The Official World Golf Ranking has recognized LIV Golf events, awarding points to top finishers starting in 2026, but only the top 10 will receive them. LIV Golf welcomed the decision as long-overdue but sharply criticized the restriction as unprecedented and unfair. Players like Jon Rahm echoed the frustration, noting it could harm rankings for consistent performers outside the top 10.
The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) announced on Tuesday that LIV Golf events will begin awarding world ranking points from 2026, marking the end of a contentious saga that began with the tour's launch in 2022. However, the recognition comes with a significant caveat: points will be allocated only to the top-10 finishers and ties in individual stroke play events. The OWGR justified this by stating that LIV Golf still falls short in several eligibility standards.
LIV Golf responded with a statement hailing the move as a 'long-overdue moment of recognition' that affirms performance on the course matters regardless of venue. Yet, the tour decried the top-10 limit as 'unprecedented,' arguing it equates a 11th-place finish with 57th, disproportionately harming high-level performers just outside the threshold and emerging talent. 'No other competitive tour or league in OWGR history has been subjected to such a restriction,' the statement declared, emphasizing that LIV entered the process in good faith and views this as a first step toward full equity.
The restriction has implications for major qualifications and events like the Ryder Cup, which rely heavily on OWGR points. Since joining LIV, many players have seen their rankings plummet without points from its events, though changes like extending tournaments to 72 holes helped secure this partial recognition.
Jon Rahm, currently ranked 97th in OWGR and tied for fourth after the first round of LIV's season opener in Riyadh, voiced similar concerns. 'It’s fantastic that we’re getting points... but I don’t like how we’re not being treated the same as every other tour,' Rahm said. He warned that finishes like his tie for 11th last season in Dallas could now act like missed cuts, potentially causing players to lose points overall due to the divisor effect. Rahm expressed gratitude for getting 'our foot in the door' but stressed the need for fairer treatment, especially compared to smaller fields on other tours that receive full points.
Player reactions highlight broader tensions in professional golf, with LIV advocating for a system that prioritizes performance over affiliation.
