they were "not at war" with LIV and urged the league to make changes. 

But a furious Greg Norman pulled the application altogether, saying in a letter to players the OWGR had shown "little willingness" to work with LIV. 

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Norman's replacement, Scott O'Neil, renewed LIV's bid for OWGR accreditation before the first major of the year. 

And it is understood that recent changes to LIV Golf will ultimately pave the way for the green light. 

The headline change was LIV's decision to abandon one of their founding principles and shift to a 72-hole format instead of 54. 

LIV are now enforcing relegation and there are more opportunities to earn exemptions into the league via the International Series. 

"We found out right before everyone else did," OWGR chairman Trevor Immelman told Golf Channel of the LIV changes.

"Scott O'Neil let us know that they were going to make the change to 72 holes. 

"I guess they feel like they will be evolving. Their league is going to be evolving.

"They are going to be playing 72, fields are going to be growing and so he gave us the heads up. 

"For us, the board has been working hard and super involved in checking the application they put in in June.

"We have been working really closely with LIV to make sure we handle this in the appropriate fashion with as much integrity as possible.

"Dialogue has been back and forth, and constant and in a great spirit. 

"I have enjoyed getting to know Scott O’Neil, he is a passionate guy, passionate about the LIV Golf league.

"While there is no decision yet, we will have to see what happens in the future."

What has Scott O'Neil said about LIV Golf's OWGR pursuit?

In contrast to his predecessor, O'Neil has remained largely out of the limelight and offered few interviews. 

But at the beginning of the month, O'Neil opened up on a number of topics. 

Chief of which was LIV's pursuit of OWGR recognition. 

He said he was hopeful a decision would be made before LIV begin their fourth full campaign next February. 

"We are working very closely with [chairman] Trevor Immelman and the board of OWGR," he said. 

"It's likely that will have an impact at some point. 

"We are having conversations with Trevor, who is doing an extraordinary and difficult job towards a solution that we hope to have in place by next season.

"There are a whole host of things we are talking through."

O'Neil also said he was "open" to working with the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. 

But, like his counterparts in the United States and Europe, appeared to indicate he would solely be focusing on LIV. 

Pressed on a potential unification in the men's game, O'Neil said: "Yes I think we will need to create more playing experiences and opportunities with the PGA Tour. 

"I think there's real opportunity, but I am focused on LIV Golf and taking the sport around the world. 

"I think that we are all smart enough to figure out that we can also create bigger platforms to have some fun and grow this game together.

"I would say that if I were here for three years, I'd be thinking very differently. 

"I think today what I'm looking at is a business with a strong foundation and incredible momentum and happy players, happy caddies and happy families of players.

"The players want to be here and I think that part is pretty special, but are there opportunities to come together? Of course and if there are prudent ones that make sense for LIV we'll do them."