(Los Angeles) The organization responsible for ranking the world’s golf players, the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), announced Tuesday that it is rejecting a request from the LIV Tour for golfers who participate to earn prizes. points.
In an open letter published Tuesday, OWGR President Peter Dawson explained that he rejected LIV’s request because of its 54-hole, no-cut format and limited player access to its competitions.
“This is a purely technical question. The OWGR does not harbor any hostility towards the LIV,” assured Mr. Dawson, in statements reported by the American media.
“LIV players are obviously good enough to be ranked, there’s no doubt about that,” he continued. “It is a question of whether a circuit with such different formats and qualifying criteria can be ranked fairly with other circuits which conform to the OWGR standards, and where there is more competition than in the closed shop that is LIV,” he added.
Access to the rankings is a crucial step in the development of the Saudi-funded LIV, as it would give its players the opportunity to qualify for major tournaments.
The LIV circuit reacted with wrath.
“A ranking that does not fairly represent all participants, regardless of where they play golf, deprives spectators, players and all golf stakeholders of the objective basis on which any accurate recognition of golf performance rests. best players in the world,” he denounced in a press release.
“Professional golf is now devoid of a real world rating and ranking system,” said the LIV.
In June, the American PGA Tour and European DP World Tour announced a merger plan with the LIV Series, supported by the powerful Saudi investment fund PIF (Public Investment Fund), and whose appearance in 2021 had shaken up the golf world. However, the details of this hypothetical agreement are slow to become clear.
