As a continuation of the PGA Tour allowing Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed ( in August ) to return – now another welcome sign that golf’s new leaders are taking a more pragmatic approach to dealing with the power struggle in world golf, LIV Golf will begin receiving Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points from this week’s season-opening event in Riyadh, ending years of failed lobbying.
LIV events will be classified as “small-field” tournaments, with points awarded only to the top 10 finishers (and ties). The winner in Riyadh is projected to receive about 23 OWGR points, with nothing available beyond 10th place.
That restriction stands out when compared with other small-field events already in the system. The Hero World Challenge, a 20-player off-season tournament, awarded 30 points to the winner last year and points extended down to 17th. LIV’s model is tighter despite significantly larger fields in peak season.
LIV tournaments are expected to be 57-player events during the main stretch of the calendar, yet the distribution remains capped.
LIV has adjusted its structure to become eligible, including introducing a completely open to all qualifying tournament and shifting to a 72-hole format this season — a significant change for a league built around 54-hole, no-cut events. With LIV being the roman numerals for 54, it shows how being flexible can eventually lead to solutions.
LIV is now back on the rankings, but under a capped, top-heavy system that continues to separate it from the sport’s main tours.
Photo – Golf Digest
