Report: LIV Golf League handed OWGR setback ahead of $25m season opener
The LIV Golf League will not be awarded Official World Golf Ranking points for their first event in Mexico, according to a report.
The LIV Golf League will not receive Official World Golf Ranking points for their first event next week in Mexico.
According to a report by SI's Bob Harig, the governing body has asked for more information.
LIV's application has not been outright rejected, the publication have reported.
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The news - if true - will be frustrating for the breakaway tour players as they have been sliding down the world rankings at an alarming rate.
Some critics have argued this debacle is one of the reasons why their signing-on fees were so large.
Would they be eligible for the majors? Would the tour receive OWGR accreditation?
One player, Phil Mickelson, has claimed the OWGR has now lost any credibility and called for a new system.
On 2 February in an exchange on Twitter, Mickelson wrote that the head of golf's governing bodies 'run the OWGR and have colluded to exclude LIV players from getting points.'
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley have stated they have recused themselves from LIV's application process owing to their conflict of interests.
That still leaves OWGR representatives from organisations including the Masters, PGA of America, USGA and R&A to decide their fate.
Augusta National have stated LIV players would not be banned from the Masters, despite a damning statement from chairman Fred Ridley.
There are a number of LIV players who have already qualified for this year's first major.
R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said it would go against the nature of the Open to ban players as he said he looked forward to Cameron Smith defending his Claret Jug this summer.
LIV Golf were accused of trying to pull a fast one to earning OWGR points by forming a "strategic alliance" with the MENA Tour before their $25m invitational in Jeddah but that was placed under review.
The aforementioned Smith is the highest ranked LIV Golf League player at No. 4 in the OWGR.
Earlier this month Dustin Johnson slipped outside the top-50 for the first time in 13 years.
Bryson DeChambeau has fallen outside the top-100 for the first time since his maiden PGA Tour victory in 2017.
The OWGR has a number of guidelines that need to be met before they award any tour accreditation.
Chief of which involve having 36-hole cuts and qualifying access.
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The OWGR handbook also states that tours can be granted points without meeting all the guidelines.
Peter Dawson is the chairman of the OWGR. He formerly worked as the chief executive of the R&A.
The OWGR does not comment on ongoing applications.
Martin Slumbers, CEO of the R&A
Elsewhere, LIV were also dealt a bitter legal blow earlier in the week after a U.S. judge ruled the 'mastermind' behind the breakaway tour Yasir Al-Rumayyan can be deposed by PGA Tour attorneys.
Al-Rumayyan is the chairman of the Public Investment Fund (LIV's backer).
It is expected that decision will be appealed.
But if upheld, it would open the door for the PGA Tour lawyers to gain access to crucial documents about LIV's negotiations with their former stars.
Is it finally time for LIV Golf to have OWGR accreditation? What do you think? Bored of it? Don't hesitate to Tweet us.
Ben joined the GolfMagic team in September 2021, initially as a content executive.
These days, he assumes the position of content manager.
