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LIV Golf is taking part in just for money, not world rating factors, after the Official World Golf Rating board decided it couldn’t pretty measure the 48-man league with the opposite 24 excursions all over the world.
The OWGR rejected the appliance from Saudi-backed LIV Golf, first submitted in July 2022 after the league already had performed two of its 54-hole, no-cut occasions.
“We’re not at conflict with them,” Peter Dawson, chairman of the OWGR board, stated when contacted by The Related Press. “This resolution to not make them eligible will not be political. It’s completely technical. LIV gamers are self-evidently adequate to be ranked. They’re simply not taking part in in a format the place they are often ranked equitably with the opposite 24 excursions and hundreds of gamers attempting to compete on them.”
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, European tour CEO Keith Pelley and Keith Waters of the Worldwide Federation of PGA Excursions beforehand recused themselves from the LIV Golf resolution to keep away from any battle of curiosity.
The committee that rejected LIV’s software comprised leaders from Augusta Nationwide, the PGA of America, the U.S. Golf Affiliation and The R&A, which run the 4 majors. The majors use the OWGR as a part of their qualifying standards.
LIV Golf, which has two occasions left in its second season, has 48 gamers competing over 54 holes with no minimize and a $20 million purse, with a further $5 million awarded in a simultaneous staff competitors.
Dawson, a nonvoting member of the committee, stated the OWGR may work round a number of the necessities, resembling a 36-hole minimize and having a median area measurement of 75 gamers over the course of a season.
However the committee couldn’t get previous what quantities to a closed store.
LIV Golf League has the identical 48 gamers for the complete season (with alternates in case of harm) and never sufficient turnover. Though the highest 24 gamers are assured a spot the subsequent season, LIV Golf signed a number of gamers to profitable contracts that guarantee them a spot on the roster no matter their efficiency.
Amongst these at the moment outdoors the highest 24 are Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood, Bubba Watson, Paul Casey and Ian Poulter.
Three gamers are to be added for the 2024 season by means of a promotions event, with a fourth participant — Andy Ogletree — advancing by means of the Worldwide Collection on the Asian Tour. LIV Golf can select so as to add others by recruiting, resembling signing up Mito Pereira and Thomas Pieters forward of the 2023 season.
Most excursions all over the world usually have a turnover price of 20% to 25%.
LIV Golf made its debut in June 2022, and the shortage of world rating factors has taken an unlimited toll. Gamers who joined the rival league had been suspended by the PGA Tour and European tour, and their solely entry to factors was the majors.
When LIV Golf accomplished its inaugural season, it had 12 gamers from the highest 50 on the earth (led by Cameron Smith) and 24 of the highest 100. On this week’s rating, Smith (No. 15) and Brooks Koepka (No. 18) are the one gamers from the highest 50, and LIV has solely six gamers among the many prime 100.
Amongst these now not within the prime 100 are Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau and Talor Gooch, who has three LIV Golf victories this 12 months. LIV gamers have mocked the OWGR for not being credible with out providing them rating factors.
“Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, in fact they need to be within the rating,” Dawson stated. “We have to discover a approach to get that achieved. I hope that LIV can discover a answer — not a lot their format; that may be handled by means of a mathematical components — however the qualification and relegation.”
The OWGR committee additionally raised considerations over the staff facet of LIV, notably a second involving Sebastián Muñoz at a LIV Golf occasion in Florida per week earlier than the Masters.
Koepka had a 1-shot lead on the ultimate gap, with he and Muñoz each about 40 ft away for birdie. Koepka went first and left the putt simply over 4 ft away. Muñoz wanted to make birdie to power a playoff. Nonetheless, his Torque staff had a 1-shot lead. Muñoz lagged his putt to simply inside 4 ft and made par.
“I knew we had been 1 stroke forward on the staff, so I could not go further. I knew I could not be too aggressive,” Muñoz stated when it was over.
LIV Golf can reapply to be a part of the OWGR system, though the board made it clear that turnover, goal entry to LIV Golf and relegating gamers who do not carry out stay key factors in getting rating factors.
There’s additionally the matter of the PGA Tour, European tour and Saudi backers of LIV Golf (Public Funding Fund) figuring out a industrial partnership introduced in June. One of many provisions is evaluating the way forward for staff golf.
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