“OWGR put their own necks in a noose” - Golf fans rally behind LIV Golf's decision to forego OWGR eligibility
LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman informed players in the league on Tuesday that his management team officially withdrew the application for the circuit to receive Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points. The announcement was made by Norman via a letter received by each of the LIV players.
The LIV Golf CEO's message was also published by Sports Ilustrated and quickly reached all corners of the golf world via social media. Fans have reacted massively to the issue, with diverse opinions.
One fan identified on X (formerly Twitter) as "Sekrah" had this to say:
"OWGR put their own necks in a noose. Greg Norman just pulled the floor out from under them."
Another user posted the following:
"To heck with it all. Golf is borderline ruined at the moment. It’s all over the place. So much back and forth. It’s a sad, sad reality."
This user took aim at the LIV Golf League:
"The PGA tour underestimated the star power in golf, no one wants to watch watered down tournaments every week. Sad LIV players can’t get the recognition they deserve and points for OWGR."
Here are other reactions:
LIV Golf formally applied to the OWGR in July 2022 for inclusion in the point distribution system. The application was denied in October 2023, citing "entirely technical" considerations.
At the time, the chairman of the OWGR, Peter Dawson, explained the following (via Sports Illustrated):
"This decision not to make them eligible is not political. It is entirely technical. LIV players are self-evidently good enough to be ranked. They’re just not playing in a format where they can be ranked equitably with the other 24 tours and thousands of players to compete on them."
"OWGR has shown little willingness to productively work with us": Greg Norman
The letter sent by Greg Norman to each of the LIV Golf players explains that the circuit's board is not confident that continuing to pursue integration into the OWGR system is still a viable option.
Here is part of what Norman said (via Sports Illustrated):
"A resolution which protects the accuracy, credibility and integrity of the OWGR rankings no longer exists…. Unfortunately, OWGR has shown little willingness to productively work with us.
"Even if LIV Golf events were immediately awarded points, the OWGR system is designed such that it would be functionally impossible for you to regain positions..."
Greg Norman also expressed that the league is making efforts to work individually with each of the majors. He added that the goal is for LIV players to be "fairly represented" at those events.
It was recently reported that Joaquin Niemann received special invitations to play in The Masters and the PGA Championship this season.