LIV in talks to gain OWGR recognition

LIV Golf chief Scott O’Neill has expressed hopes that LIV events would soon be sanctioned by the OWGR. Since the LIV kicked off in 2022, their events have not been recognised by the foremost golf rankings body, meaning their players have not earned points on the rankings.

This has been one of the major obstacles in getting players from other tours to join the Saudi-backed league. But O’Neill believes that could change soon. 

According to him, the LIV has been in talks with the OWGR to see how things could change, and things seem to be heading in the right direction. He said, “We are working very closely with [chairman] Trevor Immelman and the board of OWGR. 

“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.

O’Neill also mentioned that part of the things the league will do to facilitate being recognised by the OWGR is changing their current format from 54 holes to 72 holes. The 54-hole system has been a core part of the league, influencing its name (LIV being Roman numerals for 54), and shaping how its events are based. 

The golf chief believes that a name change would not be necessary, even if they decide to switch to 72-hole tournaments, stating that “LIV is a brand”. In essence, at this point, it doesn’t matter what its literal meaning is.

He further added that adding extra holes would increase viewership, which is good for their commercial end. 

The LIV has come a long way, attracting some big names from Tours like the PGA, and is now a full-fledged franchise. It has faced its fair share of challenges, but the new chief executive seems intent on ending it all, beginning with the issue of points.

His overall focus, however, lies in growing the league and expanding it to a global brand, as he compared it to Formula 1.