LIV Golf Criticizes Top-Ten Restriction as OWGR Awards First Ranking Points

LIV Golf has expressed frustration at the Official World Golf Rankings board’s decision to award ranking points to players on its Saudi Arabia-funded circuit for the first time while restricting points to only the top 10 finishers at each event. The announcement comes as the tour begins its fifth season in Riyadh. LIV described the decision as “unprecedented” and criticized the limitations, calling for a system that rewards performance over affiliation.

Currently, all 24 other men’s professional tours that contribute to OWGR award points to all players who make the cut. LIV argued that limiting points to the top 10 disproportionately harms players who consistently perform well but finish outside the threshold. A player finishing 11th receives the same zero points as the last-place finisher in the 57-man field. The tour emphasized the need for transparency and fairness for players, fans, and the future of the sport.

OWGR Cites LIV Event Structure And Eligibility Concerns While Acknowledging Recent Improvements

The OWGR board acknowledged that the decision reflects changes in professional golf, but cited multiple reasons for limiting points. LIV events typically have smaller fields than the OWGR minimum, conduct no-cut tournaments, and have restricted entry pathways. Players are often selected rather than earning their place through merit, and recent team adjustments based on nationality rather than performance further differentiate the tour from traditional professional golf.

Despite these restrictions, OWGR highlighted LIV’s recent improvements. The 2026 season will include 14 events played over 72 holes, up from 54 in previous years, and further changes are planned for 2027. Trevor Immelman, OWGR chairman and 2008 Masters champion, described the evaluation process as complex but necessary to ensure fairness across tours while recognizing the top performers in LIV events.

LIV Winners Face Limited Points, Requiring Consistent Top Finishes To Impact Rankings

Points awarded to LIV winners are modest compared to traditional tours. The winner of this week’s opening event is projected to earn 23.03 OWGR points, similar to European DP World Tour events. PGA Tour winners earn significantly more with 59 points for a regular event, 66 for signature events, and 37 for FedEx Cup playoffs. As a result, LIV players will need multiple top-ten finishes to make meaningful moves in the rankings.

Currently, only Tyrrell Hatton and Bryson DeChambeau are in the top 50, with five others among the top 100, including Jon Rahm at 97th. OWGR points are crucial for qualifying for the four major championships. Some LIV players, including DeChambeau and Rahm, retain exemptions for majors, while stars such as Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed have returned to the PGA Tour.

LIV Golf maintains that awarding points is a first step toward a system that fairly recognizes performance. The tour intends to continue advocating for equal treatment for all players and a transparent system that benefits the sport, the fans, and the competitors.