OWGR recognises LIV events with a clause

The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) announced on Tuesday that they had finally granted recognition to the LIV Invitational.

Since the league’s inception in 2022, players have had to contend with playing events without earning ranking points. But this recent development changes things, although with a clause. 

While the OWGR would be granting points for LIV events played, only players who finish in the top 10 would qualify for these points. 

According to the OWGR, the restriction was put in place because there are a “number of areas where LIV Golf does not meet the eligibility standards set out by OWGR.”

Reacting to the news, the LIV described the update as “unprecedented”, stating that “no other competitive tour or league in OWGR history has been subjected to such a restriction.”

A part of their statement reads: “Under these rules, a player finishing 11th in a LIV Golf event is treated the same as a player finishing 57th. Limiting points to only the top 10 finishers disproportionately harms players who consistently perform at a high level but finish just outside that threshold, as well as emerging talent working to establish themselves on the world stage, precisely the players a fair and meritocratic ranking system is designed to recognize.”

The league, however, added that it expected that “this is merely a first step toward a structure that fully and fairly serves the players, the fans, and the future of the sport.”

For years now, the LIV has suffered from being unsactioned by the OWGR. All the players that have joined the league from other leagues and tours have watched their rankings drop, despite still being active in the sport. 

This lack of recognition has, no doubt, stifled the growth of the Saudi-backed league, preventing players who may have had an interest in joining. 

As to what areas the LIV did not meet OWGR’s eligibility standards, the body mentioned the league’s field size of 57 players for 2026, versus the required minimum of 75 outlined in their regulations, the manner in which players joined the league, which was through recruitment rather than qualification, among other technical issues. 

The fact that these issues were highlighted is a sign that the OWGR’s decision was not random. It’s left for the LIV to work towards addressing some of the issues raised, and the OWGR might remove the restriction and grant points to all players who participate in an event.