"We just got to play well in the Majors" - Bryson DeChambeau dubs LIV Golf's OWGR situation 'frustrating'
Bryson DeChambeau slammed the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) system in his recent interview on a Fairway to Heaven podcast.
The LIV Golf players do not receive ranking points, which has been a prime reason for the content depletion of their world ranking. Most of the golfers even struggle to earn a spot in the Major tournaments' field because of that.
DeChambeau asserted in the podcast that the Saudi circuit had met all of the requirements specified by the OWGR official to receive ranking points. However, they still did not receive it. The situation, in his words, was "a bit frustrating."
Speaking about OWGR, DeChambeau said (via Flushing it Golf):
"They said ‘you need certain requirements’, we have fulfilled all those requirements, despite what everybody thinks. If you go look at their handbook, we have fulfilled every single criteria. It’s been over 2 years now. What’s going on guys?"
"It’s a bit frustrating, but nothing we can do at this moment. If we showcase ourselves in the major championships there’s no way they can keep us out. We just got to play well in the Majors and once we do, they have no choice," he added.
It is important to remember that LIV golfers can only guarantee their spots in Majors through the Official World Golf Rankings and special exemptions, as they are not permitted to compete on the PGA Tour.
However, they do not earn ranking points, and as a result, their ranking has been dropping, which has diminished their opportunities to participate in Majors.
Just a handful of LIV players meet the criteria to compete in Majors. 18 Saudi circuit players are eligible to compete at the 2024 Masters, scheduled to take place in April. Interestingly, Joaquin Niemann earned a special invitation to the competition by the tournament officials.
Bryson DeChambeau's current Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) position
Bryson DeChambeau's current Official World Gold Ranking is 169th. He was within the top 30 in 2022 before joining the LIV Golf. However, in the last two years, his ranking has tremendously fallen and he slipped out of the top 100.
Currently, Scottie Scheffler tops the OWGR with an average point of 9.2103. Jon Rahm, the latest addition to the LIV Golf, is the only Saudi circuit player who sits within the top 5.
Brooks Koepka, one of the initial PGA Tour detectors to join LIV, ranks 29th in the world. He won a Major last year which helped him maintain his ranking.
Cameron Smith, who was ranked 2nd when he joined LIV Golf in 2022, slipped down to 44th place in the OWGR as of February 2024. He was ranked 25th at the end of 2023.
Tyrrell Hatton, who joined the LIV Golf earlier this month, ranks 17th in the world currently while Adrian Meronk sits at the 48th position. Meronk has also joined the Saudi circuit in the first week of February.