“LIV is obsessed with getting OWGR points” – Fans react to LIV Golf’s strategic alliance with the MENA Tour

LIV Golf on Wednesday confirmed its strategic alliance with the MENA Tour (short for Middle East and North Africa). The newly announced collaboration means that players from the Saudi-backed league will finally get world ranking points. The move comes only weeks after 48 LIV golfers penned a letter to the Official World Golf Rankings officials demanding their inclusion in the ranking system.

Ahead of LIV Golf’s sixth event in Bangkok, the Saudi-based series has signed a deal with the MENA Tour, a Dubai-based golf tour. Having been recognized by OWGR in 2016, the alliance will see LIV golfers get added to the MENA roster. The accreditation will allow LIV golfers to attain ranking points without LIV’s application being approved.

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LIV Golf Latest

@LIVGolfLatest

The MENA Tour today announced a strategic alliance which will result in LIV Golf Invitational events becoming part of and sanctioned by the MENA Tour, which has been recognized by the OWGR. The alliance will immediately qualify LIV Golf for OWGR points, starting this week.

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The MENA Tour today announced a strategic alliance which will result in LIV Golf Invitational events becoming part of and sanctioned by the MENA Tour, which has been recognized by the OWGR. The alliance will immediately qualify LIV Golf for OWGR points, starting this week.

The MENA Tour–LIV Golf alliance comes as a major development in the golf world. While LIV golfers and fans of the series seem stoked by it, not everyone is equally happy. The new alliance, which allows LIV golfers to gain points from the LIV event in Bangkok, Thailand this weekend, seems to have annoyed some fans.

It is pertinent to note that the move comes amid the raging PGA Tour–LIV Golf debate. The controversial series’ “shortcut” to OWGR points seems like a masterstroke coming only weeks after it accused the PGA of using its powers against LIV golfers gaining points.

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How Twitter reacted to the MENA Tour-LIV Golf alliance

While many came out lauding LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman and his series for the move, others have openly slammed the latest alliance. Some even laughed it off, claiming that the Saudi-backed series is taking extreme measures to favor its players in the ranking system.

Paul Allan

@PAFinancial

@dougferguson405 LIV is obsessed with getting OWGR points. @SharkGregNorman should have nailed this part down prior to launch. He is arrogant enough to assume it would just happen? The MENA Tour?? First I have heard of it. They get what they deserve..Less family time. More golf.

@dougferguson405 LIV is obsessed with getting OWGR points. @SharkGregNorman should have nailed this part down prior to launch. He is arrogant enough to assume it would just happen? The MENA Tour?? First I have heard of it. They get what they deserve..Less family time. More golf.

Digger Barnes

@beaks1973

@Beanie6101 @steven1976a @EnduranceAgency @flushingitgolf It can’t be alliance - they are two massively different dynamics, MENA is pure developmental tour and that’s why they have points for 54 hole comps , LiV isn’t a developmental tour

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@Beanie6101 @steven1976a @EnduranceAgency @flushingitgolf It can’t be alliance - they are two massively different dynamics, MENA is pure developmental tour and that’s why they have points for 54 hole comps , LiV isn’t a developmental tour

Mark Nickson

@Charlienicko11

@LIVGolfLatest The MENA Tour has been stagnant since before Covid….. a bit like the majority of the LIV players

@LIVGolfLatest The MENA Tour has been stagnant since before Covid….. a bit like the majority of the LIV players 😂😂😂😂😂

Martin

@mjtoal

@StephenRoche100 They chose to walk away from the PGA Tour knowing that LIV did not at that time offer OWGR points nor was there any guarantee they would do so in the future. They are not competing against very many elite golfers and there aren't any more on the MENA Tour.

@StephenRoche100 They chose to walk away from the PGA Tour knowing that LIV did not at that time offer OWGR points nor was there any guarantee they would do so in the future. They are not competing against very many elite golfers and there aren't any more on the MENA Tour.

TweeterAlliss

@TweeterAlliss

LIV golfers waiting to served by the OWGR with their MENA membership cards.

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LIV golfers waiting to served by the OWGR with their MENA membership cards. https://t.co/iPyeplVnX0

Snap Hook Golf

@snaphookgolfuk

@HMBurgerz @Jose19811951 @ANTIFAldo 2 very different alliances - one damages immensely the 2nd biggest tour in golf reducing the quality of players, the other will improve dramatically 2 development tours in MENA & ADT and provide pathways into Asian Tour & LIV and with Japan also their layers can go both routes

@HMBurgerz @Jose19811951 @ANTIFAldo 2 very different alliances - one damages immensely the 2nd biggest tour in golf reducing the quality of players, the other will improve dramatically 2 development tours in MENA & ADT and provide pathways into Asian Tour & LIV and with Japan also their layers can go both routes

Digger Barnes

@beaks1973

@jerichsen66 @snaphookgolfuk @_bfowler @BobRoge321 @NUCLRGOLF @TelegraphSport Mena only get points because they are a development tour how is it a development tour when you add in the LIV golfers - Japan tour are mainly 72 events , nothing has changed

@jerichsen66 @snaphookgolfuk @_bfowler @BobRoge321 @NUCLRGOLF @TelegraphSport Mena only get points because they are a development tour how is it a development tour when you add in the LIV golfers - Japan tour are mainly 72 events , nothing has changed

Golph Livdgren

@GolphLIVdgren

@thegolfeditor @theMENATour Has anyone forgot that LIV was all about growing the game??? And now they just high jacked the MENA tour as their own..just for world ranking points.. what happens to the players from before? Are they allowed to play now on LIV??

@thegolfeditor @theMENATour Has anyone forgot that LIV was all about growing the game??? And now they just high jacked the MENA tour as their own..just for world ranking points.. what happens to the players from before? Are they allowed to play now on LIV??

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All about the MENA Tour-LIV Golf alliance

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The MENA Tour is a Dubai-based golf tour launched in 2011. The tour, which primarily hosts events across the Middle East, North Africa, and Asia, was recognized by the Official World Golf Rankings in 2016. It is considered a pathway for players into the Asian Tour and the Asian Development Tour.

On Thursday, The 54-hole event tour made an official announcement confirming its alliance with the newly introduced LIV Invitational Series. It is pertinent to note that LIV has been looking for ways to grow. The latest collaboration is expected to gain LIV players points while boosting the MENA Tour’s development programs.

Making the announcement through a press release, Atul Khosla, the President and COO of LIV Golf, said:

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“We are taking this mutually beneficial action to support the game at the developmental level and because of the importance and fairness of LIV golfers qualifying for OWGR points... We’re pleased to create pathways that give more opportunities for young players, while also giving fans rankings that include all the world’s best golfers.”

MENA Tour Commissioner David Spencer reciprocated the Saudi-backed series official’s sentiment and said that the alliance is aimed at enhancing the opportunities of golfers on both sides. The alliance will come into immediate action and will see LIV golfers in Bangkok and the opening event of the 2022/23 MENA Tour season gain OWGR points, without the points regulating authority’s direct approval of LIV.

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